<back - HANK WILLIAMS - He was born Hiram Williams, in Mount Olive, Alabama, in 1923. Williams learned Gospel music from his Baptist-church organist mother and Blues from black street musicians. By age 16, he'd formed the 'Drifting Cowboys' and was playing on a local radio station. The early 40s found him performing at honky tonks across Alabama. He moved to Nashville in 1946, where he signed with the famed Acuff-Rose publishing company and a recording contract with MGM in 1947. His initial MGM release, Move It On Over was straight up Country Blues.

In 1949, his Lovesick Blues remained in the Top 15 for 10 months. Hank Williams had 7 hits in 1949 like Mind Your Own Business, and My Bucket's Got a Hole in It. He continued with hits in 1950 including Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Why Don't You Love Me, and Moanin' the Blues. That same year of 1950, Hank began recording a series of spirituals under the name 'Luke the Drifter'. Hank Williams continued with hits in 1951, beginning with Dear John and Cold Cold Heart. Tony Bennett recorded Cold Cold Heart which lead to a stream of Hank Williams songs being covered by many mainstream recording artists of the time. Hank had several other hits in 1951, including Hey Good Lookin' and Howlin' at the Moon, I Can't Help It, Crazy Heart, Lonesome Whistle, and Baby We're Really in Love, all charted in the Top 10. Though Hank's professional career was soaring, his personal life was taking a beating. In the fall of 1951, Hank injured his back and began taking pain killers and quickly became addicted. The hits were still coming fast for in 1952, with Honky Tonk Blues, Half As Much, Jambalaya, Settin' the Woods on Fire, You Win Again, and I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive. Hank started turning completely reckless in 1952, spending his waking hours drunk and taking drugs, destroying property and misusing guns. Hank Williams continued to play concerts, but he was either drunk during the shows, or he missed the engagements altogether. Hank was booked to play a concert in Canton, OH, on January 1, 1953. He was scheduled to fly out of Knoxville, TN, on New Years Eve, but the weather was so bad he hired a chauffeur to drive him to Ohio in his new Cadillac. Hank got into the backseat of the Cadillac with a bottle of whiskey and the teenage chauffeur headed out for Canton. He died in the back of that Cadillac, on route to his concert January 1, 1953. Hank Williams was the first artist elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, reflective of his enormous impact on music. He is considered as the defining figure of Country music. Hank Williams cut the path for the "outlaw" school of Country which includes Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and son Hank Williams Jr. MP3- Hey Good Lookin' |