The first single released, ‘Livin’ for a Song’, jumped to #21 on the European Top 40, within 2 weeks. Sadly, you probably won’t hear it in the U.S. "It really knocked me out when Ralph Stanley won that Grammy. They (U.S. radio stations) are going to have to go back to real country. But Ralph winning was really great, it may jerk some of them in line… I hope."

 I can’t name them all, but here’s just a few of Hank’s songs that have won him acclaim: I Fall To Pieces, The Chair, Little Bitty Tear, Funny Way of Laughing, She’s Got You, Why Can’t He Be You, Ocean Front Property, Make the World Go Away. And I do stress that these are just a few. Over 88 major acts have recorded Hank’s songs. Hank had 22 songs on the Ray Price Boxed set, 7 songs on the Patsy Cline boxed set, and 3 songs on the George Strait boxed set.

"As successful as you’ve been as a songwriter, you’re probably just working now because you want to work?" "Yes Ma’am. It keeps me alive and well. That’s why I’m doing it. I’ve been so called ‘retired’ 3 times, every time I did I got sick. One time I bought a boat and went to the Bahama’s for like 6 years, and Willie came down there and said if he had to work, I had to work. Or they were going to quit mentioning my name and cutting my songs, and all that. I said, Dang that’s a little harsh Willie!" "Willie probably just wanted you to write him another song." "That’s right, and we did, for Honeysuckle Rose." Hank had 3 songs on that album and a cameo appearance in the movie. Willie and Hank have a very special bond. What did Hank see in this young man that everybody else overlooked?

"How did you end up being the one to sign Willie Nelson to a writing deal?" "Cause nobody else would! I thought he was great, and proved everybody wrong. We were sitting up in back of Tootsie’s and passing the guitar around and singing songs. When it got to him, he sang a song, the second time it came around to him, and he sang a couple more. I said whose songs are those? He said mine. I said who’s your publisher? He said I don’t have one, nobody wants them. I’ve been to everybody in town. I said Whoa, you ain’t been to everybody. I asked him if he could get out to the office the next day and he said, Yeah, if you can get me back. And he came out there, driving an old green Buick. I talked to Al Smith who was running the company, and he gave Willie my raise, so he could sign him.

Hank, a lot of your single songs have been cut by 20+ artists! "Yes, and I’m adding heavily to that number this year. They’re doing a Patsy Cline tribute album, and some of the biggest country and pop acts will be on it. Natalie Cole is doing ‘I Fall to Pieces’, and Lee Ann Womack is doing ‘She’s Got You’, and I think Allison Krauss (I love her voice!) is doing ‘Why Can’t He Be You.’ They didn’t know who was going to do ‘You’re stronger than me’. I’m supposed to have 4 or 5 songs on there. There’s also a new album coming out on Darryl Singletary, he just cut ‘A Eleven’."

Yes, Hank is a very busy man…a living legend…and he’s still ‘Livin’ for a Song’.

To buy Hank’s CD, or to purchase his tape for aspiring songwriters, check out www.hankcochran.com

"Traveling isn’t much fun when…
the historical sites are younger than you are!"

It’s very soothing to the throat!