The Night Hank Williams Came to Town

"The Night Hank Williams Came to Town" is a song written by Bobby Braddock and Charlie Williams and originally recorded by Johnny Cash for his Jack Clement–produced 1987 album Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town.

The recording featured a guest appearance by Waylon Jennings.

Released in March 1987 as the lead single from the album, the song reached number 43 on U.S. Billboard's country chart for the week of May 9.

Content

The song talks about Hank Williams giving a concert on October 15, 1951 (known from the lyrics "I Love Lucy debuted on TV"). In the words of C. Eric Banister (Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black), Cash and Jennings sing "of the excitement that accompanied an appearance by Williams" and of "the memories they'll always have of him."