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.
Outlaw's Reward
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you know here lately, I got other things on my mind
Like livin and dyin, and where I'll spend eternity
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got out on me
Down here on earth, There's a big price on my head
But I've got all my friends and my loved ones who'll cry when I'm dead
And someday we'll all sing along, From the other side
Behind your heavenly gates in the sky
Chorus
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got on me
I wonder how the words on my big, Wanted poster do read
And oh how I'd love to be taken, into your custody
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got on me
In "Outlaw's Reward," Hank Williams Jr. holds a conversation with Jesus, pondering what kind of reward he will receive for his life as an outlaw. The lyrics reflect the struggles of someone who has made mistakes, and now wonders what will become of him in the afterlife. Despite his reputation as a hell-raiser, he is now shifting his focus towards the bigger picture, contemplating his mortality and what lies beyond. Hank Williams Jr. contrasts his life on earth, in which there is a bounty on his head, with the potential for reward in heaven. He states that he has people who truly care about him and that will mourn his loss when he passes. The song ends with Williams Jr. hoping to ultimately be welcomed into heaven, and wondering what the reward for his spiritual journey will be.
The song was released in 1977, featured on the album "One Night Stands." It is a ballad featuring country instrumentation, with Williams Jr.'s signature twangy vocals. Interestingly, the song was produced by Jimmy Bowen, who also produced hit songs for artists such as George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Kenny Rogers.
Line by Line Meaning
I've always been labeled, As a rip roarin Hell Raisin kind
Throughout my life, I have been regarded as someone who causes chaos and has a wild personality.
But you know here lately, I got other things on my mind
However, in recent times, I am preoccupied with different thoughts and priorities.
Like livin and dyin, and where I'll spend eternity
I am now more concerned about how I will live and die, and what will happen to me after death.
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got out on me
I am curious about the consequences of my life choices and how they will be rewarded or punished by Jesus.
Down here on earth, There's a big price on my head
In my current life, there are people who want to harm me and have set a high bounty on my life.
But I've got all my friends and my loved ones who'll cry when I'm dead
Fortunately, I have people who love me and will grieve for me after my passing.
And someday we'll all sing along, From the other side
Eventually, we will all be reunited in the afterlife and sing together.
Cause I've heard that everyone's wanted, Behind your heavenly gates in the sky
I have heard that everyone is wanted and loved in heaven by Jesus.
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got on me
I still wonder what type of consequences and rewards I will receive from Jesus after my life is over.
I wonder how the words on my big, Wanted poster do read
I am curious about the contents of the 'wanted poster' that exists for me and what people think of me.
And oh how I'd love to be taken, into your custody
I would be honored to be taken into custody by Jesus and accepted into heaven.
What kind of reward Jesus, Have you got on me
Once again, I ponder what type of consequences and rewards I will receive from Jesus after my life is over.
Contributed by Chase W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.