Don Helms, Last Remaining Drifting Cowboy, Dead at 81
Don Helms, last of Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys, has died.
Mr. Helms was the last remaining link to the Drifting Cowboys. His guitar was heard on more than 100 of Williams’ recordings, including “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart” and “I Can’t Help (It If I’m Still In Love With You).” His steel playing is an indelible part of those records, and after Williams’ death Mr. Helms went on to provide significant parts on recordings such as Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Stonewall Jackson’s “Waterloo” and Lefty Frizzell’s “Long, Black Veil.” He played with other greats as well, including Loretta Lynn, Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Jim Reeves and Webb Pierce.
…and that’s about all the Nashville Tennessean, from the home of country music, has to say about the steel player from one of country music’s most enduring voices. Classy. Classier than the New York Times, which doesn’t have even a mention of Mr. Helms, who played for a man covered by Tony bennet and Perry Como.
They don’t show him, but that’s Don helms on the lap steel.
Here’s some footage of Don playing with Bill White at a Hank Williams tribute:
and some latewr footage of
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