September 17, 2024 - Good Morning! It's September 17.
One of the most celebrated and influential songwriters of the 20th century was born on this day in 1923. His brief, six-year career produced 55 songs that made the top ten charts, 11 that went all the way to #1. The list of famous musicians that he inspired is too long to mention. In 2010, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. His name was Hank Williams.
Born dirt poor in Alabama, born with the debilitating and painful back disease Spina Bifida, Hank Williams led a challenging life. Brought up in church, he would listen to his mother, Lilly, play old gospel songs on the old church organ. She became his first manager. As the story goes, Lilly was driving Hank and his band home from a concert one night, when she neared their hometown of Montgomery. She called back to her son, "Wake up Hank, I can see the lights."
A great songwriter doesn't need much inspiration to write a great song, and the next day Hank Williams wrote his gospel classic. It wasn't a hit, at first, but grew to be one of his most popular compositions. He would sing it to close all of his concerts. And in 1953, it was sung at Hank's funeral. He was just 29 years old.
I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin
I wouldn't let my dear Savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
