By the late 1980s, both Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings were coming toward the end of their historic country music careers. But they were both still releasing plenty of music. In 1987, Cash released Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town. The record includes “The Night Hank Williams Came To Town”. A duet with Jennings, the song was written by Bobby Braddock and Charlie Williams.
Unlike most songs with a verse and chorus, “The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” is seven verses. It begins with, “Harry Truman was our president / A Coke and burger cost you thirty cents / I was still in love with Mavis Brown / On the night Hank Williams came to town.”
Videos by American Songwriter
“The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” is a tribute to the star power Williams, who died in 1953, had in his career that was tragically cut short. Later in the song, it says “A thousand people sweltered in the gym / Then I heard someone whisper, ‘Hey, that’s him’/ That’s when the crowd let out this deafening sound / It was the night Hank Williams came to town / On and on he sang into the night / ‘Jambalaya’, ‘Cheatin’ heart’, ‘I saw the light’ / How’d they get Miss Audrey in that gown / On the night Hank Williams came to town.”
Other Songs Johnny Cash Released With Waylon Jennings
“The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” is one of Cash’s most memorable recordings with Jennings, but it isn’t their only one. The two country music legends released several songs together throughout the years. In 1978, they released “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang”, a Top 5 single for the pair. That song is part of Cash’s I Would Like To See You Again album, also out in 1978. They followed that with “I Wish I Was Crazy Again”, also from the same record.
In 1986, Cash and Jennings released Heroes, their only duets album. Heroes includes “Even Cowgirls Get The Blues”, a Top 40 single, and the only one released from the record. Heroes also features a cover of Tom T. Hall’s “Ballad Of Forty Dollars”, plus their take on Bob Dylan’s “One Too Many Mornings”.
Of course, Cash and Jennings also had success with the supergroup, The Highwaymen, which also included Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. The Highwaymen had several hits together, including “Highwayman”, a No. 1 single.
In 2014, a cover of Han Snow’s “I’m Moving On” was posthumously released by the pair, who recorded the song together in 1984.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
More Features
-
1984: Pop singer Phil Collins records a music video in circa 1984. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Hank Snow, who had a major hit with Geoff Mack's signature tune -
Dean Martin (left) and his special guest Frank Sinatra perform a duet on The Dean Martin Show. -
Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar -
Queen – Freddie Mercury, Queen – Freddie Mercury (Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images) -
Bon Jovi, who had one of the biggest rock songs of 1987. -
Los Angeles, CA – 1983: Rodney Dangerfield appearing in the ABC special 'The Rodney Dangerfield Special: I Can't Take It No More'. (Photo by George Mann /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)
