King Hiram "Hank" Williams 

Hank Williams was born on September 17, 1923, in Mount Olive, Alabama. His family moved to Georgiana when he was five. His father was a part-time  farmer and log train engineer for a lumber company, until sickness forced him to retire. He had little contact with his father, but Hank presented his father to the world in his song entitled, "The Log Train," recorded on a home tape recorder before Hank died. 

Hank's mother influenced his singing of gospel music in early childhood, and developed his presentation of music and his style at an early age,  but he was forced basically to raise himself after his father became ill.

He was the leader of his own country music band by the time he was 14. He admitted to his being influenced by such artists of the time as Ernest Tubb, and Roy Acuff. His style became a mixture of gospel and honky tonk music, affected by the sounds of the black men of the south. He followed many of the black artists of the day in order to observe their style and presentation. His most popular black idol at that time was Rufus Payne (also known as Tee-Tot), and though little is known about his influence on Hank , one song can be directly attributed to him, that is "My Bucket's Got a Hole In It." 

Hank entered and won an amateur night contest during this period, and was so impressed by the acceptance of his audience that from then on, he was driven to succeed in the music business. In 1937, he formed the Drifting Cowboys, and began wearing the cowboy attire that would later become one of his trademarks. The band soon began appearing on radio shows and at medicine shows and parties throughout the area. At this time Hank began to develop the alcoholic tendencies which would eventually destroy him. 

In 1942, Hank temporarily gave up music and moved to Mobile, Alabama, to work in the shipyards as a welder. After the war, however, he regained his interest in music and soon began playing in honky tonks throughout Alabama. His marriage to Audrey Sheppard in this year would end in divorce, and help to inspire some of his greatest songs. 

In September of 1946, he and Audrey made an unscheduled call on Fred and Wesley Rose in Nashville. He auditioned a few songs for them, and they, in turn, issued a songwriting contract to him. Several of his songs, "When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels," "Six More Miles to the Graveyard," and "I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Comes" were recorded by Molly O'Day, who was also being helped by them. 

In December of 1946, Hank signed his first recording contract with a New York record company, Sterling Records, which was just getting into the country field. His first recordings for the label , Sterling 201, came out in January of 1947: "Calling You" and "Never Again (Will I Knock on Your Door)." The next releases on the label were "When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels" and "Wealth Won't Save Your Soul". All were received poorly by the trade papers, but Fred Rose was impressed with Hank's style of singing, and soon helped him get a contract with a brand new record company, MGM Records. 

Hank's first recordings for MGM, in 1947, "Move It On Over," and "I Heard You Crying In Your Sleep," were greatly received by his peers, as well as the public. His association with MGM would remain throughout his career, and later would continue with his son, Hank Williams, Jr. 

Early in his career, he developed the habit of singing his preaching type songs under the name of "Luke the Drifter." Thus, he not only was able to release more songs, at the same time, but it allowed him a second character to develop in the public image. He was creating the image of Hank Williams, the drunkard, who cheated on women, and was cheated on by them, and that of Luke the Drifter, who went across the country preaching the gospel, and doing good deeds. 

Hank's career was now guaranteed to be successful, and he continued to have one hit after another. His battle with the bottle, however, also continued, and he was fired from the Opry, in August of 1952, because of his heavy drinking. He immediately rejoined the Louisiana Hayride, where he was graciously accepted. 

But good things happened during the year, as well: Four of his songs became million sellers: "Jambalaya," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Honky Tonk Blues," and "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive." 

He started divorce proceedings against Audrey and quickly married a beautiful model and singer named Billie Jones, who was the daughter of the Bossier City, Louisiana police chief. He actually married her three times: once before a justice of the peace, and twice before an audience that paid admission,at New Orlean's Municipal Auditorium. The only problem was that the divorce from Audrey was not finalized at the time. 

Hank died in his car in Oak Hill, West Virginia, at the age of 29, while on the way to a scheduled performance on New Years Day, 1953, in Canton, Ohio. Immediately after his death many songs commemorating his life and his death were written and released as records; among these were, "The Death of Hank Williams," "Singing Teacher in Heaven," and "Hank, It Will Never Be the Same Without You." 

In 1961, both Hank Williams and Fred Rose were named to the Country Music Hall of Fame. No other singer in the history of country music had as popular a following in the urban areas of the country, and among the more famous people of these areas than Hank Williams. His songs were covered by all country singers, and by most popular singers, at one time or other. His influence on future artists would be tremendous. He should be considered the first natural rockabilly artist in history.