“Moanin’ the Blues” – Hank Williams

Album: Moanin’ the Blues

Artist: Hank Williams

Year: 1952

Genre: Honky Tonk, Country

Grade: A

Hank Williams’ 1952 LP Moanin’ the Blues — the last studio album released during his lifetime — is a more uptempo, honky-tonkin’ affair than its predecessor. One obvious exception, of course: the poetic, solitary “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” one of the saddest ballads ever sung, the 11^th best song of the 1940s. The rest of the album, which features an assortment of songs recorded from 1947-’52, features Williams at his twangiest. It’s another great collection of country tunes from the greatest country artist who ever lived. His death in 1953 at 29 years old remains one of music’s biggest and most unfortunate what-ifs.