Don Williams, Country's 'Gentle Giant,' Dead at 78 – Rolling Stone

About the Song

Don Williams, the “Gentle Giant” of country music, delivers a heartfelt and comforting ballad in “I’ll Be Here In The Morning.” This timeless song offers a reassuring promise of enduring love and support.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a couple facing challenges and uncertainties. Despite the difficulties, the narrator assures their partner that they will always be there, providing a steadfast presence and unwavering love. The song’s gentle melody and Williams’ soothing vocals create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The chorus is particularly poignant: “I’ll be here in the morning, sun or shine. You’ll never be lonely, you’ll always be mine.” These words convey a deep sense of commitment and devotion.

“I’ll Be Here In The Morning” is a classic country ballad that has stood the test of time. Its message of unconditional love and support continues to resonate with listeners of all ages. Williams’ masterful performance and the song’s timeless melody make it a beloved staple of the country music genre.

Don Williams Dead: Country Music Star Was 78 – The Hollywood Reporter

Video

Lyrics: I’ll Be Here In The Morning

There’s no stronger wind than the one that blows
down a lonesome railroad line
No prettier sight than looking back
on a town you left behind
There is nothin’ that’s as real
as a love that’s in my mindClose your eyes
I’ll be here in the morning
close your eyes
I’ll be here for a whileThere’s lots of things along the road
I’d surely like to see
I’d like to lean into the wind
and tell myself I’m free
but your softest whisper’s louder
than the highways call to meClose your eyes
I’ll be here in the morning
close your eyes
I’ll be here for a whileAll the mountains and the rivers
and the valleys can’t compare
to your blue lit dancin’ eyes
and yellow shining hair
I could never hit the open road
and leave you layin’ there

Close your eyes
I’ll be here in the morning
close your eyes
I’ll be here for a while

Lay your head back easy, love,
close your cryin’ eyes
I’ll be layin’ here beside you
when the sun comes on the rise
I’ll stay as long as the cuckoo wails
and the lonesome bluejay cries.

Close your eyes
I’ll be here in the morning
close your eyes
I’ll be here for a while [x2]

You Missed

MINNIE PEARL WALKED ONSTAGE AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY FOR 50 YEARS WITH A $1.98 PRICE TAG ON HER HAT — AND THEN ONE NIGHT, SHE JUST COULDN’T ANYMORE. Here’s something most people don’t think about with Minnie Pearl. That price tag hanging off her straw hat? It wasn’t random. Sarah Cannon — that was her real name — created it as a joke about a country girl too proud of her new hat to take the tag off. And audiences loved it so much that it became the most recognizable prop in country music history. For over fifty years, that tag meant Minnie was here, and everything was going to be fun. So imagine what it felt like when she couldn’t put the hat on anymore. In June 1991, Sarah had a massive stroke. She was 79. And just like that, the woman who hadn’t missed an Opry show in decades was gone from the stage. But here’s what gets me. She didn’t die in 1991. She lived another five years after that stroke, mostly out of the public eye, unable to perform, unable to be “Minnie” the way she’d always been. Her husband Henry Cannon took care of her at their Nashville home. Friends visited, but they said it was hard. The woman who made millions of people laugh couldn’t get through a full conversation some days. Roy Acuff, her old friend from the Opry, kept her dressing room exactly the way she left it. Nobody used it. The hat sat there. She passed on March 4, 1996. And what most people remember is the comedy. The “HOW-DEEE” catchphrase. The big goofy grin. What they don’t remember is that Sarah Cannon was also a serious fundraiser for cancer research. Centennial Medical Center in Nashville named their cancer center after her — not after Minnie, after Sarah. She raised millions and rarely talked about it publicly. There’s a story about the very last time Sarah tried to put on the hat at home, months after the stroke, and what her husband said to her in that moment — it’s the kind of detail that makes you see fifty years of comedy completely differently. Roy Acuff kept Minnie Pearl’s dressing room untouched for years after she left — was that loyalty to a friend, or was he holding a door open for someone he knew was never coming back?