Stars & Family Mark Hank Williams’ 100th Birthday at Hall of Fame
See more photos below.
September 17th marked the 100th birthday of Hank Williams, and fans marked the occasion all around the country and world in various events, including at Hank’s grave and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama with a ceremonial wreath laying. Though it was slightly belated, the Country Music Hall of Fame marked the Hank Williams Centennial on Thursday, September 21st as part of the week’s AmericanaFest festivities in Nashville.
Many stars turned out to tribute Hank, including Lyle Lovett, Rodney Crowell, Suzy Bogguss, and Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy. A healthy dose of independent and up-and-coming stars also couldn’t pass up an opportunity to pay Hank tribute, including Brennen Leigh, Wendy Moten who performed a stirring rendition of “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” as well as the 2023 Americana Emerging Artist of the Year S.G. Goodman who started off the show.
Most all of Hank’s living family were also in attendance, including daughter Jett Williams who helped emcee the festivities, along with granddaughters and performers Holly Williams and Hilary Williams, and grandson Sam Williams. All four took opportunities to speak, and helped introduce performers as they came out to sing Hank songs. Daughter of Audrey Williams and stepdaughter to Hank, Lycrecia Williams, was also in attendance.
Just as impressive as the list of performers and attendees was the house band led by Chris Scruggs, who also performed a song of his own. As one of the premier pedal-less steel guitarists of this generation and a true “Keeper of the Sound” of traditional country, perhaps nobody was better equipped to evoke the sounds of Hank for the show. Scruggs was joined in the house band by “Cousin” Kenny Vaughan who plays in Marty Stuart’s backing band The Fabulous Superlatives, as well as Billy Conteras on fiddle and others.
With the Scruggs backing band, the music at times took on haunting similarity to Hank’s original recordings. The one exception was the Sam Williams performance. He recently released a new version of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” coinciding with his grandfather’s 100th, and performed it for the capacity crowd.
The whole event took on the aspect of a birthday party, with Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band leading everyone in a rendition of “Jambalaya” at the end, the event concluding with a singing of “Happy Birthday.” Cupcakes were served to the crowd at the Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater afterward.
Along with great performances of many of Hank’s songs, some great stories were told as well. Charlie McCoy is from Oak Hill, West Virginia where Hank was tragically declared dead on January 1st, 1953. McCoy explained how he was born in the same hospital where Hank ended up at after he passed away. Rodney Crowell told his semi-famous story of his father taking him to see Hank Williams when he was only two years old. It was Hank’s second-to-last official performance.
Hank Williams Jr. has appeared at the CMA Theater on numerous occasions, including recently to be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But he is currently on his honeymoon after his 5th marriage. Grandson Hank Williams III was also absent, though half sister Holly said in Montgomery earlier in the week that he is doing well.
Cameras were rolling during the presentation, so hopefully Hank’s 100th at the Hall of Fame makes it to the public in some form or another in the future.
List Of Performances:
“Lost On The River” – S.G. Goodman
“Mind Your Own Business” – Charlie McCoy
“You Win Again” – Laura Cantrell
“A House of Gold” – Hilary Williams
“Lovesick Blues” – Chuck Mead
“I Can’t Help If I’m Still in Love With You” – Suzy Bogguss
“Hey Good Lookin'” – Lyle Lovett
“I’m Sol Lonesome I Could Cry” – Sam Williams
“Cold Cold Heart” – Della Mae
“I Won’t Be Home No More” – Brennen Leigh
“Settin’ The Woods On Fire” – Delbert McClinton
“I Saw The Light” – Holly Williams
“Your Cheatin’ Heart” – Wendy Moten
“Honky Tonk Blues” – Rodney Crowell
“Jambalaya” – Jeff Hanna
All photos by Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos
September 22, 2023 @ 10:47 am
What a cool nigh!. Hopefully will see something in the future.
September 22, 2023 @ 10:59 am
Has definitely been odd to not see 3 in an official capacity at all recently considering the occurrence of events like this honoring Sr., as well as his sons entry into the family business…starting to think it might be just be one of those situations where he feels like the expectation is for him to perform if he makes an appearance, and his voice/guitar playing might be deteriorated to the point that he just doesn’t feel comfortable performing anymore. That’s just a theory obviously, but I do remember he had some bad pain in his strumming wrist towards the end of his touring and he IS 50 now.
September 22, 2023 @ 12:04 pm
3 is younger that lots of active recording stars. I think it’s fine that he and Jr. did not appear. If they had been there, the focus and all the questions would have shifted to them. This way, it stayed on Hank Sr. and his not-quite-so high-profile heirs and the artists who came to celebrate him.
September 22, 2023 @ 1:19 pm
That’s a great way of looking at it, good point.
September 22, 2023 @ 6:27 pm
I agree as well.
September 22, 2023 @ 11:04 am
You already know that anything heavily involving Cousin Kenny and Professor Scruggs is going to be fire.
September 22, 2023 @ 2:13 pm
I’m surprised that Wayne Hancock was not there given his vocal similarity to Hank. It would have been great to see him in the mix of it all.
September 22, 2023 @ 3:28 pm
I hope this tribute will be made into a PBS special!
September 22, 2023 @ 4:32 pm
Sam’s rendition of ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’ is absolutely terrible.
September 22, 2023 @ 7:36 pm
It made me write a song, “My Ears Hurt So Much I Did Cry.”
September 22, 2023 @ 9:38 pm
Terry Bradshaw did it better.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SdmC2CVBv6Y
September 23, 2023 @ 4:23 am
My favorite part of this article was reading that Holly Williams said Hank3 is doing well.
September 23, 2023 @ 7:29 am
He posted some pics on instagram a few months ago at some tiny venue he goes to outside nashville and he looked fine. Not like some strung out junkie, which I’ve seen people in the comments sections here say he is now.
September 23, 2023 @ 9:18 am
Nice to see Delbert out playing since his retirement!
September 23, 2023 @ 11:47 am
Was hoping Suzy would do “My Sweet Love Ain’t Around” – she recorded that on her debut record for Capitol in 1988. She has recounted how in her early days, she was in Montana and played with some local ranchers. They stipulated that if she was going to play with them, she would have to learn a dozen or so Hank Williams songs.
September 23, 2023 @ 12:33 pm
People who can remenber having actually met Hank are fewer and fewer I guess. Reading that Lycrecia was present at the show is very interesting indeed. Googling her for pictures or interviews reveals little. Would be nice if Trigger could look into this.
September 23, 2023 @ 3:24 pm
I have made efforts in the past to try and interview Billie Jean Horton to no avail. Have not tried to interview or profile Lycrecia, but maybe I will do that in the future.
September 25, 2023 @ 7:07 am
There’s an unofficial video of the final ‘Jambalaya’ on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oUsRvW1gGo
September 25, 2023 @ 11:20 am
Lycrecia was in 1989 behind the book «Still in love with you» about Hank and Audrey so she’s got stories to tell. If she is still capable of sharing it sure would be nice to see a new interview with her.