4 Fan Theories About Hank Williams, Verified or Debunked

There is a lot of mystery surrounding Hank Williams. When you’re that famous, and you leave the world so unexpectedly, it’s natural for fans’ imaginations to run rampant. Below are four fan theories about Williams, ranging from reality to completely false. If you’ve ever heard these prevalent theories about Williams and wondered how true they were, find the answer below.

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Theory 1: Williams Forsaw His Death

Verdict: Likely True

There is strong evidence that Williams foresaw his death. From macabre lyrics to jokes about not living long, this prevalent rumor about Williams has some legs. I mean, his final single was called “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive,” eerily mirroring his death not long after it was released.

Though there’s really no substantiation for this theory, we have to chalk it up to “likely true.” Williams did reference death quite a bit, and, given his ongoing alcohol abuse, his passing young wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Theory 2: He Didn’t Actually Write One of His Biggest Hits

Verdict: Complicated

There is an ongoing theory that Williams didn’t actually write one of his biggest hits, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” This song made Williams what he was, so the mere mention of this theory angers many fans of the country giant. However, there is some evidence that points to the contrary.

[RELATED: How a Drunken Car Ride Turned Into One of Hank Williams’ Most Popular Religious Songs]

According to the conspiracy, Williams bought the lyrics to this song from a 21-year-old, little-known songwriter, Paul Gilley. While those who wrote the song with Williams deny this rumor, music journalist Chet Flippo and Kentucky historian W. Lynn Nickell released findings that supported it.

Theory 3: He Faked His Death to Escape Fame

Verdict: Debunked

This is an old classic amongst famous musicians who die at the height of their fame. Everyone from Elvis to Michael Jackson is said to be hiding out somewhere, using a fake death as the only means to escape stardom. As with all theories of this kind, we can pretty much label this theory debunked.

Williams’ death was mysterious to say the least. He reportedly died in the backseat of a car but wasn’t found to be dead for a while, due to his driver thinking he had just passed out. There are rumors of medical malpractice, fights that aggravated his declining health, and much more. So, it’s really no surprise that fans could take this mystery one step further, claiming he used this moment as a ploy to escape his fame. It’s a nice thought anyway.

Theory 4: His Ghost Haunts the Ryman

Verdict: Complicated

No one can be sure, but there are many claims that Williams’ ghost haunts the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Those who work behind the scenes in that historic venue have alleged they can see Williams walking around the stage and even hear him singing from time to time. Is this a clever marketing ploy? A yearning from a classic country fan? We can’t say for sure, so we will leave this one at “complicated.”

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)