Hank Williams
Mother's Best Flour Show
Nashville
1951


Perhaps the most well known, most sought after collection in the Hank Williams catalogue are the Mother's Best radio shows. This collection of radio shows is considered by many to be Hank's best work and were done at the peak of his career in 1951.

Friends and neighbors, here's a rare glimpse that will take you back to another time and place - a simpler life but harder lifestyle - or so it seems now. The sound of this is quite clear with great separation of vocals and instruments. But there is background pops and crackles. My guess is that this has been ported from an old vinyl pressing - maybe even a 78. Still, it's Hank, and it's Americana at it's best - simple melodies, simple lyrics, simple imagery that captured the essence of that era -- the daily struggle.

The show was broadcast live between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. on WSM out of Nashville. Some of the shows were pre-recorded to be played on the air when Hank was out on the road. Hank was paid $100 a week for recording the shows that usually consisted of one country song, one instrumental and a gospel song to close the show, but that's not all they have to offer.

The Mother's Best Shows capture Hank's personality better than anything else known to exist. They don't paint the picture of a sad, lonesome, forlorn man hell bent on drinking and death as many books and other publications try to portray him as. In fact, it is the in-between song chatter that makes these recordings so great, you get a glimpse of what Hank Williams was like as a person - considerate, alert, poking fun, gracious.

Here are several of the transcriptions from the known 72 Mother's Best Radio Shows... . . . if you've got the remainder of these shows, you're my new bes friend - contact me!

1-A1
01 - Intro > Lovesick Blues tease > Announcer Louie Buck
02 - The Blind Child
03 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
04 - Talk by Hank
05 - Blue Steel Blues - instrumental
06 - Talk by Hank
07 - When God Dips His Love In My Heart
08 - Hank outro >  Mother's Best Farm Feeds > outro

1-A2
09 - Where The Red River Flows
10 - Commercial- Mother's Best Flour
11 - Talk by Hank
12 - Moonlit Waters - instrumental
13 - How Can You Refuse Him Now

1-B1
14 - Intro > Lovesick Blues tease > Announcer Louie Buck
15 - Moanin' The Blues
16 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
17 - Honky Tonkin' - Audrey
18 - Hank Talk
19 - I'll Have A New Body
20 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
21 - Hank outro > commercial Mother's Best Farm Feeds > outro

1-B2
22 - Intro > Lovesick Blues tease > Announcer Louie Buck
23 - Alabama Waltz
24 - Hank Talk
25 - Hank Talk
26 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
27 - Fire On The Mountain - instrumental
28 - Lord Build Me A Cabin
29 - Hank outro > commercial Mother's Best Farm Feeds > outro

2-1A
30 - Intro > Lovesick Blues tease > Announcer Louie Buck
31 - Nobody's  Lonesome For Me
32 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
33 - Twin Guitar Polka - instrumental
34 - Gathering  Flowers For The Masters' Bouquet
35 - Unknown Instrumental
36 - Hank outro

2-A2
37 - Mansion On The Hill
38 - Commercial - Mother's Best Flour
39 - I Like That Kind - Audrey
missing - How Can You Refuse Him Now - Audrey

2- B1
40 - Everything's OK
41 - Why Should I Cry - Audrey
42 - I Heard My Mother Prayin' For Me - duet w/ Audrey

2-B2
missing - Nobody's  Lonesome For Me
43 - Tight Wad Daddy - Audrey
missing - I'll Have A New Body

3-A1
44 - Move It On Over
missing - I'm Satisfied With Life -Audrey
missing - I Saw The Light

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