On this day (September 17), in 1923, Hiram Williams was born in Mount Olive, Alabama. History remembers him as Hank Williams. He took the nickname when he was a teenage street performer. He became one of the most influential songwriters and recording artists in country music. However, his chronic pain and alcoholism led him down a path of self-destruction. He died young, leaving behind a legacy that has outlived him for decades.
In the early 1930s, Williams met a Black bluesman named Rufus “Tee-Tot” Payne. He would later say that all the musical training he received came from the street performer. There’s no denying the heavy blues influence on his output. However, Payne was far from his only influence. He also drew inspiration from Roy Acuff, Jimmie Rodgers, and the folk and gospel traditions of the South.
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At 13, Williams won his first talent competition. Around this time, he started performing on the streets of Montgomery, Alabama. This led to his first radio appearances. At 15, he formed the first Drifting Cowboys lineup and began playing at a local dancehall. Before long, they were touring throughout Alabama, playing in clubs and other small venues. A year after forming the band, Williams dropped out of school and focused on being a full-time musician. As a result, the band’s touring radius widened.
Hank Williams Goes to Nashville
While Hank Williams wasn’t medically fit to serve in World War I, some of the members of his band were. As a result, things slowed down for him in the early 1940s. Then, after the war ended, he put the band back together. They quickly became the hottest country act in Montgomery, Alabama.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Williams’ drinking was already as much a part of his reputation as his prowess as a singer and songwriter. This led the Grand Ole Opry to turn him away when he auditioned in 1946. Fred Rose, who co-owned Acuff-Rose Music with Williams’ musical hero Roy Acuff, took a chance on the talented but troubled young man. He offered him a songwriting contract with his publishing company. More specifically, he wanted Williams to write songs for Molly O’Day.
The quality of his output led Rose to help Williams land a recording contract with Sterling Records. When his initial singles did well, Rose helped him move to MGM Records in 1947. His first release for the label, “Move It on Over,” was also his first top 10 hit.
Three years later, his rendition of “Lovesick Blues” topped the country chart for 16 weeks. Later that year, the Grand Ole Opry took the gamble of giving Williams a guest spot. He played six encores that evening. They asked him to join the Opry soon afterward. Before long, he had moved to Nashville and rose to stardom.
A Tragically Short Career
By the early 1950s, Hank Williams was one of the biggest stars in country. He packed venues across the United States and consistently released hit singles. In 1951, Tony Bennett recorded a pop version of “Cold, Cold Heart,” and introduced Williams’ songs to a much wider audience.
Things started going downhill quickly, though. His drinking worsened as his success brought more pressure from the industry. At the same time, his marriage to Audrey Williams was falling apart. In December 1951, he underwent back surgery that made his condition worse. As a result, he added painkillers to his daily intake of chemicals.
After he left the hospital, Audrey kicked him out of their house, and he moved in with Ray Price. Things got worse for Williams when he was fired from the Grand Ole Opry in August 1952. He returned to Shreveport and The Louisiana Hayride. He performed on the show until December, when he returned to Montgomery, Alabama. He died on New Year’s Day 1953.
The Legacy of Hank Williams
Despite Hank Williams’ short life and career, his legacy looms large on the country music industry. Every artist under the genre’s umbrella was influenced–directly or indirectly–by the man they called the Hillbilly Shakespeare.
He released 11 No. 1 singles and dozens of top-10 hits during his lifetime. However, he didn’t start receiving accolades until after he died. In 1961, he was among the first inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Jimmie Rodgers and Fred Rose were the other inaugural inductees. Then, in 2010, he won a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.
The reason for the win neatly sums up his legacy. “For his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life.”
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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