Three Generations of Hell Raisers

On September 17th 1923 in a log cabin in Alabama the world was changed forever. This date marked the arrival of Hiram Williams aka Hank Williams. Hank Williams is not only considered to be the god father of country western music and the writer of several number one hits but is also known to be music's first bad ass. Excuse the language but that's really the only way of putting it. Hank began his music career in 1937, had his own radio show by 1938, dropped out of school by 1939 and was a full blown alcoholic by 1940.

The 40s were a wild and wonderful time for Hank, he got married, had a son (Hank Williams Jr., you may have heard of him), played the Grand Ole Opry and was the first performer to ever receive six encores and also became addicted to drugs all in the course of a few years. His drug of choice: morphine and pain killers, that he would melt down and inject into his arm. Later Hank was fired from the Grand ole Opry and told never to return because of his constant struggle to be sober. (To this day the Opry still refuses to add him to the country music hall of fame.) In the same year his band left him, stating that he was "drinking more then the shows were paying."

I mean come on guys this was in the 1940s! These are the types of antics guys like Axel Rose and Scott Weiland wish they could have been doing.

Hank Williams died on January 1st 1953 of heart failure due to drug overdose at the age of 29. He was scheduled to play a new years day show that night in Ohio.

Some of his hits include: "Your Cheatin' Heart", "Lovesick Blues", "I'm so lonesome I could cry" and "Hey goodlookin'" (even if you don't know it, you've probably heard all of these songs.)


Hank Williams Jr made his record debut in 1957 and has been writing and recording ever since. He is accredited to helping create the genre of music known as "outlaw country" and is widely known for his huge hits; "A country boy can survive", "Whiskey bent and hell bound", and "Stoned at the jukebox" to name a few.

I'm not gonna lie, I don't know half as much about Hank Jr as I do his dad and son, so rather then just bs my way through a few more lines I'm gonna skip right to Hank III.

Now before I go on ranting about how awesome I think Hank Williams the 3rd (better known as simply Hank III) is, I'd like to state I haven't been a die hard III fan for years, I have never seen him preform live and up until recently I had never listened to his music. Just want to be up front with you guys. That being said...I have a total man crush on Hank III.

For about a year now I've been under the impression that I might actually be the only person that loves hardcore dirty metal and punk as much as I love country. That was until I saw a picture of Hank III wearing a cowboy hat, holding an acoustic guitar and wearing a misfits shirt all at the same time. Immediate actions were taken and thanks to Al Gore and his brain child we like to call the internet I was able to hear some of III's music. It instantly struck a chord. What have I been doing all this time not listening to this?! I didn't think it was possible to take the voice and old timey feel of Hank Williams and then some how fiendishly cross breed it with filthy Rob Zombie/ Alice Cooper style party rock. But he did and it's awesome.

Taking after both Hanks before him and other larger then life musicians he no doubt looked up to, Hank III has mastered the whole "I don't give a good damn" attitude and mentality, which comes across very blatantly in his music. I'll admit his music isn't for everyone and with songs like; "whiskey, weed and women", "the pills I took", and "P.F.F." (which stands for punch, fight, fuck) he probably wouldn't win the upstanding morality award, but neither would his father or grandfather. Which is part of what makes these men true icons and American legends.