“Honky Tonkin’“ is a 1948 country music song, written and recorded by Hank Williams….as the song went to # 14 on the Billboard country music charts…..and in 1982 it became the sixth chart topping single for Williams’ son, Hank Williams Jr. Hank Williams released two versions of “Honky Tonkin'” ….with the first being cut at his second and final recording session for Sterling Records on February 13, 1947….which features backing by Tommy Jackson on fiddle, Dale “Smokey” Lohman on steel guitar, Zeke Turner on electric guitar and Louis Innis on bass…..while the song which appeared as “Honkey-Tonkey” in Williams’ first song folio….and was chosen by producer Fred Rose as the B-side to “Pan American”….after Hank had achieved success with two singles of mostly spiritual material on Sterling…..and while the subject matter is straight barroom fare in the Ernest Tubb tradition…..the song is musically unusual by remaining in the same chord for fifteen and a half of its sixteen bars. According to Colin Escott’s 2004 biography on the singer….the original draft featured the lines, “We are going to the city, to the city fair/We’ll get a quart of whiskey and get up in the air”….which the commercially minded Rose had Hank change to “We’re going to the city, to the city fair….If you go to the city, baby, you will find me there”. In this video seen herewith…..the well known singer Teresa Brewer….who recorded over 600 songs….performs this Hank Williams classic on the 1979 television special “Tribute To Hank Williams”….which was hosted by Hank Williams Jr…..who also recorded as hit with this song.
