The Drifting Cowboys were the backing group for American country legend and singer-songwriter

Hank Williams Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...

. The band went through several lineups during Williams' career. The original lineup was formed in 1937, changing musicians from show to show until Williams signed with Sterling Records. The lineup was further modified in the following years, with the most famous version of the group formed in 1949 for Williams' appearance on the ''

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

''. Although the Drifting Cowboys were credited on Williams' records, until 1950, Williams was backed by session musicians on recordings, with the label crediting the Cowboys. In 1951, Williams disbanded the group. After his death, the band was used for a short time by Ray Price. Former members later toured under the name of the band.

History

Hank Williams and the Driftin' Cowboys, 1938

Hank Williams formed the original Drifting Cowboys band between 1937 and 1938 in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

. The name was derived from Williams' love of

Western film The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

s, with him and the band wearing

cowboy hat The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United S ...

s and

boots A boot is a type of footwear. Boot or Boots may also refer to: Businesses * Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England * Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom * The Boot, Cromer Stre ...

. The original line-up consisted of Braxton Schuffert (guitar), Freddie Beach (fiddle), and the comedian Smith "Hezzy" Adair. The youngest member of the band was thirteen-year-old steel guitar player James E. Porter. During the 1930s, the Drifting Cowboys varied from one show to another, with members playing a few shows before leaving and being replaced. In 1944,

Don Helms Donald "Don" Hugh Helms (February 28, 1927 – August 11, 2008) was a steel guitarist best known as the steel guitar player of Hank Williams's Drifting Cowboys group. He was a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (1984). Biography Helms was ...

joined the band playing the steel guitar, and Sammy Pruett on guitar, however both left the band after a year. When Williams signed with Sterling Records, he formed a new band: R.D Norred (steel guitar),

Joe Pennington Joseph Lephmon Pennington (January 15, 1928 – July 1, 2020), also known as Joe Penny, was an American musician, the former lead guitarist for Hank Williams' backing band, the Drifting Cowboys. After leaving the Drifting Cowboys in 1949, Pe ...

(guitar),

Herbert "Lum" York William Herbert "Lum" York (November 16, 1918 – August 15, 2004) was a musician best known as the bass player in Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys from 1944–1949. After leaving the Drifting Cowboys, York played bass in Lefty Frizzell's b ...

(bass) and Winston Todd (guitar). Hank and

Audrey Williams Audrey Mae Sheppard Williams (February 28, 1923 – November 4, 1975) was an American musician known for being the first wife of country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams, the mother of Hank Williams Jr. and the grandmother of Hank Willi ...

requested a loan to buy the band matching outfits that they wore on performances. The band was renewed by Williams for his first appearance on the ''

Louisiana Hayride ''Louisiana Hayride'' was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of th ...

'' in 1948, with Bob McNett (guitar), "Lum" York (bass), Tony Francini (fiddle), Felton Pruett (steel guitar) and Dent Holmes (guitar). For his June 1949 debut at the ''

'', Williams formed the most famous version of the Drifting Cowboys: Bob McNett (guitar),

Hillous Butrum Hillous Buel "Bew" Butrum (April 21, 1928 – April 27, 2002) was an American country music guitar player and a record and video producer best known as being a member of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys. Hillous Butrum was born in Lafayette, ...

(bass),

Jerry Rivers Jerry Rivers (August 25, 1928 – October 4, 1996) was an American fiddle player. Biography Jerry Rivers was born in Miami, Florida. He played fiddle with the Drifting Cowboys, a band who will be forever associated with their "frontman", the leg ...

(fiddle) and

(steel guitar). Until 1950, Williams' songs were recorded with session musicians, with the label crediting the backing to the Drifting Cowboys Band. In 1950, McNett and Butrum left the band, being replaced by Sammy Pruett and Cedric Rainwater. In 1951, before undergoing back surgery and not knowing how long he would be unable to tour, Williams disbanded the group. During 1952, he was not backed by the Drifting Cowboys. After his death, the band was used for a short time by Ray Price. Band members would later tour as the Drifting Cowboys for several years.

Members

;Original lineup *Braxton Schuffert -guitar *Freddie Beach – fiddle *Smith "Hezzy" Adair – bass, harmonica *James E. Porter – steel guitar ;Main members *

– steel guitar *

– Fiddle *Bob McNett and Sammy Pruett – Guitar *

, Cedric Rainwater,

– bass

Other members

*Felton Pruett *Clent Holmes *

*Lemuel Curtiss Crysel *Joseph L."Buddy" Jolly *

Grady Martin Thomas Grady Martin (January 17, 1929 – December 3, 2001) was an American session guitarist in country music and rockabilly. A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso", Loretta Lynn's " Coal ...

*Billy Byrd *Jack Drake *Daniel Jack Boling *George Brown *Louis Brown *High Sheriff *Lefty Clark *Walter Rex Compton 1923–1980A Compton Family History by Thomas Heflin Compton *Curly Corbin *Clyde Criswell *Zeke Crittenden *Little Joe Stanley *Richard Paul Dennis Jr *Allen Dunkin *Willie Harper *James Porter *Clarence Able * Mitt Ike DeRamus * Ernie lee Roberts * Woody Jones * Eugene Rollan * Gerald Boger

References

External links

Most total information
{{Authority control American country music groups Hank Williams Musical backing groups