On This Day in 1947, Hank Williams Recorded a Single That Would Be the Blueprint for Songs That Made Him an Icon

On this day (February 13) in 1947, Hank Williams stepped into the studio to record his last few sides for Sterling Records. Among them was “My Love for You (Has Turned to Hate),” a heartbreak song that resembled his future output more than his first Sterling releases, which consisted mostly of faith-based music.

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Williams is a country music icon who has influenced generations of artists. However, it took some time for his career to take off. At the same time, he didn’t always record the honky tonk tunes for which he became famous. His first single, “Never Again (Will I Knock on Your Door),” was backed with “Calling You,” a hymn he wrote. Both sides of his next single–“Wealth Won’t Save Your Soul” and “When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels”–were sacred songs.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1950, the Prolific Recording Session That Gave Hank Williams His Second Chart-Topper and Two Other Classic Songs]

His third and penultimate Sterling single was his first release to feature only secular songs. Moreover, “My Love for You (Has Turned to Hate)” was more in line with the heartbreak songs that he would come to be known for later in his career. The song is about a man whose lady left and wants to come back. In the end, the song’s narrator turns her away, telling her that his feelings for her have soured.

None of Williams’ Sterling singles reached the Billboard charts. However, they sold well enough to let producer and publisher Fred Rose know that Williams could be successful with the correct promotion and production. As a result, he helped the young singer/songwriter land his major label deal with MGM Records. His first MGM release was “Move It on Over,” a No. 4 country hit.

Hank Williams Never Shied Away from Sacred Songs

While his focus was largely on honky tonk songs later in his career, Hank Williams never shied away from sharing his spiritual side. However, he didn’t do so under his name. Instead, he recorded sacred songs, recitations, and moral tales under the name Luke the Drifter.

He wasn’t really trying to hide this side of his output by releasing it under a different name. Instead, it was a marketing decision. If people went to the jukebox to play the new Hank Williams selection and got a moral tale or other recitation, it could have been bad for record sales. Luke the Drifter allowed Williams to fully express his creativity.

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