Born the son of a legendary country music icon, Hank Williams Junior was destined for fame. Hank is known as one of the outlaws of country music. But you don’t have to be a country music fan to know Hank’s music. If you are a football fan, I am sure you have heard his famous tribute to Monday night football.
Here’s a sampling of Hank Williams Jr’s top ten songs.
1. Long Gone Lonesome Blues
2. Texas Women
3. Dixie on My Mind
4. All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)
5. A Country Boy Can Survive
6. Born to Boogie
7. There’s a Tear In My Beer
8. Family Tradition
9. Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound
10. All my Rowdy Friends are coming over tonight
Randall Hank Williams Jr. (his given name) was born on May 26, 1949 in Shreveport, Louisiana. His father was the late great country music icon Hank William Senior. Hank Williams Jr.’s mother was Audrey Sheppard Williams, also a country music singer. Miss Audrey has been credited to helping Hank Jr. during the start of his musical career.
Hank is known to his family and friends as Bocephus, a nickname that was given to him by his late father.
Hank William Senior died while Hank Junior was merely three years old.
At the age of eight, Hank Williams Jr., was all ready on stage. He began his musical career singing his late father’s songs, copying his style and mannerisms. At the age of 11, he made his first appearance on the Grand O’le Opry. At the age of 14, he made his first hit record LONG GONE LONESOME BLUES, a song previously recorded by his father.
During his teenage years, Hank Williams Jr. learned how to play piano from Jerry Lee Lewis. His also appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and performed shows for audiences of up to 20,000 people.
In 1969, Hank Williams Jr. teamed up with the late Johnny Cash and performed at Detroit’s Cobo Hall. This concert is still considered as being the biggest gross seller country show concert.
In 1970, Hank Williams Jr. signed the biggest recording contract in the history of MGM Records.
But as the 1970’s continued, Hank Williams Jr. began to grow tired of his father’s legacy. He wanted to branch out with his own style of music.
He adopted a southern rock style to his music. This new style was first heard on his 1975 album HANK WILLIAMS JR. AND FRIENDS. This was the same year that Hank Williams Jr. had a tragic accident, while climbing the mountains in Montana. He nearly died from falling off of them. To survive, he had to endure numerous surgeries.
In 1979, Hank Williams Jr. released the album FAMILY TRADITION. This album went gold on the charts.
Then in the 1980’s, Hank Williams popularity went soaring. He recorded such fan hits as: TEXAS WOMEN, DIXIE ON MY MIND, ALL MY ROWDY FRIENDS, A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE and BORN TO BOOGIE. These songs helped him to win the CMA’s top entertainer trophy for the years of 1987 and 1988.
In 1989, Hank Williams Jr. took a copy of one of his father’s songs, THERE’S A TEAR IN MY BEER and using modern musical technology was able to release this song as a duet with his late father. This song won him and his late father Grammy award for the year of 1989.
Football fans everywhere was happy in the 1990’s when Hank Williams Junior began singing the opening theme for the Monday Night games. He won an Emmy for this theme song for the years of 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993. He still performs this theme today.
Hank Williams Jr. has recorded many songs and albums over the years. Thirteen of his albums became number one hits. Twenty of his albums went Gold. Five of his albums went Platinum.
Like his father, Hank Williams Jr. will go down in the records book as being a country music icon and legend.
