visit ncicap.org] [upbeat twangy music] ♪ >> ♪ world go away >> hank cochran is, without a doubt, onetest songwriters ever on earth. >> ♪ and i fall to pieces >> it's important historically that people know who hank cochran was and what he did, and he always wanted to be the hemingway of country music, and i think he did it. >> it's stunning when you look at the body of work that he was able to accomplish and stay relevant for so long. that's way out of the ordinary. >> ♪ i've got everything ♪ everything but you >> they will be recording hank cochran songs way down the line and probably not even know who he was. >> i think it's really important for people to understand where country music came from and the era of the '50s and '60s, which is hank cochran, harlan howard, willie nelson, roger miller. these guys set the standard for writing songs. >> ♪ don't you ever get tired ♪ of hurting me ♪ he was responsible, really, for me going to nashville and getting a job writing for pamper music. hank had a lot to do with me getting started. >> i met hank. he reached out his hand and had a cd t