When you think of unofficial “royal families” in the United States, you probably think of the Kennedys, the Rockefellers, and the Vanderbilts. Well, what about the Williams family with Hank Williams I, Hank Williams II, and Hank Williams III? In country music, there is arguably no more famous family than the Williams family, and that fame predominantly has to do with Hank Williams I. However, on this day, December 12, 1972, Hank Williams III was born in country music’s capital, Nashville, Tennessee.
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Without Hank Williams I and Hank Williams II, the world of country music would have missed out on hits such as “Hey, Good Lookin’”, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”, “Family Tradition”, and “Dinosaur”. In other words, the country music community would have missed out on some of the greatest songs the genre has ever seen. The legacy of the Williams family in country music is arguably the greatest legacy of any family in country music history, and on this day, that legacy continued with the birth of Hank Williams III.
The Musical Career of Hank Williams III
Contrary to his grandfather and father, Hank Williams’ music career has remained in more underground scenes. The man has a cult following, and that is because he has very uniquely combined country music with heavy metal, thus offering a very specific kind of fan exactly what they want.
In 1996, Hank Williams III signed with Curb Records, and in 1999, Williams released his debut solo album, Risin’ Outlaw. Over the 2000s and 2010s, Williams released a laundry list of material that butted up against the establishment of Nashville, as it truly couldn’t be pigeon-holed into one genre. Some of Williams’ most notable singles include “Country Heroes”, “Low Down”, “3 Shades Of Black”, and “Hellbilly”.
On the charts, Williams’ most successful album is Damn Right, Rebel Proud, which peaked at No. 2 on the country albums chart in 2008. Furthermore, his 2006 album, Straight To Hell, did fairly well as it went on to peak at No. 17 on the chart following its 2006 release.
Hank Williams III’s career highly contrasts with the careers of both his father and grandfather. However, that is an incredibly admirable fact, because at the end of the day, Williams probably could have done very well if he had just strictly followed in the footsteps of his lineage. Although, as we’ve suggested, he didn’t do that, and consequently, he made the Williams name his own.
Photo by Nicky J. Sims/Redferns/Getty Images
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