Music Row - October 2001
"Timeless:  A Tribute to Hank Williams"
by John Hood

The impact Hank Williams had on country music is immeasurable. While his myth as a singer and country icon continues to grow, his impact as a songwriter is often overlooked. With the Sept. 25 release of Hank Williams: Timeless, Lost Highway is putting the spotlight back on Hank Williams the songwriter. Ten of the 12 tracks on Timeless are solo compositions by Williams.

Mary Martin, Mercury Records VP and Timeless Co-producer, says that from the very beginning of the project Mercury/Lost Highway President Luke Lewis wanted to focus on Williams as a songwriter.

"He said let's understand that Hank was a songwriter," says Martin. "So let's see if some of your pals in rock 'n' roll might be inclined to make a version of one of their favorite songs of Hank's. That was the boundary. We wanted to try and honor Hank with as many incomparable artist that we could contact and who would respond to our request."

To that end, they went after artists who were also songwriters. They reasoned, correctly as it turned out, that other writers might respond favorably to the concept.

"Count me in' was the reaction from the artists we contacted," says Martin. "The first person we asked was Hank Williams III. Within days he went into the studio and cut his song."

When the dust had settled, Lost Highway ended up with a virtual who's who of contemporary songwriters attached to the project. In addition to Hank III, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Keb' Mo', Beck, Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris, Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams and Johnny Cash all agreed to revisit Hank Sr.'s catalog.

Martin says the label took a very hands-off approach to the actual recording of the album. "There was no A &R interference whatsoever. The artists chose the songs. Everybody was given the same amount of money for recording costs. We told them to go off and have a good time."

She goes on to say that a project like this, with artists from so many different labels, presents its own unique challenges. "The promotion department has indicated that they would be pleased and honored to work a single. But Luke and I have to get the go-ahead from other recording companies to do that."

Lost Highway may, however, have some promotional tricks up its sleeve.

"We've been noodling with the idea of assembling as many of these artists as we can to do some kind of really swell television show," Martin reveals. "The album will have to find some loving legs first. We want to have some penetration in the consciousness of America before we do something like a TV special."