Hank Thompson My Side of Life
by Warren Kice
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Book Summary Information
Author: Warren KiceEditor: N/A
Illustrator: N/A
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-01
ISBN: 061517731X
Number of pages: 292
Publisher: My Side of Life Publications LLC
Book Reviews of Hank Thompson My Side of Life
Book Review: My thoughts on this book
Summary: 5 Stars
I have just finished reading this book. I will say that for the most part it is a good read, however so much was left out concerning the artist himself. I'm not inferring that Hank was not discussed but often times I think the author could have given more information on his subject.
As for photographs, there are quite a few in the book. The last decade of Hank's career is brushed over rather rapidly with not much information. I had the distinct pleasure to speak to Hank's widow Ann, and found her to be a real sweet lady. We discussed Hank, the music and other things. There is no doubt that she loved this man. I wish that more had been put in the book concerning the various Brazos Valley Boys and what they are doing these days.
In reading the book I learned that Hank was hoping the book would be published soon, but he passed away before it came off the presses. His reason for being in a hurry was that he wanted to have the opportunity to sign the book for those who spent their money to buy it.
I had the pleasure of meeting Hank Thompson in the early 1970's and while visiting with him I found him to be genuine and someone who truly loved his fans and did whatever it took to see that they got their monies worth by attending one of his shows.
I would recommend this book for those wanting to get a glimpse into the life and career of one of the greatest country music artists of all time. You will be hard pressed not to keep reading it even when your eyes are getting tired and your eyelids getting heavy.
If you have a library of books on country music such as I have this book will need to find its place on your bookshelf.
Summary of Hank Thompson My Side of Life
NEW BOOK CHRONICLES COLORFUL CAREER OF COUNTRY-MUSIC LEGEND They call me Mr. Honky-Tonk, the King of Western Swing, sings Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson at the beginning of one of his nearly 800 recorded songs. And while some might construe that line as a musical boast, anyone familiar with the stellar career of hardwood-floor hero Thompson knows better. From the late 1940s until his 2007 death, Hank Thompson was a country-music star of the first magnitude, a man who brought his combination of intelligent, honest lyrics and sophisticated, big-band-influenced dance music to legions of fans across the nation and the world, selling some 60 million records and influencing performers ranging from Bob Dylan to George Strait. Now, Hank s longtime friend Warren Kice has crafted My Side of Life, a biographical work as warm, frank, and honest as the entertainer himself. Fully sanctioned by Thompson who spent well over two years working with Kice on the book and Thompson s wife, Ann, My Side of Life engagingly recounts the story of the honky-tonk superstar, beginning with his first performance on the stage of his grade school in Waco, Texas, and extending to the very end of his life, when he was still in high demand as both a recording artist and live performer. Along the way are professional highlights like the gigantic 1952 hit Wild Side of Life, one of the best-selling country singles of all time (and the song that gave the book its name); Hank s groundbreaking success in Las Vegas, which led to his recording the first-ever live album by a country artist; and his 1989 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In addition to Wild Side of Life, Hank Thompson gave the world such enduring numbers as A Six Pack to Go, Humpty Dumpty Heart, and The Older the Violin (The Sweeter the Music), just three of his 79 national hits. Thompson, in fact, started putting singles on the Billboard country charts in the 40s and didn t quit until the 80s. (Reportedly, the only other artist to have nationally charted singles in five consecutive decades is Frank Sinatra, a man as unique to his genre as Thompson is to country.) The story of Thompson s music, while undeniably compelling, is far from all there is to My Side of Life. There s also a deeply personal element to the book, as Kice reveals behind-the-scenes stories about Thompson and the members of his Brazos Valley Boys band, as well as such famed country-music contemporaries as Hank Snow, Faron Young, Merle Travis, Tex Ritter, and Hank Williams. My Side of Life doesn't shy away from the racy side of the music business, and those who thought free-love groupies and mind-numbing overindulgence first showed up in the 60s rock-music scene will find the tales of the Brazos Valley Boys Invitation Only Fun and Games Unwinding Parties instructive, if not downright shocking. Like the rest of My Side of Life, though, those tales are told from an insider's point of view, never with meanness and always in good humor, as though the reader were backstage after a show, sharing a round or two with Thompson and Kice, laughing and listening to the stories flow. In an astounding musical career that spanned parts of seven decades, Hank Thompson made thousands upon thousands of fans, all of whom will treasure My Side of Life. But anyone interested in the classic country-music era, or the inner workings of show business, will also find My Side of Life to be a compelling read. It s a book that s honest, warm, and real -- like Hank Thompson himself, whose immortal baritone voice and unique take on life resonate through every page.Memoirs Books
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