Curb Records to Release Hank Williams III Greatest Hits Album
Curb Records is once again cobbling together previously-released material from Hank Williams III in an attempt to make money off of songs many fans already have, only this time it is in a much more conventional manner. Saving Country Music can confirm that Curb Records is planning the release of a Hank Williams III Greatest Hits album later this year. Though there is no specific track list or further details at the moment, it is currently scheduled to be released on August 18th, 2017.
The release of a Greatest Hits album would not normally be a reason for consternation, but with Curb Records, it’s a different story. The label has a long history of re-releasing songs under different titles for various purposes that only serve the label’s best interests instead of the public or the artists. For example, Curb Records released a total of seven Greatest Hits packages for Tim McGraw during his stint on the label for the sole purpose of keeping the country music star on the label indefinitely by not allowing him to release any new material to fulfill his contract.
Hank3 entered into a six album contract with Curb Records in the late 90’s. The Nashville-based label was able to stretch Hank3’s album count to seven by releasing Hillbilly Joker in 2011; a “hellbilly” album Curb initially rejected, but released after Hank3 had fulfilled his contract at the end of 2010. Then Curb released an outtakes album in 2012 called Long Gone Daddy that brought the total of Curb releases on Hank3’s six-album contract to eight. Ramblin’ Man released in April of 2014—another album of previously-released material cobbled together—made it nine. Hank3 also had agreed to the release of one heavy metal album as part of his Curb deal. An album of mostly previously-released tribute songs called Take As Needed For Pain brought that count to two.
Curb Records continues to regurgitate material from previous artists on their label as they continue to lose current artists and insist on a strategy of only releasing new albums from artists on their roster every five years. By one count, all 15 of the albums Curb currently has planned for release in 2017 are compilations of one sort or another. Many former Curb artists, including Hank3, Tim McGraw, Hank Williams Jr., LeAnn Rimes, and others have publicly criticized the label’s practices, and blamed it for contributing to career declines.
Hank3’s usual response to his fans on these post-contract Curb releases is to “Burn it, and give it away.”
As for Hank3, he has been curiously silent for going on 2 1/2 years, with no releases or tours. A year ago, Saving Country Music reported that he recently had to move out of his “Haunted Ranch” in east Nashville, and the move had delayed his touring plans.
“Been having to rebuild camp,” Hank3 said on 1-16-2016 as he co-hosted a show with Alamo Jones from the famous Jack Clement Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa in Nashville on Sirius/XM Outlaw Country. “No camp, no war. So once the camp is officially taken care of, we’ll be back in the trenches … Musical gear and all that stuff just piles up. You hold on to everything. It’s almost like homesteading in its own sort of certain way.”
February 2, 2017 @ 8:26 pm
oh brother. Curb records like to do what they want to make money. Curb wants to look good. Hank Jr. and Tim McGraw both had 4cd greatest hits cd last year.
February 2, 2017 @ 9:31 pm
This label has been screwing Hank3 for years. Damn shame. Hope he gets some new stuff out soon.
February 2, 2017 @ 9:34 pm
Fuck Curb Records
February 3, 2017 @ 8:40 am
Howl-la-looya.
February 3, 2017 @ 12:26 pm
The biggest f-u to Curb would be to release a new album of original material on the same day this Greatest Hits album drops. I know where my hard-earned cash would go…
February 2, 2017 @ 9:53 pm
Greatest hits on curb means they’re rereleasing straight to hell.
June 1, 2017 @ 3:53 pm
I don’t guess you’ve listened to”Lovesick, Broke, & Driftin”?
February 2, 2017 @ 11:24 pm
Hopefully Hank will release a new album of his own soon, or maybe even a greatest hits of his own, then the money goes to the right source….
February 3, 2017 @ 5:55 am
So does Hank get paid from album sales? If so there isn’t much to complain about, we all know curb is shit. If he doesn’t should we boycott this album?
Do they have the right to remaster and remix his old songs?
February 4, 2017 @ 11:17 am
The Artist gets an advance against future sales of records. If he got 100k, they withhold royalties up to that amount, then he gets checks. Curb owns the Recordings. The can do what they want. That’s all to do with physical copies or downloads.
Songwriting royalties are another animal. But whoever controls the Publishing rights has the upper hand.
February 3, 2017 @ 6:47 am
No telling what they consider greatest hits from iii, but i believe ill just stick to his original albums. Anybody else hear where Hellbound Glory signed to Shooters label BCR for new album? Sounds pretty cool, glad to see some new stuff from them coming.
February 3, 2017 @ 4:19 pm
Curb records had 1 hit singles and 2 cd’s out in 2016
February 4, 2017 @ 8:48 am
I sure wish 3 would put out something new that’s worth listening to. I’ve missed his country stuff for a few years now. BOT4X4 was terrible in my opinion. Hopefully he’ll release something along the lines of STH again someday. Just sayin’…
June 13, 2017 @ 6:07 pm
I’ve been hoping for years that he’d do proper country music like he did on Lovesick, Broke & Driftin’ again. The album had everything great country music needs. Maybe he’ll go back to his roots one day if he chooses to start recording again, which I find pretty unlikely. Years ago he said he needs to break even on distribution and if he still hasn’t, there’s really no reason for him to continue making music. It sucks, but it’s true.