Wikipedia article
'There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight' is a song written by Hank Williams and released on MGM Records as the B-side to "Mind Your Own Business" in July 1949.
Background
According to Colin Escott's 2004 memoir 'Hank Williams: The Biography', country music disc jockey Nelson King always insisted that he had written "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight" with Williams, and was surreptitiously credited with a half-share of the song. However, the extent of King's contribution is debatable; songwriter Tillman Franks, who Escott writes "had more or less invented payola in the country record business," later recalled a fishing trip he took with Williams and country singer Webb Pierce:
:I'd given Nelson King half of "Three Ways of Knowing" and Hank said, "Franks, you and Pierce have done fucked up business giving these deejays songs." I said, "Hank, I didn't start it. Nelson told me you'd given him half of 'There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight.'" Hank said, "I didn't mean to, I was drunk.'"[
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Williams' session band was composed of Clyde Baum (mandolin), Zeke Turner (electric guitar), Jerry Byrd (steel guitar), Louis Innis (rhythm guitar), Tommy Jackson (fiddle) and Willie Thawl (bass).[ ] The session is notable for being held at a Cincinnati recording studio rather than Castle Studio in Nashville, where Hank usually recorded.
Cover versions
*Al Martino recorded the song for Capitol in 1954.
*Tony Bennett recorded the song in 1954.
*Anita Carter released a version of the song in 1954.
*Joni James recorded the song in 1957.
*George Jones cut a version for his 1960 Mercury album 'George Jones Salutes Hank Williams'.
*Adam Wade charted with the song in 1962.
*The song appears on Hank Williams, Jr.'s 1964 LP 'Sings the Songs of Hank Williams'.
*Tennessee Ernie Ford included it on his 1964 release 'Country Hits...Feelin' Blue'.
*Willie Nelson recorded the song for Liberty in the early 1960s.
*Williams' idol Roy Acuff released a version of the song in 1966.
*Roy Orbison included it on his album 'Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way' in 1970.
*Ray Price recorded the song for his 1976 LP 'Hank 'N' Me'.
References
Category:Hank Williams songs
Category:1949 songs
Category:Songs written by Hank Williams
Category:Song recordings produced by Fred Rose (songwriter)
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