Hank Williams I Saw the Light

I Saw the Light

I walked into a small church one morning . A man I had given a ride to one evening had invited me to attend . As soon as the praise band started to play worship songs I felt a rush of emotion as I heard I Saw the Light . I was so overwhelmed with the lyrics projected on a screen behind them that soon I found myself uncontrollably weeping. What the heck was happening here I asked myself ? Soon my arms were waving in the air in exultation of my salvation and being Born Again. It would be many years later that I would start learning about Hank Williams after reading Bob Dylan's book Chronicles. He credited Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie as major influences in his growth as a singer songwriter.

Soon I was listening to everything Hank Williams . I was shocked to learn that he had died at the age of 29. It was astonishing to my mind that a man so young had written so many songs with such deep insight and familiarity with the common struggles of the working class. I related to it right away. Hank was born at a time in America where the culture, especially in the South had a deep appreciation for that Old Time Religion as well as a good Honky Tonk dance tune. Hank could write a song like “ Hey Good Lookin What you got Cookin “ as well as a song like “ I Saw the Light”.

Hank is revered in the Country Music world . He could be Country's first musical Saint. I explored his foot in both worlds in this painting. “ I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin. I wouldn't let my dear Savior in. Then Jesus came like a stranger in the Night. Praise the Lord, I saw the Light”.