The Opry Has Sinned

November 27, 2008 8:57 PM

"The Reinstate Hank campaign calls for the remittal of Opry star, and country music legend, Hank Williams."

Booted for boozing in 1952, Hank died before he could be readmitted to the Grand Ole Opry. Grandson Hank III is leading the charge for his reinstatement, alleging that the Opry "ain't so grand anymore" (NSFW). 32,000 people have signed the petition. One problem: The Opry has only living members.

Hank live at the Opry:

• Dear John
• Moanin' the Blues
• I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Livin'
• Nobody's Lonesome for Me

posted by Knappster (8 comments total)

I wonder if Hank Williams were alive today he'd want any part of the Opry.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 9:11 PM on November 27, 2008

My bucket's got a hole in it.
posted by freebird at 9:20 PM on November 27, 2008

The man had a black dagger in his heart, and it's clear from the clips linked above, the Opry wanted nothing to do with it... only "Nobody's Lonesome For Me" comes close to the anguish of a man growing bitter that marks the best of Hank Williams.

NPR had a piece earlier in the year with Jet Williams, the daughter he knew he had, but never got to meet, as she was pushing a collection of live recordings rescued and re-mastered from the Mother's Best Flour radio show. They played a few tracks, and how anyone could get through the rest of the day without crying in a dark room for a few hours after listening to him is beyond me. Plaintive, honest despair... and what's worse was the hope at the bottom of it, that things might, somehow, turn out right, even though everyone knew they wouldn't.

The booze was just an excuse. The Opry could not, and would not, and will not, have someone so honest and cynical as part of it.

They don't deserve Hank. Plain and simple. They didn't deserve Patsy or Johnny, neither.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:58 PM on November 27, 2008 [15 favorites]

Mothers Best Flour Show 1951
posted by pracowity at 10:50 PM on November 27, 2008

Here's that Unreleased Recordings Box Set. Now I have to get someone to buy me this for Christmas.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 10:54 PM on November 27, 2008

How can we reinstate someone who had terrorist friends?
posted by orthogonality at 5:07 AM on November 28, 2008

How can we reinstate someone who had terrorist friends?

Was he pallin' around with Woodie Guthrie or something? Damn Socialist agitators & their new-fangled guitars.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:45 AM on November 28, 2008

I was doin all right until I came across the part on the website that mentions their petition book includes a preamble by Hank III written "in his own blood". That's pretty hardcore there.

That said, the graphic design of the REINSTATE HANK stickers is really well-done in that hipster underground brand way (sup Goldenstache) and I could totally see them contextlessly gracing stop signs and other urban accoutrements even in the most non-C&W of cities.

And if nobody gets in on that, I think I may very well have to.
posted by Spatch at 9:57 AM on November 28, 2008