Williams' father frequently relocated for work, and as a result the family lived in several southern Alabama towns. As a child, he was nicknamed "Harm" by his family and "Herky" or "Skeets" by his friends. Williams received his first musical instrument, an harmonica, at the age of six. Lillie also joined singing the hymns that influenced the singer's later compositions. At the age of three, Williams sat with his mother as she played the organ at the Mount Olive Baptist Church. Williams was born with spina bifida occulta, a birth defect of the spinal column that caused him lifelong pain and became a major factor in his later alcohol and drug abuse. His name was misspelled as "Hiriam" on his birth certificate, which was prepared and signed when he was 10 years old. Williams was named after Hiram I of the Book of Kings. A daughter, Irene, was born a year later. The Williams' first child, Ernest Huble Williams, died two days after his birth on July 5, 1921. He suffered severe injuries after falling from a truck, breaking his collarbone, and receiving a severe blow to the head. Smith lumber company and was drafted during World War I, serving from July 1918 to June 1919. Elonzo was a railroad engineer for the W. Elonzo's family came from south and central Alabama, and his father fought during the American Civil War, first on the Confederate side, and then with the Union after he was captured. He was the third child of Jessie Lillybelle "Lillie" (née Skipper) (1898–1955) and Elonzo Huble "Lon" Williams (1891–1970). Hank Williams was born Hiram Williams on September 17, 1923, in the rural community of Mount Olive in Butler County, Alabama. Williams' family house in Georgiana, Alabama In 2010 he was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Citation 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." He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1999, and gained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Many artists have covered his songs and he has influenced Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones, among others. Despite his relatively brief career, he is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century, especially in country music. Years of back pain, alcoholism, and prescription drug abuse severely compromised Williams' health, and at the age of 29, Williams suffered from heart failure and died suddenly in the back seat of a car near Oak Hill, West Virginia en route to a concert in Canton, Ohio on New Year's Day 1953. He was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcoholism. In 1952, Sheppard divorced him and he married Billie Jean Horton. Although unable to read or notate music to any significant degree, he wrote such iconic hits as " Your Cheatin' Heart", " Hey, Good Lookin'", and " I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". One year later, he released a cover of " Lovesick Blues" which quickly reached number one on Billboard 's Top Country & Western singles chart and propelled him to stardom on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1947, he released the hit single " Move It On Over" and joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program. After recording "Never Again" and " Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. Williams married Audrey Sheppard, who managed his career for nearly a decade. When several of his band members were drafted during World War II, he had trouble with their replacements, and WSFA terminated his contract because of his alcoholism. 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. Williams began his professional career in Montgomery in 1937 when local radio station WSFA hired him to perform on a 15-minute program. Payne and Roy Acuff had a significant influence on Williams' musical style. 1, three of which were released after his death.īorn and raised in Alabama, Williams learned guitar from African-American blues musician Rufus Payne in exchange for meals or money. Williams recorded 55 singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, five of which were released posthumously, including 12 that reached No. He is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Hiram " Hank" Williams (Septem– January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician.
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