Floyd Cramer remembers the melodies but not the words or honky tonk style of
Hank Williams on this 1962 instrumental tribute album.
Cramer recasts a dozen of
Williams' original songs as upbeat pop instrumentals with strings, a vocal chorus, and
Cramer's characteristic "slip-note" piano leads. "Kaw-Liga" is especially interesting to hear in this context because it has such a monotonous, minor-key melody to begin with -- not one that would intuitively lend itself to an instrumental treatment.
Cramer switches to an electric piano with a heavy tremolo effect for "Alone and Forsaken," his only such departure. The album was produced by
Chet Atkins and is exemplary of the Nashville sound with its lush, pop orchestration, snappy "tic-tac" electric bass, and impossibly precise playing. Significantly,
Cramer's conception of "Lovesick Blues" was a pop hit but not a country one. The liner notes, written by
Cramer, briefly share his memories of working with
Williams. Despite
Cramer's country pedigree,
I Remember Hank Williams is more of a pop adaptation of
Williams' work.