"No One Will Ever Know" is a song written by Fred Rose and Mel Forre. It was originally associated with country icon

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 ...

when it was issued as a posthumous single in 1957.

Background

Rose originally recorded the song with his String Band in 1945 for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown ...

and The Smoky Mountain Boys were the first to release this song in August 1945. Williams recorded his version alone with his guitar while working in

Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population o ...

in 1948 or 1949. By 1957,

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

was still releasing singles on the late country singer, including demos, radio performances, and tracks featuring overdubbed instruments, and while some became hits, though several, such as his duets with Audrey Williams, were of dubious quality.

Cover versions

* Tony Bennett, who scored a pop smash with Williams' " Cold, Cold Heart," released a version on Columbia in 1952. * The

Wilburn Brothers The Wilburn Brothers were an American country music duo from the 1950s to the 1970s, consisting of brothers Virgil Doyle Wilburn (1930–1982) and Thurman Theodore "Teddy" Wilburn (1931–2003). Biography The brothers were born in Hardy, Ark ...

cut the song in 1958 for Decca. * Marty Robbins released a version on Columbia Records in 1962. * Don Gibson covered the song for RCA. * Al Martino released a pop version. * Carl Smith recorded it for Columbia. *

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...

recorded the song for Monument in 1963. *

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

released it on Columbia in 1963. *

David Box David Box (August 11, 1943 – October 23, 1964) was an American rock musician in the early 1960s. Box was influenced by fellow Texan Buddy Holly, and even took his place as singer of his group, The Crickets, for a short time after Holly's death ...

recorded two versions in 1963 and 1964 for JOED Records as the B-side to his single "Little Lonely Summer Girl". * Dottie West recorded it for RCA. * Loretta Lynn cut it for Decca. * Hank Locklin recorded a version of the song. * Hank Snow covered it for RCA. * Ferlin Husky recorded the song for Capitol. * Columbia Records released a version by

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

. * Hank Williams' hero

cut the song in 1968. *

Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, ...

released the song on RCA. * Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version on Mercury Records in 1976. * Gene Watson covered the song for Capitol. * David Allan Coe included it on his 1997 LP ''The Ghost of Hank Williams''. * Jack Scott recorded it in 1958. * Kitty Kallen MGM Records, 1965.

References

{{Reflist 1957 singles Songs written by Fred Rose (songwriter)