Original Poster from Last Hank Williams Concert Pulls Record Bid
Hank Williams was booked to play a pair of performances in Canton, Ohio on New Years Day in 1953, but he never made the shows. Instead, he perished in the back of his Cadillac at the age of 29 near Oak Hill, West Virginia while traveling to the gig, later memorialized in country music history as “The Last Ride.” Now an actual poster printed to promote Hank’s final show has sold at auction for $150,000—the highest price ever paid for a concert poster at auction.
The authenticated and restored poster on cardboard was put on the auction block by Heritage Auction Galleries out of Dallas, TX on Saturday, May 1st where it brought the record bid. Consignment director Pete Howard of Heritage says the piece is the “top of Mount Everest” when it comes to concert posters. There are only two others from the concert known in existence, and the one that sold is by far in the best of shape, despite some creases from being folded and other minor blemishes. It was discovered in a barn in Canton decades ago, and has changed hands numerous times over the years. It was also featured in the recent Ken Burns documentary on country music.
The seller of the poster was a collector named Andrew Hawley from San Francisco. He also sold a poster promoting the “Winter Dance Party” that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper we’re supposed to play in Minnesota, but never made it to after perishing in a plane crash in 1959. In 2019, that poster brought $125,000, marking the record at that time. “We’re all just temporary custodians,” Hawley says of the posters.
Hank Williams was supposed to fly to his show in Canton as well, but due to bad weather, he hired freshman college student Charles Carr to drive him to the gig in his powder blue Cadillac. Hank suffered from chronic back problems, and had injected himself with morphine during the trip from Knoxville, TN and also was drinking alcohol. Hank Williams died of heart failure sometime that night with varying accounts of exactly where and when, though a gas station in Oak Hill, WV is given credit as Hank’s final destination.
Hank’s last ride has been memorialized in numerous accounts, including the 2013 film, The Last Ride: A Story of Hank Williams in 2013, and the I Saw The Light movie in 2015. Numerous songs also reference the historical country music moment.
Even though Hank Williams died on his way to the performance, the show went on as a tribute to the “Hillbilly Shakespeare,” with Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Hank’s Drifting Cowboys backing band performing his music.
Dale Redcliff
May 4, 2021 @ 10:55 am
Bad ass !
Sam Cody
May 4, 2021 @ 10:57 am
$1.25 for tickets? You can’t even see Justin Beaver for that!
#BobWillsIsStillTheKing
May 4, 2021 @ 11:00 am
WOW! Just WOW! The desert island poster!
Kevin Smith
May 4, 2021 @ 11:37 am
As we speak a counterfeiter somewhere is going ” i can make that”.
Seriously, though thats a cool story. Enough to get any record or poster collector excited. Not anywhere the same value, but ive got a Kristofferson poster from a gig in Toledo, Ohio way back in the early 70s. Its a little damaged on the edges but looks great on the wall! And no, im not selling it.
Travis
May 4, 2021 @ 1:32 pm
I’m a Hank Sr fan first, but I didn’t know Homer and Jethro were scheduled to play those shows. I love them and have a few of their albums (picking up at a cheap price of $1.50 in the used vinyl bins at thrift stores everywhere!). They have some hilarious songs, but don’t slouch on the music. I’d love to see some kind of history/biography on them since I know absolutely zero about Homer and Jethro on a personal level.
glendel
May 4, 2021 @ 7:15 pm
Jethro’s son was John Prine’s bandleader for a while, and Jethro’s wife’s sister was married to Chet Atkins.
Thom's Country Bunker
May 4, 2021 @ 3:34 pm
When I’m a millionaire (should happen any day now) I’m gonna be all over these auctions. Imagine having that is your record room. Yes please.
Louise Kovar
May 6, 2021 @ 1:25 am
I have a program from his show in Windham, Ohio back in 1957.It is signed with his beautiful handwriting maybe Pete zHoward can get in touch with me. I will sell it. Its in good condition.
Yankee
May 30, 2021 @ 4:38 pm
You SURE about that date. 😶
Corncaster
May 4, 2021 @ 5:36 pm
Let’s see, $1.25 to see Hank Williams Sr in 1953 is roughly equivalent to $12.40 today.
Pretty good QPR.
Mark Simmons
May 4, 2021 @ 7:57 pm
I have a similar poster hang in my bedroom it’s for sale looking to get 450.00 for mine
EW in DFW
May 5, 2021 @ 5:53 pm
I have many framed tour posters with my ticket at the bottom. Only one like this is Soundgarden 2017 (not the statue of liberty poster] with my ticket date a week after Cornell’s passing.
Steven
May 9, 2021 @ 4:14 am
Hank is the king and noone has ever come close.
Yankee
May 30, 2021 @ 4:37 pm
What Hank song is playing in the video !?