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.
Greeted in Enid
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no love loss for Oklahoma, especially in football
Well partner it's time for that ol' myth to die
I want you to see how they treated me in Enid last night
I was feeling low in Fort Worth, I had the heartbreak blues
My sweet love had left me for some California dude
To Sacramento that girl did go, said she won't be back
Yes I was greeted in Enid last night
That old Oklahoma hospitality was really nice
Cause my girl walked out in cow-town and left me high and dry
But I was trapped down and loved on site
Oh those sooner folks are alright
I was greeted in Enid last night
Now thie pretty Ok-city-billy has really stole my heart
And I'll take bets that her and Tex are never gonna part
Well who would dream it here in Enid I would meet my wife
And Oklahoma and Texas are gonna get along just fine
Yes I was greeted in Enid last night
That good old Oklahoma hospitality was really nice
Yes my girl walked out in cow-town and she told me bye bye
But I was trapped down and loved on site
Oh those sooner folks are alright
I was greeted in Enid last night
I think I forgot my hat honey
The song "Greeted in Enid" by Hank Williams Jr. is a tribute to the hospitality of the people of Enid, Oklahoma. In the beginning of the song, Williams challenges the longstanding rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, particularly in football. He wants to dispel the myth that people from Texas do not have any love for Oklahoma. Williams then recounts his experience in Enid after his girlfriend left him for someone else. He was feeling low and heartbroken but was welcomed with open arms by the people of Enid. They showed him kindness and made him feel loved despite his heartbreak. He then falls in love with a woman from Enid, and it seems to him that Oklahoma and Texas can get along just fine.
The song highlights the hospitality and friendliness of the people of Enid. It also shows how people can come together and overcome the differences that exist among them. The lyrics are a celebration of the human spirit and the beauty of finding love and new beginnings in unexpected places.
Line by Line Meaning
Well if your from Texas it's more or less a law
There's a common belief in Texas that Oklahoma is not to be admired, especially in the realm of football.
There's no love loss for Oklahoma, especially in football
Oklahoma is not well-liked by people from Texas, especially when it comes to football.
Well partner it's time for that ol' myth to die
It's time to break down the false notion that Texans automatically hate Oklahomans and their football teams.
I want you to see how they treated me in Enid last night
Hank Williams Jr. had a positive experience in Enid, Oklahoma and wants to share it to help dispel the negative beliefs about the state among Texans.
I was feeling low in Fort Worth, I had the heartbreak blues
Hank Williams Jr. was sad and heartbroken in Fort Worth, Texas.
My sweet love had left me for some California dude
Hank Williams Jr.'s girlfriend left him for a man from California.
To Sacramento that girl did go, said she won't be back
The girlfriend went to Sacramento and told Hank Williams Jr. that she would not be returning.
Well I never thought I could feel so good after I hurt so bad
Despite his heartbreak, Hank Williams Jr. felt surprisingly happy and uplifted after his experience in Enid.
Yes I was greeted in Enid last night
Hank Williams Jr. had a positive experience in Enid and was welcomed warmly.
That old Oklahoma hospitality was really nice
Hank Williams Jr. appreciated the kind and welcoming nature of the people he met in Enid.
Cause my girl walked out in cow-town and left me high and dry
Hank Williams Jr.'s girlfriend left him while he was in Texas and he was left alone and heartbroken.
But I was trapped down and loved on site
Despite his heartbreak, Hank Williams Jr. was happy and content with the loving attention he received in Enid.
Oh those sooner folks are alright
Hank Williams Jr. formed a positive opinion of the people of Oklahoma.
Now thie pretty Ok-city-billy has really stole my heart
Hank Williams Jr. fell in love with a woman from Oklahoma City.
And I'll take bets that her and Tex are never gonna part
Hank Williams Jr. is confident that he and his new love interest from Oklahoma will stay together, despite any differences between Oklahoma and Texas.
Well who would dream it here in Enid I would meet my wife
Hank Williams Jr. never expected to meet the love of his life in Enid, Oklahoma.
And Oklahoma and Texas are gonna get along just fine
Hank Williams Jr. is optimistic that the people of Oklahoma and Texas can have positive relationships with each other.
Contributed by Grayson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.