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.
LONE WOLF
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There ain't nobody out there gonna mess with me
Because I'm big and hard and battlescarred
And getting long in the tooth desperate and hungry
And got nothing to loose.
Yeah I'm a lone wolf I've been chased
And I've been bit. Yeah I'm a lone wolf.
Yeah I'm a lone wolf and I ain't never been trapped,
And God help the people that think they got me cornered at last.
I've been hunting.I've been tracking.
I've been running since I was 3, born in Louisiana Swamp,
Moved with the pack to Tennessee.
Raised by black and white dogs to some country, some rock-n-roll.
They said now boy your gonna have to quit your houlling so.
Staying up all night and chasing Lassies by the moon
Laying up all day on the porch playing guitar tunes.
Yeah I'm a lone wolf and I no longer run with the pack.
Yeah I am a lone wolf.I don't ever look back.
Hey I am a lone wolf out here on the prowl
And most of us have been penned up but I'm still running wild.
Hey I'm a lone wolf.I've been chased and I've been bit.
Yeah I am a lone wolf this ole dog knows all the tricks.
Hey I'm a lone wolf. Still hungry and I'm on the prowl,
And most of us have been penned up but
Bocephus is running wild.
You better watch out because I'm hungry and I'm on the prowl.
Hank Williams Jr.'s Lone Wolf is a song about an individual asserting their independence and freedom. The "lone wolf" in the song is a metaphor for someone who is fiercely independent and will not tolerate anyone invading or messing with their territory. This person is described as "big and hard and battlescarred", indicating that they have been through a lot in their life and are tough enough to withstand anything that comes their way.
The lyrics also indicate that this person is getting old ("long in the tooth"), but they are still desperate and hungry and have nothing to lose. The phrase "long in the tooth" is often used to refer to horses that are getting old and have worn down teeth, which can make it difficult for them to eat. This suggests that the person in the song may be struggling to survive and is willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive.
The song also describes the person's background, mentioning that they were born in a Louisiana swamp and were raised by dogs. This suggests that they have had a rough upbringing and have had to fend for themselves for much of their life. The lyrics describe the person as "hunting" and "tracking", indicating that they are skilled in survival and can take care of themselves.
Overall, the song is a celebration of individuality and independence, and encourages the listener to embrace their own unique qualities and to stand up for themselves when necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
There ain't no man gonna invade my territory
No one can come and try to take what belongs to me
There ain't nobody out there gonna mess with me
I am not afraid of anyone or anything out there that will try to harm me
Because I'm big and hard and battlescarred
I have been through a lot and I have the scars to show for it
And getting long in the tooth desperate and hungry
I may be getting old and desperate, but I am still strong and determined to survive
And got nothing to loose.
I have nothing to lose, so I am not afraid of taking risks or facing any danger
Yeah I'm a lone wolf I've been chased
I am a lone wolf that has been hunted down by others
And I've been bit. Yeah I'm a lone wolf.
I have also been hurt in the past, but I still stand alone
They like to shoot at me but they miss.
There are those out there trying to harm me, but they have not been successful yet
Yeah I'm a lone wolf and I ain't never been trapped,
I am a lone wolf that has never been caught or cornered by anyone
And God help the people that think they got me cornered at last.
Anyone who thinks that they can trap me is in for a big surprise and will regret it
I've been hunting.I've been tracking.
I have been searching and tracking my prey for a very long time
I've been running since I was 3, born in Louisiana Swamp,
I have been on the move since a young age, born in the midst of the Louisiana swamp country
Moved with the pack to Tennessee.
I have moved on from my pack and traveled to Tennessee
Raised by black and white dogs to some country, some rock-n-roll.
I was raised by black and white dogs and was influenced by both country and rock-n-roll music
They said now boy your gonna have to quit your houlling so.
People told me to stop making so much noise and drawing attention to myself
Staying up all night and chasing Lassies by the moon
I used to stay up all night and chase after things that were out of my reach
Laying up all day on the porch playing guitar tunes.
I also used to spend my days playing guitar and enjoying peaceful moments
Yeah I'm a lone wolf and I no longer run with the pack.
I am now a lone wolf that has left my pack behind
Yeah I am a lone wolf.I don't ever look back.
I do not regret leaving my pack behind, and I will not turn back
Hey I am a lone wolf out here on the prowl
I am a lone wolf that is still searching and hunting for what I need to survive
And most of us have been penned up but I'm still running wild.
Many animals have been captured and confined, but I am still free and living my life as I wish
Hey I'm a lone wolf.I've been chased and I've been bit.
I have been hunted and hurt in the past, but it has not stopped me from being a lone wolf
Yeah I am a lone wolf this ole dog knows all the tricks.
I am an experienced lone wolf that knows how to survive and thrive
Hey I'm a lone wolf. Still hungry and I'm on the prowl,
I am still looking for my next meal and searching for what I need to survive
And most of us have been penned up but Bocephus is running wild.
Many animals have been captured and confined, but I, Bocephus, am still free and living my life as I wish
You better watch out because I'm hungry and I'm on the prowl.
Anyone who is in my territory should beware, as I am looking for my next meal and will not hesitate to defend myself
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kerry Wilsonia
one of the first songs I learned to play back in 1994 I still love it..😎
Mitzi Mathias
Never get tired of listening to this one!
Anthony Storey
ive met him about 20 times and even drank jim beam with him and to this day he is still the greatest at what he does
Mike Dotson
@George Washington HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!
Mike Dotson
WHAT?!
Mike Dotson
My dad did too when he was 20
David Kidd
The Ron Paul Liberty Report.
Michael Brayson
You must be rich
ed garlick
Loved this album in the late 80s, great country!
Dana Goodman
I love Hank. Have listened to him since I was little. He can 'rock' pretty much any song. I think this one was written for ME!!!!😂