- Williams, Hank
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orig. Hiram King Williamsborn Sept. 17, 1923, Georgiana, Ala., U.S.died Jan. 1, 1953, Oak Hill, W.Va.U.S. singer and guitarist.Williams was born into poverty. He began playing guitar at age 8, made his radio debut at 13, and formed his first band, Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboys, at 14. With the help of Fred Rose, his "Lovesick Blues" became a smash hit in 1949, and he joined the Grand Ole Opry that year after an extraordinary debut appearance. Among his best-selling recordings were "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Jambalaya," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Hey, Good Lookin'." He wrote almost all the songs he recorded. His death from heart failure at 29 may have resulted from drug and alcohol abuse. He remains perhaps the most revered figure in the history of country music. His son, Hank Williams, Jr., has had an exceptional recording career, and grandson Hank Williams III is also a musician.
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▪ American musicianbyname of Hiram King Williamsborn Sept. 17, 1923, Georgiana, Ala., U.S.died Jan. 1, 1953, Oak Hill, W.Va.American singer and guitarist, one of the leading figures in country and western music who was also successful in the popular music market.Williams began playing the guitar at the age of 8, made his radio debut at 13, and formed his first band, Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboys, at age 14. His series of recordings in 1947 on the M-G-M label won for him national, then international, fame. His “Lovesick Blues” recording in 1949 was a smash hit, and he joined the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville that year. Among his best-selling recordings were “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Your Cheatin' Heart,” and “Hey, Good Lookin'.” His death of an apparent heart attack may have been the result of drug and alcohol abuse. His son Hank Williams, Jr., sang his songs in a film biography, Your Cheatin' Heart (1964).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
