According to Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism, the story of Hank Williams’ record “Kaw-liga” started with a request from his mother. She is said to have called one of Hank’s friends Bob McKinney asking for him to take Hank to enjoy some time away from performing. Bob quickly thought to invite Hank to Lake Martin to stay with him, but he had already agreed to let someone rent the cabin.
He asked the help of Darwin Dobbs, a good friend, to let the two of them stay in his cabin for some time. He agreed, and the two made their way to Lake Martin for a getaway. They are said to have spent time in the nearby woods, sitting and looking out over the lake at sunset, and chatting. During one of their chats, the legend of Kowaliga, recited to McKinney over the years by locals in the area, was brought into the conversation.
Hank was fascinated. His newfound interest paired with the strong lonesome feeling he had inside meant a new song was sure to be on the horizon. The song began as a simple beat made by Hank on the car’s dashboard during the night’s errands, and before long, Hank had created a new melody.
The pair got back to the cabin and Hank grabbed his guitar to play what would be the first version of a song to be called “Kaw-Liga.” When Hank met with Fred Rose, his manager, later that year, the song was still fresh in his mind.
“As Hank laid out his version of his song of Kaw-liga, Rose suggested changing the lyrics to make Kaw-Liga a wooden Indian. Hank took a liking to this change, and the rest is history.”