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.
Rock In My Shoe
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think I'm a wastin' my time lovin' anyone but you
You got a hold on me I just can't seem to break free
I walk a girl to town and start to fool around but honey you're the rock in my shoe
I stroll into the night spots thinkin' that I'm something real hot
I got a pretty girl and she's got a lot but I know she ain't true
It's just not the same I'm playin' a fool's game
Oh when I start to dance and try to make romance honey you're the rock in my shoe
No --- hers and his and and I guess I always knew
You'd make the bells ring and pull my heart strings
I'm walkin' down the aisle with the great big smile
Cause there ain't no rocks in my shoe
There's always a rock in my shoe when I walk with someone new
I try to find love in another's arms but it seems I just dream of you
Now my heart has reached...
I'm walkin' down the aisle...
The lyrics to Hank Williams Jr.'s song "Rock In My Shoe" explore the idea of trying to find love and connection with other people, but ultimately realizing that someone else has a hold on your heart. The singer explains that he has loved other women in his lifetime, but it never seemed to be the right time for those relationships. He feels like he is wasting his time trying to love anyone but the woman he is thinking of. The woman he is thinking of has a hold on him that he just can't seem to break free from.
Even when he is out trying to have a good time, he realizes that it is not the same without the woman he truly loves. He feels like he is playing a fool's game, trying to make romance with other women when his heart really belongs to someone else. He describes this feeling as a "rock in my shoe," a constant source of discomfort that won't let him forget about the woman he loves.
Despite trying to move on and find love elsewhere, the singer realizes that his heart belongs to the woman who has always had a hold on him. He knows that he will never be truly happy with anyone else, and he finally decides to embrace his feelings and pursue a future with the woman he loves. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer walking down the aisle with a big smile on his face, knowing that there are no more rocks in his shoe.
Line by Line Meaning
I've met a girl or two in my lifetime and I've loved a few but not the right time
I've had romantic relationships before but never at the right moment.
I think I'm a wastin' my time lovin' anyone but you
I feel like I'm wasting my time trying to love anyone other than you.
You got a hold on me I just can't seem to break free
I'm completely captivated and can't seem to move on from you.
I walk a girl to town and start to fool around but honey you're the rock in my shoe
I try to date other women, but thoughts of you always interfere and make it difficult for me to proceed.
I stroll into the night spots thinkin' that I'm something real hot
I try to appear confident and attractive when going out to socialize.
I got a pretty girl and she's got a lot but I know she ain't true
Though I may have a beautiful and interesting companion, I know that she isn't genuinely interested in me.
It's just not the same I'm playin' a fool's game
Trying to find love with someone that's not you just feels like a foolish waste of time.
Oh when I start to dance and try to make romance honey you're the rock in my shoe
Even while I'm attempting to get romantic with another person, thoughts of you still weigh heavily on my mind and heart.
Now my heart has reached that decision cause my mind keeps havin' a vision
My heart has come to a conclusion because my thoughts keep leading me back to you.
No --- hers and his and and I guess I always knew
I've tried other relationships, but deep down inside, I knew that ours was meant to be.
You'd make the bells ring and pull my heart strings
You bring me immense joy and tug on my heartstrings in a way that no one else ever could.
I'm walkin' down the aisle with the great big smile
I'm overjoyed to be marrying the person that I know was meant for me and has been a constant presence in my heart and mind.
Cause there ain't no rocks in my shoe
There are no obstacles or distractions in my path to being with the one I love.
Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@StacyFranzen-ep6ck
I still love every song he sang and still sings right to my ❤
@marythompson5458
Hank Jr Sound Beautiful When He First Started
@oldmate1342
Great tune... thanks for the high quality audio... Love Junior!
@spencerfortier2431
Hank jr voice puts chills down my spine and love in my soul. I enjoy it.
@jeangood5541
I love this song .
@joeharris5851
Can't compare Hank Sr. and Hankjr's career. Hank Sr only made until 29 years old.
@sheiladavis2410
Loved this song since I was 6 and I'm 58 and still love Bocephus
@kayedwards7923
Me to
@indiancreekspirit5102
Yep
@lisarech9976
Hank Jr gives me the chills!! I would be the rock in Hank’ s Shoes! I love ❤️ you Hsnk Jr!