Step into the world of country music legend Hank Williams with 23 fascinating facts about this iconic musician. Hank Williams was more than just a singer; he was a trailblazer whose music echoed the heart and soul of America. Explore his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a pioneer in country music, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
Hank Williams Facts
1- Hiram King “Hank” Williams Born September 17, 1923 Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama, U.S.
2- His parents were Jessie Lillybelle “Lillie” (née Skipper) and Elonzo Huble “Lon” Williams
3- Hank Williams Williams scored his first hit song with “Move It on Over” in 1947.
4- Williams is widely recognized as “The King of Country Music”
5- Williams made his first appearance on the radio at 13
6- As a child, he was nicknamed “Harm” by his family and “Herky” or “Poots” by his friends.
7- The first song Williams learned to play was “On Top of Old Smokey,”
8- Hank Williams Was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry (1949).
9- Hank Williams recorded 225 songs in a five-year span, 128 of which he wrote himself.
10- In July 1937, the Williams and McNeil families opened a boarding house on South Perry Street in downtown
11- Hank Williams Was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1961).
12- In 1939, he began a band named ‘Drifting Cowboys’ and quit school in the month of October that year, to work for his band on a full-time basis.
13- In 1948, he appeared in the radio show ‘Louisiana Hayride’ which helped him establish a larger fan base
14- Hank Williams was awarded a special posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 2010 for songwriting
15- Hank Williams Was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame (1987)
16- He came with ‘Lovescik Blues’ in 1949, which sold 50,000 copies in just two weeks
17- Williams got the nickname “The Singin’ Kid” by performing on a radio show on WSFA out of Montgomery for 10 years.
18- Hank Williams learned guitar from a street performer named, Rufus ‘Tee-Tot’ Payne, who played blues
19- In 1964, Hank Williams was portrayed by George Hamilton in the film Your Cheatin’ Heart.
20- Made his last public appearance on the ‘Skyline Club’ in Austin, Texas, on December 19, 1952.
21- Hank Williams married Audrey Sheppard, a musician on December 15, 1944,
22- Hank Williams died unexpectedly on January 1, 1953, while on his way to Charleston, West Virginia. He succumbed to a serious heart attack, as a result of years of alcohol and drug addiction.
23- More than 25,000 people attended the funeral of Hank Williams on Jan. 4, 1953. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery.
