Hank Williams Memorial Day: 1954 Newspaper Section
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In September 1954, the city of Montgomery, Alabama, hosted a Hank Williams Memorial Day, celebrating what would have been the singer's thirty-first birthday. Williams had died on New Year's Day, 1953, and the world of country music was shaken by the loss.
The memorial celebration brought to Hank's onetime home a host of major country music stars, along with local performers and thousands of fans. On September 20, the Montgomery Advertiser and Alabama Journal newspapers devoted an eight-page special section to Hank and the details of the event.
Headlines in this section include:
"Shoeshines And Peanuts: Story Of Hank's Life Told In 'Rags to Riches' Style"
"Williams' Children To Place Wreath On Father's Grave"
"Hank's Monument To Be Unveiled Tomorrow"
"Early Ticket Sale For Williams Show Limited To 16,000"
"Galaxy Of Top Hillbilly Stars In Nation Will Take Part In Hank Williams Show"
"Audrey And Hank Williams Retold Love Story In Song"
"Hank Last Appeared In City Night After Christmas In '52"
"3 Big Dances Being Offered On Hank Day"
"Hank's Room Will Be Open To Public"
"Grand Old Opry Performers To Ride In Mammoth Hank Williams Day Parade"
"Funeral For Hank Williams Largest In History Of City"
"Mother Recalls Hank Wanted To Sing As Soon As Talk"
Also notable are the many local business ads targeting Hank Williams fans ("Sears Welcomes All Hank Williams' Friends To Montgomery"; "Hank ate here"; "There will be no 'Cold, Cold Hearts' if you bring your wife shopping"...). Other advertisements promote local singer Jack Turner and his Singing River Boys.