“Kaw-Liga“ is a country music song written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose…..which is one of just a handful of songs that Williams wrote with Fred Rose….who produced his records….and published his songs through his company Acuff-Rose…..as Rose often “doctored” the songs Hank composed….while making suggestions and revisions….with biographer Roger M. Williams noting that Rose’s contribution to Hank’s songs was probably craftsmanship….whereas Williams’ was genius.
Roy Acuff later recalled….“Hank would come up with the ideas, and Fred would say, ‘Well, write it down and let me look at it.’ Hank’d bring it to Fred, and Fred would sit at the piano and compliment Hank and say, “Maybe you can express this a little differently, let’s change it a little bit,’ but Fred never changed Hank’s thinking.”
Kowaliga is a community in central Alabama on Lake Martin….which was named after a legendary Native American for which a wooden statue was later placed near the lake….and the song was written by Hank when he was staying at a lakeside cabin that he owned and still stands today.
