Making his TV debut at age 14 on The Ed Sullivan Show, Hank Williams Jr. stuck closely to his father’s blueprint at first. He hadn’t yet reached his fourth birthday when Hank Williams Sr. died of heart failure on the way to a show in Ohio. Eventually, the “Country Boy Can Survive” singer stepped out of his father’s colossal shadow and began building a career on his own merits. At 76, Williams is still entertaining audiences across the country. Unfortunately, fans hoping to see the Country Music Hall of Famer in Oklahoma this month must wait a bit longer as he recovers from an unknown health issue.
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Hank Williams Jr. Postpones a Pair of Oklahoma Shows
A post from Hank Williams Jr.’s official Instagram account informed fans Wednesday (Aug. 20) that the “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” crooner is unable to perform two scheduled shows this weekend due to illness.
A show originally set for Friday, Aug. 22 at the BOK Center in Tulsa will move to Friday, Sept. 19. Another scheduled for the next day at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, has been rescheduled to Saturday, Sept. 20.
“We regret any inconvenience this may cause and truly appreciate your understanding and support,” the post read. “We can’t wait to be back on stage with you soon.”
All original tickets will be honored for the new dates.
Fans submitted their well wishes in the comments. “GET WELL SOON BOCEPHUS,” one Instagram user wrote.
This news comes a month after Williams’ July 11 set at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming in Milwaukee was canceled due to severe weather. Organizers issued refunds to fans who had purchased tickets.
When His Career Nearly Ended
Now one of country music’s most beloved figures, Hank Williams Jr.’s storied career was nearly cut short 50 years ago this month.
On Aug. 8, 1975, Williams fell 500 feet onto rock while climbing Ajax Peak in Montana. The country music icon subsequently underwent 17 surgeries to repair multiple traumatic skull and facial fractures. Afterwards, he spent the next two years regaining the ability to talk and sing again.
“When I fell, there were only two people I saw when I woke up in the hospital bed, and that was Johnny [Cash] and June [Carter Cash],” he told Rolling Stone in 2015. “June put a cross on me and told me it was all going to be OK. I never knew if I would sing again or not, talk again or not, let alone think about what I was going to look like. It was a scary time.”
Featured image by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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