A big, attractive concert poster for a Hank Williams tribute show in Manhattan (New York) in 1963, featuring Hank Williams Jr., Lefty Frizzell, Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours, and Mrs. Hank (Audrey) Williams, Hank’s widow.
An authentic, vintage Hank Williams window card has never been found that used bright, Day-Glo colors such as the yellow and orange found on this placard.
Similarly, an old Lefty Frizzell concert poster would be a collector’s item for any collector of country music, but on this poster, Lefty shares the spotlight with a slew of other country musicians.
As most collectors have discovered, an original Hank Williams concert poster is difficult to find, because he passed away on January 1, 1953. So a commanding window card like this from a decade hence serves as a nice substitute, particularly when it features his widow and his son.
Speaking of his son: Hank Williams Jr. was only 14 years old at the time of this concert, but he would go on to achieve great fame in the 1980s, winning the CMA Entertainer of the Year twice.
This enormous Globe concert poster measures 22 x 35”, is constructed of cardboard and displays bright Day-Glo colors.
The complete text found on this Grand Ole Opry country music broadside, reading it from top to bottom:
(First, blue ink on white): Manhattan Center, 34th St. & 8th Ave. – Sun. Nov. 24, 2 Shows, 2:00 (changed by hand from the original “4:00”) and 8:00 PM – Advance Admission $2.50 – At Door $3,00 – Special Rates for Students – Sponsored by The Musician’s Aid Society
(And now into the body of the poster): A Star-Studded Country Music Show! 17 Stars! All In Person…
(In bright orange Day-Glo): GRAND OLE OPRY (then tiny print): From Nashville, Tennessee – A Tribute To The Late, Great Hank Williams – the Opry’s All-Time Great Personality!
Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours – “Walkin’ the Floor Over You” – Hank Williams, Jr. – First Time On Tour! – Lefty Frizzell – and Jean Shepard, The Opry’s favorite Girl!
Mrs. Hank (Audrey) Williams – Patti White – (and then down in the bright orange box): Billy Byrd, Former Guitar Player with Ernest Tubb – – Jack Drake – Buddy Charlton – Cal Smith – Jimmy Orr – Leon Rhodes – Curtis McPete – Billy Moore – George McCormick – Peanut Montgomery.
(And last but not least, down at the bottom): Special Added Attraction – Wilma Lee, Stoney Cooper and the Clinch Mountain Clan – Plus – the Smokey and Shorty Warren Show (and then in very small print): and the Entire Copa Club Gang. (Printer’s credit at very bottom): Globe Posters – Baltimore.
Sadly, this show was scheduled to occur two days after President Kennedy was assassinated, and therefore fell on the night before the country’s national day of mourning. So it’s not even known if this scheduled date actually happened, or if it was postponed.
While this poster is not as cool as finding an authentic Hank Williams concert billboard or broadside, this tribute to the king of country music is nonetheless great to have. This in-tribute Hank Williams telephone-pole poster is lectured about by collector Pete Howard (805-540-0020 or pete@postercentral.com). And I will pay TOP DOLLAR for any vintage, original Hank Williams concert poster or advertising piece of any kind.
To see a few other original C&W concert posters from the 1950s-60s, saddle up the palomino and ride on over to this page right here on my Web site: http://www.postercentral.com/country.htm
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