Hank Williams is considered by many to be one of the greatest old-school country singers of the 20th century. It’s hard to argue with that. We lost him far too young at the age of 29, but we did get blessed with some of the finest songs from the early years of country music. Without him, country music truly wouldn’t be what it is today. He was a pioneer and one of the most significant and influential musicians of the century.
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On this day, way back in the year 1949, Hank Williams walked into Herzog Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, to record a song that would continue to see airplay today, over seven decades after it was first released. And that song is none other than “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”.
The Enduring Power of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was recorded by Hank Williams on August 30, 1949. Williams chose Herzog Studio in Cincinnati to record the album, and he was accompanied by quite a few talented musicians. Those musicians were part of the Pleasant Valley Boys, namely Zeke Turner on lead guitar, Louis Innis on rhythm guitar, and Jerry Byrd on steel guitar. Fiddler Tommy Jackson and bass player Ernie Newton also contributed their talents to the recording.
According to lore, Williams wrote the song with the intention to speak the lyrics, rather than sing them. Plenty of his earlier recordings didn’t involve much singing. However, it’s certainly a good thing that he changed his mind, as this honky-tonk classic just wouldn’t be the same without Williams’ crooning voice.
Funnily enough, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was first released as a B-side to another song, “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It”. The former became way more popular, and it’s considered one of the greatest classic American songs of its era. It’s an intensely emotional song with a level of directness and gentleness that would inspire country music songwriters for decades.
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” might be one of the most famous early country songs of all time, but it was not without some controversy. In the 90s, music journalist Chet Flippo and historian W. Lynn Nickell claimed that a then-21-year-old man from Kentucky, one Paul Gilley, actually wrote “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. They alleged that the young man sold the song to Williams and allowed him to take full credit for it. However, those claims have never been outright proven.
Photo by Underwood Archives/Shutterstock
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