Big Bill Lister

Big Bill Lister leveraged his early 1950s role as Hank Williams' opening act and rhythm guitarist by cutting his own versions of several Williams numbers that became hits for him, among them "Countryfied," "The Little House We Built Just Over the Hill," and, most memorably, "There's a Tear in My Beer." Performance prowess alone sustained Lister's professional path long after new hit records ceased, and his honky-tonk approach pulled influences from every corner of the country spectrum. A somewhat raw sonic edge may have barred him from true commercial dominance, yet the artist nevertheless maintained an active presence across a nearly 50-year span.