'The Unreleased Recordings' by Hank Williams

Besides his singing prowess, the three-disc package, which features 54 radio show performances, also underscores Williams' musical influences, including his affinity for gospel songs and his playful personality.

Williams was the hottest artist in country music in 1951 when he agreed to host a 15-minute radio show for WSM, the Nashville station that broadcast the Grand Ole Opry. Because he toured so much, Williams taped the shows in advance with his Drifting Cowboys band at the WSM studio. The shows were then aired at 7:15 a.m. weekdays.

Listening to the set, it's clear that Williams could have been an influential figure in country music even if he had never written a song. His phrasing in this relaxed setting sometimes exhibits a stronger and more personal edge than he showed during his more formal recording sessions.

Although many boxed sets are so filled with hits and misses that they deserve to be called little more than record industry "product," this set is so rich and revealing it deserves to be labeled "historic."

Hank Williams

"The Unreleased Recordings"

(Time Life)

The back story: Lots of country music performers in the 1940s and 1950s hosted local radio shows, and Williams was just 27 when he signed on to WSM. He already had such No. 1 country singles as "Lovesick Blues," and "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" behind him. In 1951, he added two more No. 1 country singles to his string: "Cold, Cold Heart," which became a pop smash after Tony Bennett recorded it, and "Hey, Good Lookin'," a playful tune with an opening line that went, "Hey, hey, good lookin', whatcha got cookin'?/ How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?"

His early time slot might not sound impressive, but it was a prized one, especially in rural areas reached by the powerful station. In the set, Williams' daughter, Jett, writes about his early morning listeners.

"Imagine that it's 7:15 a.m. in January, 1951," she writes. "People are cooking biscuits, milking cows, driving to work or doing whatever they did on a daily basis, and they're treated to a 15-minute radio show starring Hank Williams." She continues, "He talked about his favorite songs, where he'd been and where he was going. Whatever came into his head. It was kinda like having him join you at your breakfast table for a good visit."