Talk:Hank Williams

Older comments

I am sure I listened to a record in 1952 that had Back Street Affair on the flip side of Your Cheatin Heart by Hank Williams. Everyone else says I am wrong. Could Audrey Mae Sheppard have sung it?

The lyrics:

Yes I thought that you were true When I fell in love with you But as time passed on I learned how much you cared. Yes I learned you had a home and a true forgiving wife. But I can't live down the back street affair.

It really bothers me that no one else heard of the song before it was recorded by Webb Pierce and yet I know I was singing it in 1953. If you know anything about it please contact me at ndelber@aol.com. Thanks

--- That was Kitty Wells. (shenkin@mindspring.com) ---

Birthplace

I've found differing information about Ol' Hank's birthplace. There are 8 or 9 Mount Olives in Alabama, and the original article did not specify which one. After tracking it down, there is a Mount Olive in Butler County, Alabama, which is only a few miles from the other birthplace often listed in Georgiana, Alabama, also in Butler County.

The generic Mount Olive, Alabama link shows it as being in Jefferson County, Alabama near Birmingham, and far north of Butler County (near Mobile).

I made the assumption that this is the correct one and made the edit to say so. If anyone has more info, please make the changes, but provide some more info on it.

Death Story

The chauffer has also been quoted as saying that the police officer let them go on after the comment about how the passenger looked dead and that the chauffeur was not to discover Hank's death till he pulled over at an all-night gas station in West Virginia, where the attendant told him that he was, in fact, dead. He has also been quoted as wondering whether he was in fact dead by the time that they left the hotel, as he remembered carrying him into the back seat of the car and that he seemed essentially be dead weight. The officer who pulled them over is also quoted as having second-guessed himself for years as to whether he should have insisted that help be called immediately; perhaps Hank was still alive at the time of the stop, but in a coma. One thing that all agree on is that the way it is portrayed by George Hamilton in the awful movie Your Cheatin' Heart is not the way that it was!

Rlquall 21:22, 9 Aug 2004 (UTC)

clarification?

it is unclear, from the text, when he got fired from the grand ole opry. can anyone clear this up?

In October of 1952, Williams was fired from the Grand Old Opry, and rejoined the Louisiana Hayride. On October 18, 1952, he married Billie Jean Jones Eshliman. A ceremony was held at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium and 14,000 people bought tickets to attend.

His second marriage did not reform him. He missed numerous concerts, or was too drunk to play, and was fired from the Grand Ole Opry, told not to return until he was sober.

thanks --Heah 06:37, 2 May 2005 (UTC)

His name is not "Sr."

I deeply abhor and regret the use of the term "Sr." when applied to Hank Williams. There was only one Hank Williams, and his talent and stature far exceeds the talent and stature of his children and grandchildren. To use the term "Sr." implies to me that people equate or at least compare the son and/or grandson with the father/grandfather, and no equation or valid comparison can be made by anyone familiar with the talents of all three generations. Anyone who confuses the father/grandfather with the son and/or grandson does an injustice to the talent and legacy of Hank Williams.

I can understand why Randall Hank Williams and Shelton Hank Williams chose, or allowed others to choose for them, to use the names Hank Williams Jr. and and Hank Williams III. The use of the name "Hank Williams" helps them sell music, and he IS their father or grandfather. I cannot understand why fans and writers and encyclopedia operators chose to differentiate the father/grandfather with the demeaning comparative term of "Sr." for a country music orginal. There was only ONE Hank Williams.

Cetainly Hank was a unique talent. That having been said, it is now necessary to disambiguate him from his offspring. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., was another unique Southern talent, but he will forever now be known as such, regardless of "fairness". One could argue that John D. Rockerfeller, Sr., was likewise a unique business talent, as was Marshall Field I. But as their offspring achieved tremendous fame, somewhat on their own, albeit with a tremendous headstart given them by their great ancestors. This is just the way that it is. Rlquall 22:21, 22 May 2005 (UTC)

I don't understand why Sr is deemed "demeaning."

I agree with the two responses to the anonymous writer, who contends that the use of Hank Williams Sr. is offensive. I agree that the elder Hank remains one of the most gifted performers/songwriters/personalities in country music history. However, many historians and critics – well respected ones, I might point out – as well as fans also agree that Hank Williams Jr. is also a deeply gifted songwriter and performer. Look at his legacy: "Family Tradition," "Whisky Bent and Hell Bound," "All My Rowdy Friends" (and it's follow-up, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight"), "A Country Boy Can Survive," "Country State of Mind," and many, many others. He tapped into our social conscience, which is much more than can be said about other country music stars.

Also, Hank Jr. has been an innovator, successfully fusing rock music with the outlaw to create a sound that remains prevalent in country music today.

And let's not compare apples to oranges here – Hank Sr. (and his fans) is from a different era than Hank Jr. (and his fans). Yes, there is only one original Hank Williams, but Rlquall is correct in comparing this situation with Rockerfeller and Field. Hank's son and ancestors have achieved their own fame thanks to their talents, and unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise, deserve to perform under Hank Williams Jr. and Hank Williams III, respectively. Using the name Hank Williams Sr. is merely meant to differentiate the father from his son and grandson, nothing more. [[Briguy52748 19:31, 14 December 2005 (UTC)]]

"Unfaithfulness"

It is perhaps unfair to say that Hank was "unfaithful" to his second wife. at least in the strictest marital sense, as the article notes that Jett was born five days after Hank's death, and that his second marriage had occured only less than three months earlier. His enconters with Bobbie Jett were, obviously, about nine months earlier. This is not an attempt to enshirne Hank as some sort of moral paragon but only to suggest that he, like everyone else, should be dealt with fairly. Rlquall 22:19, 22 May 2005 (UTC)

Contradiction tag

The article lists three wives:

1. Bryony Bonds. No mention of dissolution of marriage. Furthermore, this name has no google hits apart from wikipedia mirrors.

2. Audrey Williams. Divorced.

3. Billie Jean Jones Eshliman. This marriage is referred to as his second, not third.

If anyone can clarify his marital history it would be appreciated. BrainyBroad 13:23, August 14, 2005 (UTC)

i was also very confused about all this . . . --Heah (talk) 14:59, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

According to www.hankwilliams.com, which bills itself as the official Hank Williams website, Williams was only married twice: to Audrey Mae Sheppard (December 1944 - May 1952) and to Billie Jean Jones Eshliman (from October 1952 until his death). There was no Bryony Bonds. -- Infamous30 06:23, 7 September 2005 (UTC)

Hank's Death

After Hank died I have heard that his physician was convicted of some sort of crime related to Hanks death. Does anyone know anything about that accusation.

I think it's one of the rumors surrounding his death. BTW, one anonymous user keeps adding a ton of plagiarized rumors to this article about Hank's death. Let's keep the death section factual and referenced (since there are so many rumors out there about the death). Best, --Alabamaboy 00:24, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Introduction

Could someone please elaborate on the significance of the quotation in the introduction regarding the type of songs they used to sing? I don't really understand what it's in reference to, and I would imagine many readers feel the same way.

--- It's a stupid quote. In fact, "Mother's not dead, she's only a-sleeping" was originally recorded (as far as I know) by Charlie Monroe's band and later by Bill Monroe's band. It's a great song, and less lugubrious than a lot of Hank's material. (shenkin@mindspring.com) ---

---

the true history of the death of Hank Williams was written by

D.B. Mays group moderator of KerryEdwards2004 with over 2000 members. He is an eye witness to the death of Hank Williams and the continuing cover-up of the circumstances of Hanks death by Bluefield WV authorities, music city and the driver Andrew Carr who drove around with a dead Hank for over 12 hours before reporting his death.

    If wikipedia persists in removing my posts about the real story 

of Hank's death I will personally make an issue out of it with every progressive and democratic group that I am associated with--which are very numerous indeed. If my story is considered suspect then I encourage everyone to look at the complete absence of one day (the day Hank died in Carr's and other music city accounts). I am perfectly willing to take a lie detector test--something Carr and the cover-up crew will never do.

the actual death:

Death

The information that the anonymous user (with ISP number starting in 4.249...) keeps adding to this article is vandalism. First, the informtion is rumor with no references to support it. Second, the addition appears to be directly cut and pasted from another source, making it likely a copyright violation. If this user disputes either of these charges please post on this talk page why the information is true and provide a reference. Best, --Alabamaboy 00:02, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Alamabamboy you are a very stupid hillbilly indeed if you think that being an eyewitness to all that transpired inside King Tut and the death of Hank in the driveway on Dec 31, 1952 makes me anomynous or a vandal. My name is DB Mays terraplaneblue@yahoo.com and I am not the only person who witnessed Hank around Bluefield that day. When Hank's death was finally reported the next day in Oak Hill it was reported by both Surface and Carr. Many witnesses saw Surface wearing Hank's white jacket around Bluefield for many years after. In you story you have left the entire day of Dec 31 empty. Surface and the story of how he got involved is entirely left out of your account. You are part of the cover-up which began immediately after his death......I only resorted to pasting when my original posts with my name clearly marked were erased by you and your information control buddies........For one thing I would like to see Carr do a lie detector test concerning lost articles and veracity of his story. I am willing to do the same. —the preceding unsigned comment is by Terraplane (talk • contribs)

Sounds like you have an interesting story to tell on all of this. Unfortunately, though Wikipedia has a policy of not allowing original research. Because of this, you can't place this info in the article. I wish you the best in submitting to a magazine or newspaper, though. I'd be interested to read the entire account when you publish it. Best, --Alabamaboy 16:18, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

only when America is subjected to the outrageous justifications of the Bushreich could such a tortured justification for censorship of real history be offered as that of your alabamaboy.....an eyewitness account of a historical event by a participant/witness is not ORIGINAL RESEARCH......check your job description .....no one made your czar of the truth.......WIKIPEDIA IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ENCYOPEDIA WITH PUBLIC INPUT......you ought to be working for some organization like fox news with a similar geobbles mindset