Here's To You Hank Williams !

Today's post is dedicated to Hank Williams, one of the most prolific singer-song writers in Country Music history. His songs have been performed and recorded by countless musical talents across the musical spectrum.

I remember listening to Hank and other artists on the RCA Victor radio when I was a kid. Brother Kirt and I used to sing along with all his songs long before we ever learned to play the guitar.

Hank had 11 number one hits in his career ("Lovesick Blues," "Long Gone Lonesome Blues," "Why Don't You Love Me," "Moanin' the Blues," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," "Kaw-Liga," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Take These Chains from My Heart"), as well as many other top ten hits.

On June 11, 1949, Williams made his debut singing "Lovesick Blues" at the Grand Ole Opry, where he became the first performer to receive six encores. That same year, Audrey Williams gave birth to Randall Hank Williams (Hank Williams, Jr.).

In 1951 "Dear John" became a hit, but it was the flip side, "Cold, Cold Heart", that became one of his most-recognized songs. A pop cover version by Tony Bennett released the same year stayed on the charts for 27 weeks, peaking at number one.

Many rock and roll pioneers of the 1950s, such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Ricky Nelson, Jack Scot, and Conway Twitty recorded Williams songs early in their careers.

During his last years Williams's consumption of alcohol, morphine and other painkillers severely compromised his professional and personal life. He divorced his wife Audrey and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry due to frequent drunkenness.

Williams died suddenly in the early morning hours of New Years Day in 1953 at the age of 29 from heart failure brought on by pills and alcohol. Despite his short life, Williams has had a major influence on country music. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists, many of whom have also had hits with the tunes, in a range of pop, gospel, blues and musical styles.

The music of Hank Williams continues on with the recent release of a funky version of "Hey Good Looking" by Jimmy Buffett together other country artists. Roll on, Hank !

Hank Sr and Hank Jr

The News As I See It: Immigration is the big issue they're working on in Washington. They want to create a "path to citizenship." You have to pass a background check, you have to pay a fine, you have to pay back taxes, you have to learn English. Oh, yeah!You also have to get that statue of the Virgin Mary off your front yard and the cable channels between 17 and 23? Gone!

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he would like to become the first Iranian to go into space. Israel said, "The flight's on us! No problem. We've got everything covered."

The White House is warning North Korea that it will face significant consequences if it moves forward with a new round of nuclear tests. Not only that — it’s also warning South Korea that it will face serious consequences if Psy makes another ad for pistachios.

Pakistan is opening an amusement park and a zoo in the same town where the raid on Osama Bin Laden took place. The zoo is pretty cool, but I’ve heard you won't be able to see the seals until it's too late.

Sunday's Super Bowl was one of the highest rated Super Bowls ever, with 108 million people watching. This year’s game added $430 million to the New Orleans economy — apparently none of which was used to pay the electric bill.

Everybody is talking about the Super Bowl's big power failure. When the lights first went out, out of force of habit, Ray Lewis started running from security. Evidently, deer antler spray works. How about that!

People from CBS were freaking out because when it gets dark around CBS, Dan Marino gets a little frisky.

This Date In History: 1788; Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution, becoming the sixth state to join the Union. 1804; Joseph Priestley, British chemist, died. His work on the isolation of gases led him to discover oxygen in 1774.

1899; The Spanish-American War ended when a peace treaty between Spain and the United States was signed. 1933; The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which set the date for the president's inauguration on January 20, was adopted.

1935; The popular board game Monopoly went on sale for the first time. 1952; Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. 1971; Astronaut Alan B. Shepard hit a golf ball and Edgar Mitchell threw a "javelin" on the moon. They landed in the same crater and remain on the Moon today.

2001; Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister of Israel. 2012; The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marked the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

Picture Of The Day: A mother's sense of love and caring is relatively equal in most animals. Their dedication is admirable.

Printable Things I Never Told You: 1) The inventor of the doorbell apparently did not own a Chihuahua. 2) California has the highest rate of adultery and depression. It's a sad State of affairs. 3) I talk to myself. I have to because sometimes I need expert advice. 4) I've never was an Olympic athlete but I did participate in a Toyotathon once. 5) As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two.....and that's five !

Today's Horoscope: Aquarius - February 6th: Raisins are a lovely dried up fruit. However, the old man who owns the hairdressers down the road is not fond of raisins. Stay with leafy vegetables and fresh fruit this week and if I were you, I'd avoid the dried up fruit down the road, as well.

Birthdays: My sweet pal Linda - Happy Birthday Baby ! 19XX, Aaron Burr, political leader 1756, Jeb Stuart, cavalry commander 1833, Babe Ruth, baseball player 1895, Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States 1911, Mary Douglas Leakey, archaeologist 1913, Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress 1917, François Truffaut, film director and critic 1932, Bob Marley, reggae singer 1945.

Macaques

The AREA 51 Retirement Home Bar And Grill: The woman quickly realized that the large wave had unceremoniously dispatched the top part of her bikini into the deep. More than a little embarrassed, she clasped her arms across her chest and made a dash for her car. She could sense everyone gawking at her along the way.

Upon entering the parking lot a little boy, who was following his mother to the beach asked, pointing to her arms, "Are you carrying puppies in there?", Not wanting to explain what had really happened, the woman replied, " Why yes, yes they are. She quickly moved on but heard the boy shout after her, "If you're giving them away I'll take the one with the pink nose!"

Adam was walking around the Garden of Eden feeling very lonely, so God asked Adam, "What is wrong with you?" Adam said he didn't have anyone to talk to. God said he was going to give him a companion and she would be called woman.

God said, "This person will cook for you and wash your clothes, she will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them.

God contunued, "She will not nag you, and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you've had a disagreement. She will never have a headache, and will freely give "love" and compassion whenever needed."

Adam asked God, "What will this woman cost?" God said, "An arm and a leg." Adam said, "What can I get for just a rib?" The rest is history...
 

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: A fifteen year old Amish boy and his father were in a mall. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny, silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again.

The boy asked, "What is this, Father?" The father (never having seen an elevator) responded, "Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life, I don't know what it is."

While the boy and his father were watching with amazement, a fat old lady in a wheel chair moved up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened, and the lady rolled between them into a small room.

The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small numbers above the walls light up sequentially. They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order.

Finally the walls opened up again and a gorgeous 24-year-old blond stepped out. The father, not taking his eyes off the young woman, said quietly to his son, "Go get your Mother."

During these serious and trying times, people of all faiths should remember these four great religious truths:

1. Muslims do not recognize Jews as God's chosen people.
2. Jews do not recognize Christ as the Messiah.
3. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian world.
4. Baptists do not recognize each other at Hooters or the Liquor Store.

That's it for today, my little kitty cats. Remember, a diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age. I'm going to AREA 51 for happy hour.

That's it for now. More on Friday.

Stay Tuned !