Hank Jr tribute

(Warner Brothers) At one time 'tribute' albums were meant to honor the influence and memory of those performers that have passed on. Then sometime in the 90's 'tribute' albums started being churned out by what seemed like the hundreds, many paying 'tribute' to artists of questionable merit, most of them still very much alive and well, though past their heydays of popularity. Unfortunately this trend took away much of the credibility of the 'tribute' album, and they are now for the most part, looked at as tacky attempts at making a fast buck, rather than the affectionate labor of loves they once were. However, there have been some very worthwhile, noble and excellent 'tribute' albums that have been put out honoring very deserving artists, such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Webb Pierce and Buck Owens to name a few.

It's now come time for Hank Williams Jr. to get the 'tribute' treatment. Rightly so, as Hank Jr. owned the charts and the airwaves in the 80's, with his rough and rowdy, good ol' boy brand of macho country-rock, drawing in and influencing a whole new generation of country fans and artists, with many of his songs becoming anthems. So how do Bocephus' songs hold up under the 'tribute' treatment? For the most part, very well, though the disc isn't without a few mis-steps along the way.

The Songs Of Hank Williams Jr. contains two previously released cuts. "A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K Version)" by Chad Brock was released on his Yes! album. While Brock's vocals are mundane, the song itself is saved by 'guest' vocals by John Anderson, George Jones and Hank Jr. himself. The other previously released track is Alan Jackson's stunning cover of "The Blues Man," he delivers with a haunting ache, which appears on Jackson's Under The Influence album.

The hits are plenty. Musically similar in style, Montgomery Gentry turn in a great rendition of "Women I've Never Had." Tracy Lawrence really shines with a swampy, standout version of "Outlaw Women," and Andy Griggs delivers a terrific take on "Old Habits" in his grittier 'outlaw' sound. Moving towards the more traditional country side of Jr., promising newcomer, Dusty Drake offers up a dose of heartbreak with the shuffling "Heaven Can't Be Found" in an outstanding performance, as does Trace Adkin's with the earliest song taken out of Jr.'s songbook, the overlooked and truly lovely, steel driven weeper, "Eleven Roses."

The wild eyed southern boys handle Bocephus' rowdier, more rockin' songs. Dan Baird (The Georgia Satellites) gives "Hell Bent And Whiskey Bound" a slower, blusier, 'heavier on the guitar' sound than the original. Lynyrd Skynyrd strips away the front and center horns from "Born To Boogie" and replaces them with their trademark three guitar attack, Johnny Van Zandt's southern fried soulful vocals, and turn in a killer performance with their brand of swampy, sweaty southern rock. Not to be outdone, brother Donnie and his band .38 Special kick some major butt with the totally raucous standout, "If It Will, It Will."

In the 'not bad, but coulda been better' category, falls a few songs that aren't bad performance-wise, but the songs seem a mismatch for the artists. The disc opens with the anthem "Young Country," by Blake Shelton, Trick Pony and Darryl Worley. The performance itself is a good one, and Shelton fares much better when he sticks to a grittier, outlaw style, the sentiments of the song still hold up, but the lyrics themselves now sound dated, as they make reference to pop-cultural touchstones of the 80s. Trick Pony rocks hard and turns in an overall good performance on "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight," but somehow it just lacks the punch of the original. A real mis-step is Aaron Tippin's rocked up cover of "Family Tradition." Aaron does his best and delivers a good performance, but it's just flat out the wrong song, definitely one that loses everything in the translation when not done by the very person who's life it's about. John Michael Montgomery gives a serviceable, though a bit too schmaltz leaning rendition of "Major Moves." Another mismatch is Marshall Tucker covering "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down." Again, it's not a bad performance, they deliver a punchy version, but the song seems a bit of a mismatch for Doug's vocals, and he would have fared better with a different song choice.

The disc ends on a high note with Hank Jr. himself, assisted by a chorus of friends, highlighted by the harmonica playing of Stevie Wonder, on one of his best, yet most overlooked songs, "Outlaw's Reward." While the rest of the disc runs through his hell raising days of lovin', leavin' and rough and rowdy ways, it's a bit ironic the disc ends with a song that has him in a reflective mood, pondering his mortality. But as the last notes of the song end, it's easy to see why Bocephus is more than worthy of the 'tribute' treatment. It could have been better, the absence of say Travis Tritt's always awesome cover of "Lone Wolf" comes to mind, but overall, when it hits, it hits high, and even the 'misses' aren't even close to being bad as in the 'god-awful' sense.

AnnMarie Harrington Take Country Back March 2003