Skip to main content
Hank Williams

Hank Williams

In The News

Hank Williams Jr. pushes "Old School, New Rules" this summer - Southern icon Hank Williams Jr. will take on the eastern half of the U.S. this summer, promoting his latest studio album, "Old School, New Rules." Read More

Play

Hank Williams Radio

Hank Williams News

More News

Hank Williams Videos

More Videos
Play

I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)

Hank Williams Biography

source: WikiPedia

This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. If you find the biography content factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia.

Hank Williams ( September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953), born Hiram King Williams, was an American singer-songwriter and musician regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the ''Billboard'' Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one. Born in Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama, Williams moved to Georgiana, where he met Rufus Payne, a black street performer who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals or money. Payne had a major influence on Williams's later musical style. During this time, Williams informally changed his name to Hank, believing it to be a better name for country music. After moving to Montgomery, Williams began his career in 1937 when WSFA radio station producers hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote all of his time to his career. When several of his band members were conscripted to military service during World War II, Williams had trouble with their replacements and started drinking heavily, causing WSFA to dismiss him. Williams eventually married Audrey Sheppard, who became his manager for nearly a decade. After recording "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. In 1948 he released "Move it on Over," which became a hit, and also joined the ''Louisiana Hayride'' radio program. In 1949, he released a cover of "Lovesick Blues," which carried him into the mainstream of music. After an initial rejection, Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry. He had 11 number one songs between 1948 and 1953, though he was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree. Among the hits he wrote were "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Chronic back pain, and regular use of alcohol and morphine caused severe deterioration to his health. He divorced his wife and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry whose management cited unreliability and frequent drunkenness. Williams died suddenly in the early morning hours of New Years Day in 1953 at the age of 29 from heart failure exacerbated by pills and alcohol. Despite his short life, Williams has had a major influence on country music. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists, and have been hits in various genres including pop, gospel, blues.

Wikipedia This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. If you find the biography content factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia.
Biography

Hank Williams Albums

source: MusicBrainz

Links & information come from MusicBrainz. You can add or edit information about Hank Williams.

Hank Williams: Icon Compilation 2011-05-23 itunes amazon
The Best of Hank & Hank Compilation 2011-05-18 itunes amazon
Rockin' Chair Money: Gonna Shake This… Compilation 2009-04-07 itunes amazon
Revealed Compilation 2009 itunes amazon
The Unreleased Recordings Compilation 2008-10-28 itunes amazon
Honky Tonk Country Compilation 2008 itunes amazon
The Hank Williams Story Compilation 2006-09 itunes amazon
20th Century Masters: The Millennium… Compilation 2006-07-25 itunes amazon
Turn Back the Years: The Essential… Compilation 2005-10-11 itunes amazon
The Complete Collection Compilation 2005 itunes amazon
The Unreleased Album 2004 itunes amazon
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) Compilation 2004 itunes amazon
Your Cheatin' Heart Compilation 2004 itunes amazon
The Essential Hank Williams:… Compilation 2003 itunes amazon
The Ultimate Collection Compilation 2002-07-23 itunes amazon
MusicBrainzLinks & information come from MusicBrainz. You can add or edit information about Hank Williams at musicbrainz.org.
Albums
Advertisement