Hank Thompson dies, he was 82

[HolyStitt]

I just heard on Yahoo that he died of lung cancer. He was 82.

I keep meaning to pick up the Bear Family set but I will have to spin the greatest hits I have. I saw him at the Minnesota State Fair a few years back.

[HolyStitt]

Hank Thompson dies of lung cancer at 82 By MATT CURRY, Associated Press Writer

1 hour, 48 minutes ago

DALLAS - Hank Thompson has died of lung cancer just days after canceling his tour. The country singer was 82.

Thompson died late Tuesday at his home in the Fort Worth suburb of Keller, said spokesman, Tracy Pitcox, who is also president of Heart of Texas Records.

"He was battling aggressive lung cancer," Pitcox said Wednesday in a statement. "He remained conscious until the last couple of hours and passed away peacefully at about 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday night surrounded by his friends and family."

The last show Thompson played was Oct. 8 in his native Waco. That day was declared "Hank Thompson Day" by Gov. Rick Perry and Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy.

Fans loved Thompson's distinctive gravelly voice and his musical style, a mix of honky-tonk and Western swing. He was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.

His first recording was "Whoa, Sailor" in 1946. That year, he started a band called the Brazos Valley Boys, which won Billboard magazine's touring band of the year award 14 consecutive times.

Thompson had 29 hits reach the top 10 between 1948 and 1975. Some of his most famous songs include "Humpty Dumpty Heart" and "A Six Pack to Go."

His album "The Wild Side of Life" reached No. 1 in 1952. It inspired a famous "answer song" written by J.D. Miller, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels." Recorded by Kitty Wells, the song was the first No. 1 hit by a woman soloist on the country music charts and made Wells a star.

Thompson grew up a fan of Gene Autry, which fueled his love of the guitar. By the time he finished high school, he was playing on a local radio show, where he was featured as "Hank the Hired Hand."

He served in the Navy, and studied electrical engineering at Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas and Princeton.

Thompson considered a career in engineering, but remained in show business. He caught the attention of Tex Ritter, who helped him get a contract with Capitol Records.

Pitcox said Thompson requested that no funeral be held.

A "celebration of life," open to fans and friends, will be held Nov. 14 at Billy Bob's Texas, a Fort Worth honky-tonk.

Survivors include his wife, Ann. He had no children.

[Neal Pomea]

One of the greats! RIP.

I've got a Humpty Dumpty Heart

[7/4]

Whoa, Sailor?

[Randy Twizzle]

He served in the Navy, and studied electrical engineering at Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas and Princeton

He was the greatest country singer Princeton ever produced.

[alocispepraluger102]

damn! damn! damn!

one of my fav country artists,

and an electrical engineer at that!

[Guest Bill Barton]

R.I.P.

Those Western Swing recordings were some of the material that originally sparked my interest in jazz back in the 1960s.

[danasgoodstuff]

Been meaning to get a copy of his LP Dance Ranch for some time, I have one other one I bought in some trendy place in Sea at Hole. Of all the egregious omissions from CMT's 40 Grate Men of Country, his may have been the most egresiousnest! Seriously, hits in 4 (or 5?) decades in which music changed tremendously.

[Neal Pomea]

DALLAS - Hank Thompson has died of lung cancer just days after canceling his tour. The country singer was 82.

Fans loved Thompson's distinctive gravelly voice and his musical style, a mix of honky-tonk and Western swing. He was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.

I wondered if the writer ever actually heard him. He was known for his smooth voice. I have never heard it characterized as gravelly.

I was lucky to see him perform at an American Legion hall in Bethesda Maryland back when the hall was home to the Twist and Shout, a roots music club in the 80s-90s. He had a pick up band that including Buddy Charleton on steel (from Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours) and Eddie Stubbs on fiddle before Stubbs left the Johnson Mt. Boys and went to Nashville to become the announcer for the Opry. I never saw so many fans line up at break time for Hank's autograph!

Before that I heard him at a farm implement show in Lafayette Louisiana in the early 70s when I was a teenager. One year it was Hank Thompson, the next year Don Gibson! Surprising music among the John Deeres, Minneapolis-Molines, Olivers, and Massey-Fergusons!

[danasgoodstuff]

"I got time for one more of Hank's tunes and a M-F to go"

[Tjazz]

On Tap, in the Can or in the Bottle

He had a great sense of humor in his songs.