Hank Williams | Colin Escott

Hank Williams: The Biography | Colin Escott

With William MacEwen & George Merritt

How did a frail, pained country songwriter create the timeless anthems of American heartbreak? Colin Escott investigates in Hank Williams: The Biography.

About the Book:

Long considered the last word on Hank Williams, this biography has remained continuously in print since its first publication in 1994.

This new edition has been completely updated and includes many previously unpublished photographs, as well as a complete catalog detailing all the songs Hank Williams ever wrote, even those he never recorded.

Colin Escott is codirector and cowriter of the forth-coming two-hour PBS/BBC television documentary on Hank Williams, set to broadcast in spring 2004, and coauthor of Hank Williams: Snapshots from the Lost Highway.

Hank Williams was the third-prize winner of the prestigious Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hank Williams:

• Q: Is this book an authorized family account or an independent historical study?
  A: This is an independent, rigorously researched work that is widely celebrated as the definitive, "last word" biography on the country music icon Hank Williams. It won third prize for the prestigious Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award due to its incredible historical objectivity and depth.
• Q: How does this revised 2004 edition differ from the original 1994 publication?
  A: This updated edition incorporates several years of subsequent primary source research by Colin Escott. It features previously hidden details about Williams' life, a wealth of unreleased historical photographs, and a master catalog detailing every single song Williams ever wrote—including rare pieces he never recorded.
• Q: How heavily does the text address his battles with substance abuse and the Grand Ole Opry?
  A: The biography handles his severe struggles with complete, unvarnished transparency. It details his fierce addiction to alcohol and painkillers—sparked by a lifelong battle with spina bifida occulta—which led to erratic behavior, fractured marriages, and his infamous dismissal from the headline spot on the Grand Ole Opry just months before his death.
• Q: Who are the co-authors and what musical history credentials do they bring?
  A: Main author Colin Escott is a Grammy-winning historian and foremost authority on early country music. He collaborated with veteran researchers William MacEwen and George Merritt to combine decades of interview transcripts, medical files, legal records, and music industry archives into a highly seamless narrative.
• Q: Does the narrative focus mostly on music charts or his complicated personal relationships?
  A: It balances both beautifully. The text dives deep into the high-stakes music business of the 1940s while closely dissecting his tumultuous personal life. This includes a fascinating look at the fierce tug-of-war to control his career between his mother, Lillian, and his equally ambitious first wife, Audrey Sheppard.

About the Author(s):

👤 Colin Escott: Music Historian

Colin Escott is an award-winning music historian and one of the world's leading authorities on the early days of country music and rock 'n' roll. He won a Grammy Award for his extensive work on Mercury Records' The Complete Hank Williams box set and received a Tony Award nomination for writing the smash Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet. A prominent music journalist and television consultant, Escott also co-wrote and co-produced the critically acclaimed PBS/BBC television documentary on Hank Williams.

He resides near Nashville, Tennessee.

👤 William MacEwen: Music Writer

William MacEwen is a dedicated music writer and researcher specializing in the preservation of classic American roots music. Combining a deep passion for the genre with years of meticulous investigative work, he collaborated closely with Escott and Merritt to unearth previously hidden details regarding Williams' troubled life, tumultuous marriages, and complex creative legacy.

His contribution was instrumental in compiling the book’s definitive, complete catalog detailing every song Hank Williams ever wrote.

👤 George Merritt: Author

George Merritt is an accomplished author, archivist, and country music researcher whose lifelong fascination with mid-century Americana helped fuel this definitive study. Merritt’s archival expertise was essential in sourcing the book's rare, previously unpublished historical photographs and cross-referencing firsthand accounts from those closest to Williams.

His collaborative research helped establish Hank Williams: The Biography as the undisputed, award-winning "last word" on the country music icon.

Bibliographic Data:

• Full Title: Hank Williams: The Biography (Revised Edition)
• Author(s): Colin Escott (with William MacEwen and George Merritt)
• Publisher & Imprint: Back Bay Books (An imprint of Little, Brown and Company)
• Publication Date: April 1, 2004 (Original text published 1994)
• Binding Format: Trade Paperback
• Condition: Pre-Owned / Very Good
• Edition: Completely Updated / Revised Edition
• Print Length: 388 Pages (Includes updated song catalog and photographic sections)
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 9780316734974
• ISBN-10: 0316734977
• Library of Congress (LCCN): 2003026510
• Primary Genre (BISAC): BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
• Sub-Genres (BISAC): MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Country & Bluegrass; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / General
• Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
• Weight: 12.6 oz (approx. 0.79 lbs)

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