Riley Green tips his hat to the classics with a Hank Williams cover
Country heartthrob Riley Green regularly shares glimpses into his life behind the scenes. From cover videos to sneak peeks of unreleased songs, Green leverages social media to connect with his fans worldwide. Recently, he shared an effortless cover of a famous song by fellow Alabama native Hank Williams.
“(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle” was written by Hank Williams and Jimmie Davis. Williams recorded and released the track in 1951, and it became his fourteenth consecutive top-ten single.
The song stood out to country music fans when Williams mimicked the sound of a train whistle while singing the word “lonesome.” Legend has it that the song inspired Johnny Cash’s iconic “Folsom Prison Blues.”
Cash even recorded the song a few years later for his album “Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar!”
Relive the original version of “(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle” by Hank Williams below!
Riley Green sings “(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle”
Riley Green is one of a select few modern country artists who are applauded for reviving the classic country music sound. The 36-year-old credits a wide variety of artists for influencing his music style but says his “grandaddy” instilled in him a love of artists like Merle Haggard and George Jones.
Before his show at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Florida, Green recorded a laid-back cover of “(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle.” Accompanied by just his acoustic guitar, the “Worst Way” singer nailed the tune, including the “lonesome” vocal trick.
The iconic song hardly needs an introduction, and Green simply captioned the video, “Hank.”
Watch Riley Green’s cover of “(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle” by Hank Williams in the video below!