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.
Long Way to Hollywood
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down in this one horse town
Where the train runs through
Your early mornin' dreams
Just to leave that ol' wailin' sound
Oh, but I'm comin' back, I will return
Now woman, you wait for me
From the desert unto the sea
I've got another song about the South
You know it's white now and it's black
There ain't no banjo on my knee
But that song is still on my back
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
And it's a short, short chance for fame
All them slicks people talkin' back home
But I'll make it just the same
Oh, I'll make it just the same
I've got a new song for all them old people
Hoverin' down in the Georgia night
Lord, I know their wings are heavy now
'Coz they been on a lonesome flight
All them poor old depression people, babe
You know they took a might heavy load
All the children, kinfolks, cousins too
Still walkin' down Tobacco Road
Well, if you'll tell me about Hank Williams, Lord
They're clingin' onto his fame
I'm of the same race, I'm from the same place
Got the same lonesome blood in my veins
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
And it's a short, short chance for fame
All them slicks people talkin' down home
But I'll make it just the same
Oh, I'll make it just the same
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
And it's a short, short chance for fame
The song "Long Way to Hollywood" by Hank Williams Jr. is about a man who is leaving his small town to pursue a career in music. He expresses his love for his significant other and promises to return to her, even though he knows he will be traveling all over the country. He mentions that he has a new song about the South, acknowledging the racial divide in the region. He also mentions the struggles of depression-era people and compares himself to Hank Williams, known as the "King of Country Music," who rose to fame in the mid-twentieth century.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the challenges of making it in the music industry, despite the hype and chatter from people back home. The singer acknowledges that it is a long way to Hollywood and there is only a short chance for fame. However, he remains determined to make it in the industry, regardless of the obstacles in his way.
This song is clearly autobiographical, with Hank Williams Jr. drawing on his own experiences as a musician trying to make it in the industry. He pays homage to his father, Hank Williams Sr., who was a legendary country musician and songwriter. The song also reflects the social and political struggles of the time, including racial tension and economic hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh babe, I hate to leave you here
Leaving you behind in this town saddens me
Down in this one horse town
This small and uneventful town
Where the train runs through
The train disrupting your peaceful mornings
Your early mornin' dreams
Interrupting the dreams you have early in the morning
Just to leave that ol' wailin' sound
As the train leaves, it creates a sad and melancholic sound
Oh, but I'm comin' back, I will return
I promise to come back to you
Now woman, you wait for me
Be patient and wait for my return
I'm bound to travel the U.S.A.
I plan to travel across the United States of America
From the desert unto the sea
From the dry desert to the ocean
I've got another song about the South
I wrote a new song about the Southern United States
You know it's white now and it's black
The song is for both white and black audiences
There ain't no banjo on my knee
The song doesn't feature a banjo, unlike many Southern songs
But that song is still on my back
I carry the weight and responsibility of performing that song
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
Making it in Hollywood is a difficult journey
And it's a short, short chance for fame
Despite the difficulty, there's only a small chance of actually becoming famous
All them slicks people talkin' back home
People back home who are arrogant or boastful
But I'll make it just the same
I will succeed despite the odds against me
Oh, I'll make it just the same
Repeat of the previous line for emphasis
I've got a new song for all them old people
I wrote a new song for the elderly living in the South
Hoverin' down in the Georgia night
Living in the dark and uncertain environment of Georgia at night
Lord, I know their wings are heavy now
The elderly have burdens and responsibilities weighing them down
'Coz they been on a lonesome flight
They have been on a lonely and difficult journey
All them poor old depression people, babe
People who are struggling with depression and hardship
You know they took a might heavy load
They have a heavy weight to bear
All the children, kinfolks, cousins too
The whole family is affected by their struggles
Still walkin' down Tobacco Road
They are still living in the same neighborhood, facing the same struggles
Well, if you'll tell me about Hank Williams, Lord
If you talk to me about Hank Williams Jr.'s famous father, Hank Williams
They're clingin' onto his fame
People are still obsessed with Hank Williams' legacy
I'm of the same race, I'm from the same place
I am like him in terms of my background and heritage
Got the same lonesome blood in my veins
I also feel the pain and sadness associated with being lonesome
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
Making it in Hollywood is a difficult journey
And it's a short, short chance for fame
Despite the difficulty, there's only a small chance of actually becoming famous
All them slicks people talkin' down home
People back home who are arrogant or boastful
But I'll make it just the same
I will succeed despite the odds against me
Oh, I'll make it just the same
Repeat of the previous line for emphasis
It's a long, long way to Hollywood
Making it in Hollywood is a difficult journey
And it's a short, short chance for fame
Despite the difficulty, there's only a small chance of actually becoming famous
Contributed by Colton O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.