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.
Waylon's Guitar
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hank's songs came direct from heaven above.
But the music I got straight from the hoss' mouth.
Yeah Waylon's guitar had that sound.
I got my first lesson from him 'round seventy-three.
He didn't look lonesome or onry to me.
He was about the nicest guy I've ever met on the road.
"You've gotta take that E string Hank and turn it down"
"You've gotta have that half time beat that walks around"
Now I love Eric and Keith and there's a lot of hot hands around.
But Waylon's guitar had that sound.
Yeah.
"You've gotta get a Fender Tele and dress it in black."
"Put leather all around it, so your buckle won't scratch the back"
Now I'm into Eric and Keith and there's alot of hot hands around.
But Waylons Guitar had that sound.
You've gotta get a Fender Telecaster and dress it in black!
Put leather all around it, so a cowboy wont scratch the back!
Says: You know how them cowboys are.
The lyrics of Hank Williams Jr.'s song Waylon's Guitar talk about the influence that Waylon Jennings had on him as a musician. In the first verse, he acknowledges the legacy of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams and how their music came "direct from heaven above." He then goes on to explain how he received his guitar lessons from Waylon Jennings in the early 1970s and how Waylon's guitar had a unique sound that carried the load. The chorus repeats the sentiment that Waylon's guitar had a sound that no one else could replicate, despite the many other talented musicians around.
In the second verse, Hank Jr. describes the specific instructions that Waylon gave him for tuning his guitar and creating the right sound. He talks about how Waylon recommended a Fender Telecaster and dressing it in black with leather to protect it from scratches from cowboy belt buckles. There is a humorous aside where Waylon warns Hank Jr. about how cowboys are prone to scratching guitars. Overall, the song pays tribute to Waylon Jennings and acknowledges the impact that he had on Hank Jr.'s music career.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. Cash has got that lick America loves.
Johnny Cash has a distinctive style that the American audience adores.
Hank's songs came direct from heaven above.
Hank Williams' songs were divinely inspired.
But the music I got straight from the hoss' mouth.
I learned my music directly from Waylon Jennings.
Yeah Waylon's guitar had that sound.
Waylon Jennings' guitar had a unique and recognizable sound.
I got my first lesson from him 'round seventy-three.
I received my first music lesson from Waylon Jennings in 1973.
He didn't look lonesome or onry to me.
Waylon Jennings didn't seem lonely or vicious to me.
He was about the nicest guy I've ever met on the road.
Waylon Jennings was one of the kindest people I've met while touring.
Yeah Waylon's guitar could carry the load.
Waylon Jennings' guitar could handle any musical challenge.
"You've gotta take that E string Hank and turn it down"
Waylon Jennings advised me to lower the pitch of the E string.
"You've gotta have that half time beat that walks around"
Waylon Jennings stressed the importance of a distinct half-time rhythm.
Now I love Eric and Keith and there's a lot of hot hands around.
While I respect other musicians like Eric and Keith, there are many talented artists out there.
But Waylon's guitar had that sound.
Despite the great talent of other musicians, Waylon Jennings' guitar had a uniquely recognizable sound.
You've gotta get a Fender Tele and dress it in black.
Waylon Jennings advised me to use a black Fender Telecaster.
"Put leather all around it, so your buckle won't scratch the back"
Waylon Jennings recommended putting leather on the guitar to prevent damage from a cowboy's belt buckle.
Now I'm into Eric and Keith and there's a lot of hot hands around.
While I appreciate other musicians like Eric and Keith, there are many talented artists out there.
But Waylon's Guitar had that sound.
Despite the great talent of other musicians, Waylon Jennings' guitar had a uniquely recognizable sound.
You've gotta get a Fender Telecaster and dress it in black!
Waylon Jennings emphasized the importance of using a black Fender Telecaster.
Put leather all around it, so a cowboy won't scratch the back!
Leather should be added to the guitar to protect it from damage caused by a cowboy's belt buckle.
Says: You know how them cowboys are.
Cowboys can be rough and may accidentally damage the guitar.
Contributed by Benjamin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.