On This Day in 1981, This Son of a Country Music Legend Released an Ode to the Ladies of the Lone Star State

To many, sharing a name with your famous parent may seem like a blessing. And it certainly opened doors for Hank Williams Jr., who initially found tremendous success impersonating his late father. While lucrative, however, the act eventually stopped offering much in the way of artistic fulfillment. In the mid-’70s, Williams embarked on his own path, adopting a more rock-tinged sound that couldn’t have been more different from the smooth countrypolitan notes of his father. On this day (Feb. 7) in 1981, Hank Williams Jr. released “Texas Women,” which would put him back on top of the charts for the first time in over a decade.

Videos by American Songwriter

Hank Williams Jr. Was Just Beginning to Find His Own Voice

The Country Music Hall of Famer wrote this one himself, name-dropping Texas towns like El Paso, San Angelo, Lampasas, and Waco. In the first verse, he makes the bold declaration that the best lookin’ women that I’ve ever seen / Have all been in Texas and all wearin’ jeans.

@dragonlady.terri

Hank Williams Jr on That Nashville Music Show In 1981 with the song “Texas Women” #HankJr #HankWilliamsJr #TexasWomen #OutlawCountry #CountryMusicTiktok

♬ original sound – dragonladyterri

“Texas Women” spent a week atop the Hot Country Songs chart, marking Williams Jr.’s first No. 1 hit since 1972’s “Eleven Roses.” He followed it up with “Dixie On My Mind,” which also reached the top of the charts.

The ’80s established Hank Williams Jr. as a country music force in his own right, rather than the pale imitation of his dad that audiences had once demanded. Between 1979 and 1990, he would send 30 singles to the Top 10 of the Billboard country charts, including eight No. 1 hits. In 1982, the year after he released “Texas Women,” Williams Jr. had nine albums simultaneously on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, all of which were original works.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1986, Hank Williams Jr. (And a Star-Studded Lineup) Reached No. 1 With a Classic Remake of His Dad’s 1940s Hit]

The Awards Started Pouring In

Further cementing his own personal legacy, the premier country music institutions began taking note of Hank Williams Jr. by the end of the decade. In 1987, he won his first-ever Entertainer of the Year award from the Country Music Association.

Ecstatic, Williams declared, “This is the one old Bocephus has been looking for. I guarantee it. I got to looking so long, I thought I was going to run out of glasses there for a few years.”

Featured image by David Redfern/Redferns