Hank Snow

It seems that the 16 year old Dylan didn’t actually compose a poem that was to be auctioned this week, it was actually the lyrics of country singer Hank Snow that Dylan transcribed. I think it was a bit a give away that it wasn’t 6th form poetry as it didn’t refer to Felicity Watkins in English Lit.
I have been reading a lot about Hank Snow over the past 9 months, you see Hank was instrumental in the early career of Elvis Presley and for the past nine months I have been trying to get through an Elvis Presley book, Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick. I am still over a hundred pages off the end of this book so for now lets talk Hank Snow.
Hank Snow was the man that suggested the Grand Ole Opry put a young singer named Presley on, Snow also co managed Presley with Parker, Snow was a friend and mentor to Elvis, Hank Snow was the experienced entertainer and Elvis was the young buck. Snow gave Presley a lot of gigs.



Ive Been Everywhere

But Hank Snow was more than just an Elvis Presley footnote, he was a country legend but most people haven’t heard of him, but have heard of perhaps his most famous song, I’ve Been Everywhere he was also pretty consistent having country hits between the end of the 40’s pretty much up to the 70’s.
So Dylans poem was Hank Snow lyrics, possibly not worth that much now.



A Fool Such As I