The life of Hank Williams is a strange one. On one hand, he’s one of the most important and influential country singers in history. On the other, there are persistent rumors about whether he wrote some of his best known songs or just bought them off another artist.
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But beyond that, even taking his life and career at face value, Williams died at just 29-years-old on the morning of New Year’s Day 1953 in the backseat of a car, stricken with health woes and addictions. Here below, however, we wanted to dive into three movies that tell his story. Indeed, these are three movies every fan of the artist should see.
[RELATED: Behind Hank Williams’ Death on New Year’s Day 1953]
1. I Saw The Light (2015)
This 2015 biopic tells the story of country star Hank Williams’ rise to fame and premature death in 1953 at just 29-years-old. Directed and written by Marc Abraham, the movie stars Tom Hiddleston as Williams. The film also dives into the songwriter and performer’s up and down relationship with his wife, Audrey Williams. Check out a trailer for the film, which is based on the book, Hank Williams: The Biography, here below.
2. The Last Ride (2011)
This 2011 movie tells the story not of Williams’ entire life but of his last days. Just before he died, Williams was dealing with severe health issues, but was nevertheless being driven from show to show by someone he met on his travels, a young auto mechanic. It ends with his death on New Year’s Day 1953. Starring Henry Thomas as Williams, the movie is a sad window into the lonely last hours of an icon’s life. Check out a trailer here below.
3. Honky Tonk Blues (2004)
This 2004 documentary was aired by PBS as part of the American Masters series. It tells the story, not in a dramatized fashion, of the life and death of the country crooner. Featuring some of his best-known songs as well as his sad life’s story, this film gets to the heart with real interviews and images of the story of Hank Williams. Check it out here below.
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