A little bittersweet travelin’ music tonight
A friend of mine by the name of Paul Hemphill, a tall, lanky guy from Alabama, died last weekend after a bout with cancer.
Paul was a very good writer, and an even better person. I don’t have any adventures with Paul to recount, although others do, because by the time I got to know him, most of his adventuring days were behind him. But he was a kind, straight-talking man of great wisdom, wit and humility. That ain’t half bad.
After leaving the newspaper business, Paul took up honest work as an author, and he was damn good at it. One of my favorites was “Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams,” a gently told tale about another lanky kid from Alabama. It’s a damn fine piece of work. I read it a few years back when I was on a reporting trip along the Gulf Coast during and after Hurricane Rita.
At night I’d read Paul — sometimes by the little domelight in my car, where I had to sleep because all the hotel rooms were filled with refugees from Katrina and Rita. You can hear Paul’s voice, his cadences and descriptions, as you read it. During the day, as I drove from town to town, I’d listen to Hank singing the songs Paul had written about.
Paul and Hank — not bad company for a business trip.
So, in Paul’s honor, tonight’s travelin’ music:
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
167 comments Add your comment
Sherl
July 17th, 2009
4:18 pm
http://www.youtube.com/v/_hDPMJ5HJ3M&hl=en&fs
DB, Gwinnettian
July 17th, 2009
4:18 pm
Firefox no likee your video linkee…
DB, Gwinnettian
July 17th, 2009
4:19 pm
I would like to know more about the life of Hank Williams, though. So thanks for the book rec. And my condolences for your loss.
DB, Gwinnettian
July 17th, 2009
4:22 pm
Anyway, I guess Sherl’s @ 4.18 is the linkee we want.
Would Hank be “alt country” today?
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
4:25 pm
Sherl–THANKS…
Jay–good choice. Anybody who likes Hank can’t be all bad.
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
4:27 pm
I think I’m missing something here. I might have something in common with Darthy’s scarecrow!
Bud Wiser
July 17th, 2009
4:28 pm
Maybe this will cheer the mood a little. My old college roomie and high school buddy [I will NEVER admit to when] subbed guitar for them, and the Kinks, back in the day when they were on tour and a member got sick or just wanted a break.
He plays studio music and does gigs in Memphis still….
j$
July 17th, 2009
4:34 pm
good tribute to Sr. and his mentor Tee Tot (and jr. can do some nice licks too):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djjOvgnNdwk
and here’s a little rockin’ tune while crusin’ round the bayou
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFhM1XZsh6o
Sherl
July 17th, 2009
4:36 pm
This is not sad but it is nostalgic and they might not be Hank but it is pretty good traveling music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgQw-jeItVs
Normal
July 17th, 2009
4:37 pm
AmVet: You up here? DUDE!! Great choices downstairs…OMG!
Disgusted
July 17th, 2009
4:43 pm
How strange it feels to have lived long enough to remember the deaths of both Hank Williams and Paul Hemphill. I was a school child, gathered around the family radio listening to WOAY, Oak Hill, West Virginia, and dreading the walk out into that bitter cold and snow to catch the school bus, when the announcement came that Hank Williams had been found dead in that Cadillac near the town. He was on his way to a gig in Ohio. And now his chronicler, Paul Hemphill, is gone.
Both men made remarkable contributions to American culture. May they rest in peace.
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
4:48 pm
Sherl @ 4:36 Great! havn’t heard that in a while.
Mrs. Godzilla
July 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
Dedicated to all the folks fighting the good fight for healthcare reform:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjSjmw_7uIE
Hell Yes, we can!
Normal
July 17th, 2009
4:51 pm
THis is my donation…It’s country…sorta…and you can dedicate it to any politician out there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mNDHTfdn1A
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
4:53 pm
SHERL–great choice!
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 17th, 2009
5:00 pm
In honor of the democrats and all of the hare brained socialist schemes they are trying to foist upon us-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOKK8mAkiUI
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:02 pm
NORMAL–thought of you this a.m.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H09xer9sVXM&feature=related
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:03 pm
I wish I could link to stuff like ya’ll do but i will learn how to someday! In the mean time, I will listen and enjoy. Thanks to all.
Paul
July 17th, 2009
5:04 pm
That attic was too bloody hot. I can finish up in the morning. But how nice to come back to the travelin’ music thread. Great Friday tradition. Hope Darren from yesterday evening shows back up. But he probably won’t – likely thinks we’re all lunatics.
Jay – sorry about the loss of your friend. Sounds like an interesting fellow. I shall read his book with interest.
Off to buy a recirculating pump. This all started out as a simple water heater exchange before it went bad…..
Later -
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:07 pm
Whiner @ 5:00 I’ll have you know! I resemble that post.
Trust me
July 17th, 2009
5:09 pm
Rest in peace, Mr. Hemphill.
getalife
July 17th, 2009
5:09 pm
Cool new video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysSxxIqKNN0
AmVet
July 17th, 2009
5:09 pm
That is a damned fine piece of Americana. Just so heartbreakingly slow. Thanks JB and Sherl.
Bocephus, more of the Great Fatsby and Jerry Lee – the meat man, nice…
Durning dancing??? Now that’s funny.
And now for something completely different.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R20sleJxr4&feature=related
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:12 pm
WHINER, My favorite song…I sing it all the time at work…guess thats why my workbench is in the corner of the warehouse that’s the furthest away. Actually I watch that movie every chance I get…Love those flying monkeys….
—————-
JOSEF
I started your song, and the little missus ran for the hills….I mamboed with Bubba…the cat.
Paul
July 17th, 2009
5:13 pm
Report/Whine
In honor of all the Republicans, still hanging on to their lifestyles, having difficulty dealing with the slights and feeling a bit as if life has passed them by…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCcSc-se24
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:13 pm
Okay, JAY, couldn’t resist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBHZFYpQ6nc&feature=related
Redneck Convert
July 17th, 2009
5:14 pm
Well, Hank Williams was a great singer, ain’t no doubt about that. And Paul Hemphill started off good when he was a kid but went bad on us when he up and went librul. I recall the first time he showed up in the Atlanta paper. I expected a good Conservative Southrener, but I might of knowed they wouldn’t hire no Conservative. Well, he spouted librul junk for a few years and then they said he was going off to Harvard on some kind of grant. They ruint him for good up there.
He was a great writter, only he wrote the wrong kind of stuff. Kind of like a great country singer that decides he’s going to sing opera. I sort of wrote him off but some people said his book about Hank Williams was great. I just don’t see how a fellow like that got enough country singers to talk to him to be able to write a book. Everybody knows most all country folk are Conservative.
Anyhow, I don’t hold no hard feelings toward him and hope he rests in peace. Wherever libruls rest. I hope wherever it is it ain’t too warm for him. And tell the Whiner he ain’t got no heart to be writing junk like that in a blog about the death of a guy. He’s the kind of blogger that would throw the Baby Ruth candy bar in the pool at a swim party. Have a good night everybody.
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:17 pm
getalife
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktOg7-vPx14
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:22 pm
JOSEF: Back at cha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4A50EHwCjY
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:23 pm
zip–in case you’re here…see Paul @ 5:13… wicked!
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 17th, 2009
5:24 pm
Scooter, copy the web page url from your browser and paste it right into the comment box.
No formatting necessary.
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:26 pm
AmVet, great songs, but I am still blown away from downstairs…Country Joe and Black Sabbath together…Deep…
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 17th, 2009
5:28 pm
Gather round robots of war, let’s hold implements and sing together-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeCxJmcAo
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:29 pm
SCOOTER< Do you know how to search for things?
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:32 pm
josef, that 5:17 put me one toke over the line. Just smokin…
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:34 pm
NORMAL–Thanks! Memories of one of the best nights of my life in San Jose, Costa Rica, me and the Unmentionable the guests of honor at a fiesta for “our people!”
Bud Wiser
July 17th, 2009
5:35 pm
One of my favorite Hank tunes, dedicated to all of those Republicans who voted last fall, and to all of the cracker chasers in pursuit of the Messianic Complex tool.
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 17th, 2009
5:36 pm
Like I was saying-
Well, we’re supposed to “never forget” slavery, to “think about it,” to improve “the way it’s taught,” to “widen the lens,” to “make sure we’re all reflecting.” Oh, and he wants “every child to think about” it.
By Obama’s lights, then, it would seem that understanding slavery is important because it yields an endless supply of endless abstractions with which to respond ineffectually to contemporary humanitarian crisis. While every child is thinking about this stuff, is the president of the United States doing anything?-Taranto
Gas.
Bag.
Blah, blah, blah.
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:37 pm
SCOOTER–here ya go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql0IB1zv2MA
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:39 pm
This song(s) is for all you free born men out there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elxbRl6VQmY
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:41 pm
SCOOTER: Here’s another one…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPjhakaK-yI
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:42 pm
Whiner @ 5:24 I have only been in cyberspace a very short distance. I really appriciate your help but I don’t know what url is or browser. Have no idea how to cut or paste. Thanks for tring to help me!!!!
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:43 pm
Bud Wiser…Two great posts, I gotta change my shirt with the last one…Never, ever do that again while I’m eating cereal…
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:44 pm
For those of us wishing our POTUS the best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZg5qSeUbpo
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:46 pm
Normal, no I don’t know how to serch for things. If it don’t leave tracks, I outa luck!
Scooter
July 17th, 2009
5:50 pm
josef @ 5:37, That’s my favorite gospel song. THanks
Joey
July 17th, 2009
5:51 pm
Jay:
I recall your reports from the area very well. I questioned at the time and still: What benefit did the people of the area gain by having all those people come there. Not just you but huge numbers of newspapers, TV Networks, TV Cable stations, radio stations, radio networks, support crews, equipment, generators and even Sean Penn.
Did the people of the area, the victims, reap a net benefit from all of you being there; eating the food, using the gas, etc., etc.?
I am not asking you to answer that complicated question. I would ask though: Having been there and having that experience, and assuming it was your decision alone to make; would you make certain that you sent an AJC Editor or reporter to the area devastated by the next hurricane?
josef nix
July 17th, 2009
5:52 pm
For those of us still proud of where we came from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZg5qSeUbpo
Trust me
July 17th, 2009
5:52 pm
Well, Scooter, you is in need of some civilizing. You know what a mouse is. It is not that four-legged critter that Tarzan has to save Jane from.
Normal
July 17th, 2009
5:53 pm
SCOOTER, On your homepage, there is a square that says search. Put what you want to look for in that block and enter. Find the best you tube example of what you want to post ang look for that http//www.youtube.com…highlight it by clicking and holding the left button of your mouse down until it is completely covered. hit ctrl c to save. come back to this page and where you put in your comments click once and hit ctrl v. there it is. try it, you’ll like it.