I Saw the Light [Remastered]

Performer: Hank Williams
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Compilation producers: Colin Escott, Kira Florita. Recorded between 1946 & 1951. Includes liner notes by Colin Escott. Digitally remastered by Suha Gur (Universal Mastering Studios East). Website: www.hankwilliams.com Recording information: 12/11/1946-??/??/1951. Like all the best sinners, Hank really just wanted be a saint. I SAW THE LIGHT focuses on that important spiritual side of his life and work. This compilation represents the other side of the coin from Hank Williams's heartbroken laments and barroom ballads. I SAW THE LIGHT focuses on Hank's spiritual side, which was a major element of his work. No matter what kind of situation Williams found himself in, in art or life, his faith in Jesus was never far from his mind. Many of the hymn-like tunes here came about when Hank found himself painted into an emotional corner, with no one to turn to except God. At those moments, he wrote some of the most poignant spiritual songs ever composed. The title cut is the best example, as its narrator details his worldly tribulations in detail before describing his eventual salvation. It's no wonder that the song eventually became a gospel staple on a par with anything else in the hymn book. I SAW THE LIGHT is country gospel at its most vital. To ignore this side of his work is to deny oneself a complete picture of Wiliams's songwriting genius. Mercury's collection of Hank Williams' spirituals, I Saw the Light, ups the ante of the previous Polydor collection of the same title by offering up four bonus tracks and liner notes by historian Colin Escott, who authored what is considered the most exhaustive biography of Williams. Although the songs on this set aren't as well known as the many classics penned by Williams, every track presented here is up to par with the greatness of Williams' legacy and should be considered an important annex to his secular music, as well as a fine example of the canon of country gospel. ~ Gregory McIntosh

The Robert Johnson of country, Hank Williams was a troubled visionary who hung around just long enough to change the face of American music forever. He added electric instruments and touches of Western swing and proto-rockabilly to the post-hillbilly sound of his idol Roy Acuff, writing a wealth of unforgettable tunes along the way. In the late 1940s and early '50s, Williams rose to fame with a series of these chart-topping hits, including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Hey, Good Lookin'." Though Williams' hard living caught up with him in 1953, his legacy lives on in his timeless songs and the legions of musicians he inspired.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25