Hemphill, Paul. Lovesick bluest the life of Hank Williams.

HEMPHILL, Paul. Lovesick bluest the life of Hank Williams. Read by Jonathan Hogan. 5 tapes. 7.5 hrs. Recorded Books. 2005/2006. 1-4193-4933-3. $49.75. Vinyl; content notes. SA

This is a well-researched, insightful biography of Hank Williams, considered the greatest country singer/songwriter who ever lived. Moving from one small town in southern Alabama to another, Hank (born Hiram) grew up during the Depression. He seldom bothered to attend school, and started drinking seriously at age 11. Chronic alcoholism was a curse that plagued him during his entire short life. A dysfunctional family plus marital troubles gave him abundant material for his songs. The actual cause of his death at age 29 in the back seat of his baby blue Cadillac convertible on New Year's Day, 1953, will never be known.

Hogan's fine reading expresses the loneliness and confusion of a young man who shot to stardom without any realization of his impact on his fans and the music business. Hogan occasionally sings a few lines from a Williams's hit as an illustration of how his lyrics portrayed the often heartbreaking realities of his personal life. Of 66 songs recorded by Hank Williams in only five years of cutting records, 37 of them made Billboard's top 10 chart and 50 of them were written by Hank. Carol Kellerman, Libn/Media Spec. (retired), Santa Fe, NM

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.