Hank Williams III & Shooter Jennings Bury The Hatchet
Two of country music’s most famous sons have apparently buried the hatchet on a long, 6 year feud that in many ways was one-sided, and was fueled by misunderstanding.
“Got an amazing care package from Hank III with all 3 new records on vinyl & CD + a sweet rebel flag lighter,” Shooter fired off on his Twitter Feed over the weekend. The care package came after a recent exchange of text messages between Shooter and Hank3.
The Shooter vs. Shelton feud started in ernest in March of 2005, when Shooter released his debut country album Put The O Back in Country. Hank3 felt the album title and track were too close to his song “Dick in Dixie” which appeared on Hank3’s 2006 album Straight to Hell, but had been a live show standard for years before.
Hank3 told KNAC.com at the time:
Yeah, as for Shooter, he’s here to “put the ‘O’ in country. . . If you wanna go down that road and rip us off, mutherfucker, I’ll see you in ten years and five thousand shows down the road. We’ll see where the fuck you’re at. You know, I called him out and just flat out said, “fuck you if you’re gonna rip us off like that on your first release.
Shooter seemed pretty confused about the matter, telling CMT in 2006:
I don’t even know him. I met him once, I think, for a second. And somehow all this stuff started about how he hates me. I don’t know. It’s, like, stupid. Me, I just play music, and I like his music, and I don’t understand what that’s all about.
The fight over who put the ‘C’ or the ‘O’ where, and who was first, seemed a little senseless when in truth Carlene Carter, famous daughter of June Carter, and stepdaughter of Johnny Cash, was on record in 1979 introducing her song “Swamp Meat Rag” at The Bottom Line in New York by saying, “If this doesn’t put the cunt back in country, I don’t know what will,” while an incognito June and Johnny sat in the audience in shock.
Read About Carlene Carter & Her Famous Show at The Bottom Line in 1979
Over the 6 years of the feud, Shooter continued to support Hank3 by playing his music on his satellite radio show, and Hank3’s enthusiasm for the feud seemed to be fueled more by keeping the mythology of the feud alive, rather than with a deep-seeded anger at Shooter. In May of 2010, Hank3 said in an interview, “My 8-10 year run of talking shit I’m sure is close to being over. He’s not as green as he was.”
Meanwhile Shooter is getting ready for the release of his upcoming album Family Man in early 2012, and Hank3, after releasing 4 albums in September, is about to embark on an East Coast tour.
October 23, 2011 @ 8:47 am
I’m glad to see this is seemingly over. Im a Huge fan of both artist and this “feud” made no sense at all to me. Maybe one day we will get to hear them on a track together.
October 23, 2011 @ 8:55 am
good.. this feud was dumb… shooter is a good guy , i meant him when he came thru utica.. the mans heart is in the right place… cant wait to hear his new album.. new 3 albums are just bad ass… ADD is awsome… the ray lawernce jr track is prooly one of my favorite country songs in the last few years ..
October 23, 2011 @ 8:58 am
Dont always belive the hipe but glad to hear it.maybe now i can release my song about both of them with the Waylon Vibe in it but i talk about all my heroes.growing up to my dads taste of music Frank Zappa,Roy Buchanon,zztop,waylon,willie,Merle,Chet,A ect i like all music & to write a song no mader what i half ass copies is still a masterpiece.good luck to all.
October 23, 2011 @ 3:56 pm
Great news!
October 23, 2011 @ 6:23 pm
Glad to hear, both come from very strong families and are both talented artist in there own right.
October 24, 2011 @ 1:14 am
From a music perspective, I’m a long time Hank 3 fan and have to admit I really wasn’t much of a Shooter fan until he started posting comments here on SCM.com. I only know Hank 3 from the music I own of his, however I feel I know Shooter (just a little bit) from the insightful, compassionate and intelligent comments he has taken the time to post here. I have immense respect for him now as an artist and as a human being. He seems like a sincerely lovely guy and we can never have too many lovely people in the world, right? That also really seems like a really sweet gesture that Hank 3 extended to Shooter too. Awwww, I’m loving this! Can I get a group hug?
October 24, 2011 @ 5:52 am
I’m not a huge fan of Shooter, but it seems that he does things with good intentions and all he gets in return is a bunch of shit from everyone. I’m glad that 3 killed this stupid feud.
October 24, 2011 @ 9:07 am
I’m glad for it. 🙂
October 24, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
country music’s Biggie vs. Tupac..
October 24, 2011 @ 2:31 pm
This is great and all but when is Shooter going to release a decent record? What ive heard is about as country as Bon Jovi. Hell his single from Electric Radio “Gone to Carolina” sounds like a direct rip off of Bon Jovi “Dead or Alive” (playem back to back if you dont believe me). He sure talks a lot about the state of country blah blah this and that and about supporting the underground but there is really nothing about his music that I find any different than your average southern fried radio rock. At least the famous names like Earle and Hank III can crank out some decent tunes, but Shooter has yet to do so and cant even go through a single interview or posting without mentioning his father which just shows he isnt comfortable standing on his own two feet and taking his own stake in country music. His next album better be one of the best fucking albums released in years with all the talking he does but if its full of wishy washy stuff like Outlaw You (comes off as some sort of diss/battle track about going platinum and selling millions of records akin to the content youll find in rap/hip hop) then I guess we’ll be out of luck. Anyways I wouldnt expect to see any Shooter/Hank collaborations anytime soon as Hank’s music is much more true and gritty sounding but with Shooter its all flash and slick productions and when you scratch the surface dont seem like much is really there.
October 24, 2011 @ 3:02 pm
I understand where each felt about the ripoff, but I’m definately glad they buried the hatchet. Now if they could just get together and help spearhead this push to get our music noticed on mainstream levels.
October 24, 2011 @ 3:20 pm
I’d like to see them do a song together, that would be pretty damn cool, and it would probably draw more attention to their music. That being said i don’t think it will happen
October 24, 2011 @ 4:22 pm
Maybe we’ll get a Shelton/Shooter cover of The Conversation now. That would make my day.
October 25, 2011 @ 11:39 am
Cheers to this brilliant idea!
Headache Monday Tiddy Bits…
October 24, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
[…] I didn’t even know they were in a fight. […]
October 25, 2011 @ 4:48 pm
Awesome !!!
November 18, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
I say do a rewrite of “The Conversation” and let’s leave them boys alone and let ’em sing their songs! III could ask Shooter about his Daddy. Shooter could ask III about his….it’d be hellacious. I’ve about got the damn thing rewritten…let’s get Jr and Albright to sign off on it and away you go.
Then do another WANTED: THE OUTLAWS record with no bullshit….have “Outlaw You”, “the Grand Ol Opry Aint So Grand Anymore” and grab a couple more dudes..Dale Watson..and a new Tompall (might I suggest myself) to sing about THE BOTTOM LINE.
http://youtu.be/aYp1_DX-EtA
let’s band together and make a statement…and actually sing and play good like Waylon and Willie used to do!
JD Myers
June 23, 2014 @ 4:11 am
Time for a conversation #2