Motherlode of unreleased Hank Williams recordings coming

The 143 recordings are from a radio series sponsored by a milling company in 1951. The show went out every morning at 7:15 a.m., and when Hank was scheduled to be out of town, he would prerecord the show. If you weren't listening to early morning radio in mid-Tennessee in 1951, you've never heard this music from the 72. He performs with his band, and the sound quality is favorably compared to his studio recordings, according to the publicist for the project.

The shows were recorded on 16-inch acetate discs that were shelved after the series ended and were almost thrown into the trash. They were salvaged by an employee of WSM before being given to the Hank Williams estate. The estate then fought an eight-year battle to establish sole ownership.

In 1951, Williams was at the pinnacle of his career as several top pop vocalists, including Tony Bennett and Perry Como, covered his mega-hit, "Cold, Cold Heart." He also appeared on major national television shows including The Perry Como Show and the last great medicine show, the Hadacol Caravan, where he topped the bill over Bob Hope and Milton Berle. Those appearances transformed Williams from a regional country artist into a national icon.

These recordings capture a side of Williams' personality that has never been presented to his current day fans. It showcases his humorous side as he jokes with his band and the emcee and talks about his favorite songs, whether written by himself or others. The set includes 40 songs that he was never known to have performed as well as many other songs that he didn't record commercially. These include "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," "Cherokee Boogie," and "The Blind Child."

"This is truly a unique moment in music history," said Mike Jason, Time Life, Senior Vice President, Audio & Video Retail. "Finding these once-in-a-lifetime recordings is comparable to discovering a closet full of unreleased Beatles' or Elvis Presley songs."

"This treasure trove of music will introduce my daddy to a whole new generation of fans and bring memories to his existing fans," says Jett Williams, Hank Williams' only daughter. "Everyone will get to know the man and his musical genius as never before. These recordings were my vehicle to get to really know the father I never met."