Hank Williams Jr.
Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style has been described as a blend of rock, blues, and country. He is the son of country musician Hank Williams and the father of musicians Holly Williams and Hank Williams III, and the grandfather of Coleman Williams. He is also the half brother of Jett Williams.
Hank Williams Jr. | |
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Williams in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Randall Hank Williams |
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| Born | May 26, 1949 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
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| Spouse(s) |
Gwen Yeargin
(m. 1971; div. 1977)Becky White
(m. 1977; div. 1983)Mary Jane Thomas
(m. 1990; died 2022) |
| Website | hankjr |
| Children | 5 |
Williams began his career following in his famed father's footsteps, covering his father's songs and imitating his father's style. Williams' first television appearance was in a December 1963 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show, in which at age fourteen he sang several songs associated with his father. Later that year, he was a guest star on Shindig!
As Williams struggled to define his own voice and place within the country music genre, his style began slowly to evolve. His career was interrupted by a near-fatal fall while Williams was climbing Ajax Peak in Montana on August 8, 1975. After an extended recovery, he rebuilt his career in the country rock scene. As a multi-instrumentalist, Williams' repertoire of musical instrument skills includes guitar, bass guitar, upright bass, steel guitar, banjo, dobro, piano, keyboards, saxophone, harmonica, fiddle, and drums. In 2020, Williams Jr. was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.