Few American entertainers         have had the explosive impact, wide-ranging appeal, and continuing popularity         of country music star Hank Williams. Such Williams standards as "Your         Cheatin' Heart," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Jambalaya,"         and "I Saw the Light" have all entered the pantheon of great         American song.       Roger Williams recounts the         story of Hank's rise from impoverished Southern roots, his coming of age         during and after World War II, his meteoric climb to national acclaim         and star status on the Grand Ole Opry, his chronic bouts with alcoholism         and the alienation it created in those he loved and sang for, and finally         his tragic death at twenty-nine and subsequent emergence as a folk hero.         The book also features a thorough discography compiled by Bob Pinson of         the Country Music Foundation.