Williams began his career following in his famed father's footsteps, covering his father's songs and imitating his father's style. Williams' first television appearance was in a 1964 episode of ABC's The Jimmy Dean Show, in which at age fourteen he sang several songs associated with his father. Later that year, he was a guest star on Shindig!.
Williams' style evolved slowly as he struggled to find his own voice and place within country music. This was interrupted by a near-fatal fall off the side of Ajax Peak in Montana on August 8, 1975. After an extended recovery, he challenged the country music establishment with a blend of country, rock, and blues. As a multi-instrumentalist, Williams' repertoire of skills includes guitar, bass guitar, upright bass, steel guitar, banjo, dobro, piano, keyboards, saxophone, harmonica, fiddle, and drums.
From 1989 through October 2011, his song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight", refashioned as "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night", had been used to open broadcasts of Monday Night Football until it was pulled after Williams made controversial comments comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler. The song returned to open the show in 2017.
On August 12, 2020, Williams was selected to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Williams' early career was guided, some say outright dominated, by his mother Audrey Williams, who many claim was the driving force that led his father to musical superstardom during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Audrey, in many ways, wished for young Hank to be nothing more than a "Hank Williams, Sr. impersonator", sometimes going as far as to have clothes designed for him that were identical to his father's stage clothes and vocal stylings very similar to those of his father.
Although Williams' recordings earned him numerous country hits throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, he became disillusioned with his role as a 'Hank Williams clone' and severed ties with his mother in order to pursue his own musical direction and tastes. After recording the soundtrack to Your Cheatin' Heart, a biography of his father, Williams, Jr. hit the charts with one of his own compositions, "Standing in the Shadows". The song signalled a move to rock and roll and other influences as he stepped from the shadow of his father.
Also during this time, Williams had his first two No. 1 songs: "All For the Love of Sunshine" (1970, featured on the soundtrack to Kelly's Heroes) and "Eleven Roses" (1972).
By the mid-1970s, Williams had finally found the musical direction that would, eventually, make him a superstar. Williams' unique blend of traditional country with southern rock and blues earned him a devoted following, although some mainstream country radio stations wouldn't touch his new songs in this blatantly untraditional sound.
While recording a series of hit songs, Williams began abusing drugs, including alcohol and eventually tried to commit suicide in 1974. Moving to Alabama, Williams began playing music with Southern rock musicians Toy Caldwell, Marshall Tucker Band and Charlie Daniels, and others.
His last major success was "There's a Tear in My Beer", a duet with his father created using electronic dubbing techniques. The song itself was written by his father, presumably, sometime between 1950 and 1953 and was recorded with Hank Williams playing just his guitar. The music video for the song combined existing television footage of Hank Williams performing and the dubbing techniques transferred the image of Hank Jr. onto the screen, so it appeared as if he were actually playing with his father. The video was an overwhelming success, both critically and commercially. It was named Video Of The Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country music. Hank Williams, Jr. would go on to win a Grammy award in 1990 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.
Despite his slumping album sales, Hank Williams Jr. continued to be a popular concert draw during the early 1990s and continued to record, with several of his recordings during this time still managing to achieve gold status, selling 500,000 copies.
He is probably best known today as the performer of the theme song for Monday Night Football, based on "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight". The opening theme became a classic, as much a part of the show as the football itself. In 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994, Williams' opening themes for Monday Night Football would earn him four Emmy awards.
Williams opened for Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006, on ABC and was in the stands as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
On April 10, 2006, CMT honored Williams with the Johnny Cash Visionary Award, presenting it to him at the 2006 CMT Music Awards.
On November 11, 2008, Williams was honored as a BMI Icon at the 56th annual BMI Country Awards. The artists and songwriters named BMI Icons have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers".
In 2011, Williams was named one of "Seven Living Legends" of his native Shreveport, Louisiana, by Danny Fox (1954–2014) of KWKH radio. Others named were Bob Griffin of KSLA and KTBS-TV and James Burton. Two others cited, Claude King and Frank Page, both died in 2013.
In 2015, Hank Williams Jr. was Inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.
Forged By Fire
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the phone rang, sleep-eyed she said
Charlie's drunk again
Why don't you just let it ring
Through the years he'd always picked it up
For the guy who came back and saved his butt
What they have in common is a brotherhood
So few could understand
[Chorus]
They were forged by fire
Hard times you get beyond
Gives you an unbreakable bond
Forged by fire
When you pray to god, bet the odds
And walk through hell together
You're forever
Forged by fire
The young GI said from his VA bed
Why you wanna hang out with us broken men
When you could be spending your time with your family and friends
He told him son, you're family too
I see myself when I look at you
In a place and time you don't forget
And even tho we've just met
[Chorus]
He said goodbye GI see you next week
Then he rolled himself out to the street
It was pretty hard for him to get his van
And throw the wheelchair in the back
He was headed home ready to unwind
Charlie called can you help me one more time
He said Chuck, I'll be there on the double
For a brother, it's no trouble
[Chorus]
Hank Williams Jr.'s "Forged By Fire" is a moving tribute to the unbreakable bond that forms between individuals who have faced and overcome difficult times together. The song tells the story of a man who has always been there for his friend Charlie, who struggles with alcoholism. Though the singer is tempted to ignore Charlie's call due to his frustration with his friend's addiction, he ultimately answers the phone, recognizing the deep bond that exists between them due to the hardships they have faced together.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of facing difficult times together, stating: "Forged by fire / Hard times you get beyond / Gives you an unbreakable bond / Forged by fire / When you pray to god, bet the odds / And walk through hell together / You're forever / Forged by fire." Through these lyrics, Williams highlights the idea that adversity can bring people together in unexpected and powerful ways.
Overall, "Forged By Fire" celebrates the strength of the human spirit in the face of difficult times, and emphasizes the importance of friendship and brotherhood as sources of support and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
It was hard for him to get out of bed
He struggled to wake up and start his day
When the phone rang, sleep-eyed she said
She answered the phone sounding sleepy and groggy
Charlie's drunk again
Charlie has been drinking alcohol again
Why don't you just let it ring
She suggests ignoring the call from Charlie
Through the years he'd always picked it up
He has consistently answered Charlie's calls over the years
For the guy who came back and saved his butt
Charlie had previously done something to help him in the past
What they have in common is a brotherhood
They share a deep bond similar to brothers
So few could understand
Their close relationship is unique and difficult for others to comprehend
[Chorus]
The following lines are the chorus of the song
They were forged by fire
Their bond was formed through difficult times
Hard times you get beyond
They have overcome challenging experiences
Gives you an unbreakable bond
Their connection is strong and resilient
Forged by fire
Their relationship was strengthened through adversity
When you pray to god, bet the odds
They took a risk and relied on faith during difficult times
And walk through hell together
They went through a challenging experience side-by-side
You're forever
Their bond is everlasting
The young GI said from his VA bed
The young soldier spoke from his hospital bed at a VA hospital
Why you wanna hang out with us broken men
He wonders why someone would choose to spend time with wounded veterans
When you could be spending your time with your family and friends
He questions why they wouldn't prefer to be with loved ones
He told him son, you're family too
He explained that they are all connected and considered family
I see myself when I look at you
He recognizes himself in the young soldier
In a place and time you don't forget
They shared a significant experience that will always be remembered
And even tho we've just met
Despite recently meeting, they feel a deep connection
[Chorus]
The following lines are the chorus of the song
He said goodbye GI see you next week
He said farewell to the soldier and promised to return
Then he rolled himself out to the street
He left the hospital in his wheelchair
It was pretty hard for him to get his van
It was a challenge for him to reach his vehicle
And throw the wheelchair in the back
He had to lift and store his wheelchair in the back of his van
He was headed home ready to unwind
He was going home to relax
Charlie called can you help me one more time
Charlie asked for his assistance again
He said Chuck, I'll be there on the double
He quickly agreed to help Charlie
For a brother, it's no trouble
He was happy to help someone he considered a brother
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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