{"product_id":"hank-williams-biography-colin-escott-9780316734974","title":"Hank Williams | Colin Escott","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHank Williams: The Biography | Colin Escott\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith William MacEwen \u0026amp; George Merritt\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow did a frail, pained country songwriter create the timeless anthems of American heartbreak? \u003cstrong\u003eColin Escott\u003c\/strong\u003e investigates in \u003cem\u003eHank Williams: The Biography\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Book:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong considered the last word on Hank Williams, this biography has remained continuously in print since its first publication in 1994.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003enew edition \u003c\/strong\u003ehas been \u003cstrong\u003ecompletely updated \u003c\/strong\u003eand includes many previously unpublished photographs, as well as a complete catalog detailing all the songs Hank Williams ever wrote, even those he never recorded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColin 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 \u003cem\u003eHank Williams: Snapshots from the Lost Highway\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHank Williams\u003c\/em\u003e was the third-prize winner of the prestigious Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions About \u003cem\u003eHank Williams\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eIs this book an authorized family account or an independent historical study?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eHow does this revised 2004 edition differ from the original 1994 publication?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e How heavily does the text address his battles with substance abuse and the Grand Ole Opry?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e Who are the co-authors and what musical history credentials do they bring?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eMain author \u003cstrong\u003eColin Escott\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Grammy-winning historian and foremost authority on early country music. He collaborated with veteran researchers \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam MacEwen\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Merritt\u003c\/strong\u003e to combine decades of interview transcripts, medical files, legal records, and music industry archives into a highly seamless narrative.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eDoes the narrative focus mostly on music charts or his complicated personal relationships?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author(s):\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e👤 Colin Escott:\u003c\/strong\u003e Music Historian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eColin Escott \u003c\/strong\u003eis 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 \u003cstrong\u003eGrammy Award \u003c\/strong\u003efor his extensive work on Mercury Records' \u003cem\u003eThe Complete Hank Williams\u003c\/em\u003e box set and received a Tony Award nomination for writing the smash Broadway musical \u003cem\u003eMillion Dollar Quartet\u003c\/em\u003e. A prominent music journalist and television consultant, Escott also co-wrote and co-produced the critically acclaimed PBS\/BBC television documentary on Hank Williams.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eHe resides near Nashville, Tennessee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e👤 William MacEwen:\u003c\/strong\u003e Music Writer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilliam MacEwen\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eHis contribution was instrumental in compiling the book’s definitive, complete catalog detailing every song Hank Williams ever wrote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e👤 George Merritt: \u003c\/strong\u003eAuthor\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Merritt\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eHis collaborative research helped establish \u003cem\u003eHank Williams: The Biography\u003c\/em\u003e as the undisputed, award-winning \"last word\" on the country music icon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBibliographic Data:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFull Title:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hank Williams: The Biography (Revised Edition)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor(s): \u003c\/strong\u003eColin Escott (with William MacEwen and George Merritt)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher \u0026amp; Imprint: \u003c\/strong\u003eBack Bay Books (An imprint of Little, Brown and Company)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/strong\u003eApril 1, 2004 (Original text published 1994)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBinding Format: \u003c\/strong\u003eTrade Paperback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition: \u003c\/strong\u003eCompletely Updated \/ Revised Edition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrint Length: \u003c\/strong\u003e388 Pages (Includes updated song catalog and photographic sections)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/strong\u003e English\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/strong\u003e9780316734974\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-10: \u003c\/strong\u003e0316734977\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLibrary of Congress (LCCN):\u003c\/strong\u003e 2003026510\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary Genre (BISAC): \u003c\/strong\u003eBIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Music\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSub-Genres (BISAC): \u003c\/strong\u003eMUSIC \/ Genres \u0026amp; Styles \/ Country \u0026amp; Bluegrass; BIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Cultural, Ethnic \u0026amp; Regional \/ General\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003e5.6 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.6 oz (approx. 0.79 lbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrab Your Copy!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the definitive, critically acclaimed biography of country music's most legendary and tragic pioneer. Tap to discover Colin Escott's masterpiece today!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49824337559867,"sku":"0316734977","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780316734974.jpg?v=1777297208","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/hank-williams-biography-colin-escott-9780316734974","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}