Synopsis
NEW BOOK CHRONICLES COLORFUL CAREER OF COUNTRY-MUSIC LEGEND They call me Mr. Honky-Tonk, the King of Western Swing, sings Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson at the beginning of one of his nearly 800 recorded songs. And while some might construe that line as a musical boast, anyone familiar with the stellar career of hardwood-floor hero Thompson knows better. From the late 1940s until his 2007 death, Hank Thompson was a country-music star of the first magnitude, a man who brought his combination of intelligent, honest lyrics and sophisticated, big-band-influenced dance music to legions of fans across the nation and the world, selling some 60 million records and influencing performers ranging from Bob Dylan to George Strait. Now, Hank s longtime friend Warren Kice has crafted My Side of Life, a biographical work as warm, frank, and honest as the entertainer himself. Fully sanctioned by Thompson who spent well over two years working with Kice on the book and Thompson s wife, Ann, My Side of Life engagingly recounts the story of the honky-tonk superstar, beginning with his first performance on the stage of his grade school in Waco, Texas, and extending to the very end of his life, when he was still in high demand as both a recording artist and live performer. Along the way are professional highlights like the gigantic 1952 hit Wild Side of Life, one of the best-selling country singles of all time (and the song that gave the book its name); Hank s groundbreaking success in Las Vegas, which led to his recording the first-ever live album by a country artist; and his 1989 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In addition to Wild Side of Life, Hank Thompson gave the world such enduring numbers as A Six Pack to Go, Humpty Dumpty Heart, and The Older the Violin (The Sweeter the Music), just three of his 79 national hits. Thompson, in fact, started putting singles on the Billboard country charts in the 40s and didn t quit until the 80s. (Reportedly, the only other artist to have nationally charted singles in five consecutive decades is Frank Sinatra, a man as unique to his genre as Thompson is to country.) The story of Thompson s music, while undeniably compelling, is far from all there is to My Side of Life. There s also a deeply personal element to the book, as Kice reveals behind-the-scenes stories about Thompson and the members of his Brazos Valley Boys band, as well as such famed country-music contemporaries as Hank Snow, Faron Young, Merle Travis, Tex Ritter, and Hank Williams. My Side of Life doesn't shy away from the racy side of the music business, and those who thought free-love groupies and mind-numbing overindulgence first showed up in the 60s rock-music scene will find the tales of the Brazos Valley Boys Invitation Only Fun and Games Unwinding Parties instructive, if not downright shocking. Like the rest of My Side of Life, though, those tales are told from an insider's point of view, never with meanness and always in good humor, as though the reader were backstage after a show, sharing a round or two with Thompson and Kice, laughing and listening to the stories flow. In an astounding musical career that spanned parts of seven decades, Hank Thompson made thousands upon thousands of fans, all of whom will treasure My Side of Life. But anyone interested in the classic country-music era, or the inner workings of show business, will also find My Side of Life to be a compelling read. It s a book that s honest, warm, and real -- like Hank Thompson himself, whose immortal baritone voice and unique take on life resonate through every page.
About the Author
Warren Kice first met Hank Thompson when he attended one of Hank's personal appearances in Seminole, Oklahoma in 1954. Over the next several years, Warren attended many of Hank's performances and became both a fan and a friend. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma law school in 1962, Warren moved to Washington DC, entered the private practice of law, and started a family. In 1982 he moved to Dallas and continued his career in law, highlighted by a twenty year stint with the law firm of Haynes and Boone, Dallas' largest, and one of its most prestigious, law firms. When Hank and his wife, Ann, moved to the Dallas/Ft. area in 1987 the two friends were reunited and Warren worked with Thompson on his Friends album, released on Curb records in 1995. In 2005 when Warren was approaching retirement from his law practive, he and Hank decided to work on Hank s biography together, with the understanding that they didn't want to simply do a textbook biography, replete with facts, but with little style or humor. One of the reasons for this was that several very humorous events transpired over the course of Hank's career that he enjoyed relating to fans and friends, and both Hank and Warren very much wanted to feature them in the book. The two met once or twice a month for over two years for taping sessions in which Hank outlined his career starting from age five. In each of the sessions Hank would come up with one or more of the humorous events that left both men howling with laughter. After transcribing the tapes, researching Hank's music, and interviewing several people that were very important in his life and career, Warren went to work on the book. Hank put it this way after he read the book: The results speak for themselves. When I read his first draft I realized that Warren had exceeded my highest expectations. The book is very reader friendly, yet it accurately and completely captures the history of my career. In fact, when I read it, it brought back many pleasant memories especially with respect to the music that I had simply forgotten. Just as important, Warren also captured the humor and frivolity of the humorous events mentioned above, including many colorful adventures of my band, The Brazos Valley Boys. The book has been well received. Mario Tarradell, country music critic of the Dallas Morning News, gave the book a very positive review on the first page of the Guide section of the Dallas Morning News, and Warren has appeared on several national radio shows including the Bill Mack Show (XM radio), the Bill Anderson show (XM radio), the Eddie Stubbs show (WSM and XM radio), Cable News Radio, Back Porch Radio, and others. Warren and his wife Elaine now live in the Highland Park section of Dallas and enjoy spending time with their two sons, two daughters-in- law and four grandchildren.
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