Hank Williams | Artist

Hiram "Hank" Williams was an American singer-songwriter and musician born 1923 in Mount Olive, Alabama. He is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Before dying in 1953 at the age of 29, Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one (three posthumously). Whilst still a boy Williams met Rufus Payne, an African American blues musician, who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals or money. Payne had a major influence on Williams' later musical style, along with Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb. Williams later relocate to Montgomery where he began his music career in 1937, when producers at radio station WSFA hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. He formed the Drifting Cowboys backup band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote his time to his career. After an initial rejection, Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry but was eventually sacked because of his unreliability and alcohol abuse. Although unable to read or notate music to any significant degree, Williams was a prolific songwriter, including his No.1 hits "Lovesick Blues", "Long Gone Lonesome Blues", "Why Don't You Love Me", "Moanin' the Blues", "Cold Cold Heart", "Hey Good Lookin'", "Jambalaya (On The Bayou)", "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive", "Kaw-Liga", "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Take These Chains From my Heart". In terms of recordings, Williams released 35 Singles, 5 posthumously. Since his death there have been hundreds of compilations and archival releases of his work. Some standout albums include The Lonesome Sound of Hank Williams (1959), 40 Greatest Hits (1978), Turn Back The Years: Essential Hank Williams Collection (2005), and Alone With His Guitar (2000). In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Williams number 74 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Many artists of the 1950s and 1960s, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette, David Houston, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Ricky Nelson and Conway Twitty recorded Williams' songs during their careers.

Artist Website: wikipedia/Hank_Williams

Featured Albums: Hank Williams

Related Artists: Hank Williams Jr., Hank Williams III

Video Clips: Hey Good Lookin', Lovesick Blues, Lost Highway