Horace Logan, the show's producer and programming director for KWKH, reported that the audience "went crazy" the first time Williams performed the song on the show. Hank Williams, who heard both the Miller and Griffin versions, started performing the song on the Louisiana Hayride shortly after joining in August 1948. Though it was his final session for Decca Records, he was eventually inducted by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, in recognition of songs like " The Last Letter" and "The Lovesick Blues." His recording on Septem was the first " Hillbilly" version (equivalent to today's " Country music") of the latter, and it was his arrangement that Hank Williams later "imitated and immortalized", in December 1948. He added several yodels that emphasised the pain of the singer. Griffin rearranged the song by using the original chorus - "I got a feeling called the blues" as a verse, and turning the verse "I'm in love, I'm in love, with a beautiful gal" into the new chorus. Like Hank Williams, Griffin was a prolific songwriter who was rarely inspired to record compositions other than his own. Įleven years later, Miller's version was covered by country music singer Rex Griffin. On Jaccompanied by the Georgia Crackers ( Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Eddie Lang, and Leo McConville), Miller re-recorded the song, which was released to weak sales. The single was paired with "Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William Now)" and released in November 1925. Accompanied by Walter Rothrock on the piano, Miller cut four sides for the label, including "Lovesick Blues". Among the aspiring artists recorded by Peer was Emmett Miller. On September 1, 1925, OKeh Records sent scout Ralph Peer and a recording crew to Asheville, North Carolina. It was featured in a show at the Boardwalk Club in New York City in June 1922 and recorded by Jack Shea (aka Irving Kaufman) on Vocalion Records later that summer. Following the recording, Friend and Mills copyrighted the song on April 3, 1922. It was first performed by Anna Chandler in the Tin Pan Alley musical Oh! Ernest and recorded by Elsie Clark on Mawith Okeh Records. in 1922 Irving Mills wrote the lyrics and Cliff Friend composed the music. "Lovesick Blues" was originally titled "I've Got the Love-sick Blues," and published by Jack Mills, Inc. "First sheet music, published in 1922" (PDF). In 2004, Williams' version was added to the National Recording Registry. The most popular, Frank Ifield's 1962 version, topped the UK Singles Chart. Several cover versions of the song have been recorded. It was the biggest hit of Hank Williams' career. After a 42 week run, 16 of those weeks at number 1, the publication named it the top country and western record of the year, while Cashbox named it "Best Hillbilly Record of the Year". MGM Records released "Lovesick Blues" in February 1949, and it became an overnight success, quickly reaching number one on Billboard's Top Country & Western singles chart and number 24 on the Most Played in Jukeboxes list. Receiving an enthusiastic reception from the audience, Williams decided to record his own version despite initial push back from his producer Fred Rose (a former 1920s Tin Pan Alley songwriter) and his band. The recordings by Griffin and Miller inspired Hank Williams to perform the song during his first appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in 1948. Emmett Miller recorded it in 19, followed by country music singer Rex Griffin in 1939. It first appeared in the 1922 musical "Oh, Ernest", and was recorded that year by Elsie Clark and Jack Shea. Some of his other songs were “Cold, Cold Heart,” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” and “Take These Chains From My Heart.” His children have been re-recording some of his music and extending his legacy to today." Lovesick Blues" is a Tin Pan Alley song, composed by Cliff Friend, with lyrics by Irving Mills. His first success, “Move It On Over” came out in 1947 and he passed away in 1953. Hank Williams’ career was an incredibly short one. In 2004, the song was added to the National Recording Registry. He turned the song into something completely new by singing it from a country perspective. Career and Legacy of Williamsĭespite not writing or originally performing ‘Lovesick Blues” it became his staple song. The song was written by Irving Mills and Cliff Friend added the melody. These were the two versions that most inspired Williams to perform the song.Įven before Miller and Griffin, according to Country Thang Daily, the song appeared in a musical show. He changed around the chorus and the verse in his version. Then, Rex Griffin also recorded the song in 1939. This version had a spoken section as well as yodeling. In 1995, Emmett Miller performed the song.
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