First--yeah, I know. I could have put this in an openthread comment and saved somebody's magnum opus from falling off the front page of a blog. Sue me or see me in the afterlife.
Now for the news:
Hank Williams, the country pioneer who is among the most influential singer-songwriters in music, was given a special Pulitzer Prize citation.
The Pulitzer board awarded the late singer for his lifetime achievement, based on a confidential survey of experts in popular music.
I have attempted, however inadequately, to express in these pages the importance of Hiram ("Harm" "Hank") Williams on the American cultural landscape. Too often dismissed as "that whiny country dude" or "a damn drunk with a big guitar and a bigger ego," Williams was, for millions of hard-pressed, hard-working American men and women of every hue, their voice, the one person in the world of "popular culture" that spoke to the actual populace.
That the Pulitzer board has, however belatedly, recognized the man's contributions to our national and global sense of self is a cause for celebration.
I pray your pardon if I take that last sentence a bit literally. I think old Harm merits a dram tonight.
Lost Highway--The Official Hank Williams site