Yes, Hank Jr. Addressed His Prolonged Hall of Fame Induction in Speech

Hank Williams Jr. was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on November 21st, 2021, and unfortunately, if you weren’t there in person, you weren’t able to see it for yourself since the event wasn’t streamed or broadcast in any capacity, and full video has yet to be released.
We are able to part and piece together what Hank Jr. said in his acceptance speech though, partly because he just didn’t have much to say. But for those wondering, yes, he did have something to say about how long it took for him to get there.
It’s first important to set the table about the Hank Williams Jr. induction itself, which came after years of Bocephus continuously being overlooked by the Hall of Fame. One of the most successful country performers in history, Hank Jr. passed all the way through Modern Era inductee period without being acknowledged, and ended up being a Veterans Era inductee well past when he should have been recognized. At times it felt like he may never get in at all.
Hank Jr.’s ongoing exclusion was such a point of contention that on his 2015 album It’s About Time in the song “Just Call Me Hank,” Bocephus delivered the line, “Don’t call me an icon, I don’t care about the Hall of Fame. Just gonna live my life in my country boy kinda way…”
For sure, one of the reasons Hank Jr.’s Hall of Fame induction was such a long time coming had to do with how polarizing his personality has been outside of country music over the last few years. You also have to consider that when his good friend Waylon Jennings was inducted in October of 2001, Waylon didn’t even show up for the ceremony. Some like to think that Waylon was such an Outlaw, he blew the Hall of Fame off. But in truth Waylon was suffering from pretty severe diabetes at the time, and probably just wasn’t in good enough physical shape to attend. Waylon passed away about five months after his Hall of Fame induction.
Still, there had to be at least some concern that Hank Jr. might not attend either after how long his induction took, which might leave egg on the face of the Hall of Fame. Or maybe Hank Jr. would have some unsavory things to say. Either way, inducting him was the right thing to do, and his continued exclusion was undermining the Hall of Fame’s credibility. Ultimately Hank Jr. did show up, though according to him, if the induction had been the day before, he might not have.
“Well, the good thing is this didn’t happen yesterday, which was the opening day of deer season, which is kind of like squirrel season was with my father,” Hank Jr. said to start off his speech, wearing a blazer adorned with a camo pattern. If you know anything about Hank Jr., you know he’s been an avid hunter and outdoorsman for years. “My little 6-year-old grandson sitting out there with his .44 Magnum Ruger, took his first deer.”
And then yes, Hank Jr. addressed the elephant in the room.
“A lot of people to thank. And I know who they are. They know who they are. That part about the family with the open arms? Well, that might have been a little bit different in my case.”
Hank Jr. only spoke for 1 minute and 47 seconds total. That’s compared to his fellow inductees Marty Stuart, who spoke for some 13 minutes, and songwriter Dean Dillon, who spoke for 8 minutes. But after his slight rib of the Hall of Fame, Hank Jr. kept it positive for the rest of the speech, ending by reciting names to some of his biggest songs.
“But, I went to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. And all my rowdy friends are coming over tonight. I was born to boogie. And this is a family tradition.”
The biggest thing to take away is that Hank Williams Jr. is finally in, and so are Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon—all three worthy inductees, even if the line of others who deserve to be in the Country Music Hall of Fame still goes out the door and snakes around the block.
December 1, 2021 @ 10:59 am
I’m always suspect of those who refer to themselves in third person. Which he’s be doing for 50 years. And he hasn’t made a decent recording since the “Whiskey Bent” album. Does he deserve to be in? Yes. Is he a monumental jerk? In Hank Jr, speak, “Hell yeah!”
December 1, 2021 @ 11:44 am
Always Find it funny how most on here love to Shit on Hank Jr. While most people hero worship Waylon. Some forget Waylon was Like an older Brother to Hank Jr.. I Like both of them with Waylon being my favorite but Hank Jr. Gets way more crap than he deserves. He is one of Country’s last Few living Legends and the Last direct link To his famous Legendary Father. You might not like his personality but He always did things his own way and made his own mark on Country Music history.
December 1, 2021 @ 4:35 pm
But Rebel flag it’s not a good look if people outside of country thinks it’s fan’s are complete racists cause some people actually give a damn about being labeled
December 2, 2021 @ 11:06 am
Maybe you should work on that yourself.
December 2, 2021 @ 1:22 pm
The most outraged people tend to know the least. Let them be angry
December 2, 2021 @ 4:25 pm
He isnt deserving of hall of fame of idiots only had few gd songs out he should’ve stuck to his early roots of singing now its rock country .
April 20, 2024 @ 9:49 am
You are clearly ignorant as hell, and don’t know much either.
December 5, 2021 @ 7:58 am
And you couldn’t carry a note let alone his guitarcase!!!
December 2, 2021 @ 5:31 pm
I’m always a little suspect of ignorant asses assuming we all give a crap about their wrong, dumb opinions.
May 1, 2022 @ 8:51 pm
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion…no matter how f-ed up it is.
December 1, 2021 @ 11:20 am
Better late than never and well deserved.
December 1, 2021 @ 2:54 pm
Well I’m of the old guard, I f you dont like Hank Jr, you can kiss my ass. I was and am a huge fan though I did stop following him as much after his out of left field album. His pure traditional was always great just kind of burnt out on the rockier stuff. Should have been in far sooner regardless of his thoughts on stuff. It’s why every hall of Fame and their little quircks are a joke even the baseball hall of fame. Congrats Hank, it was about damn time.
December 1, 2021 @ 12:24 pm
I saw the speech on YouTube. Yeah, it was barely a speech. He did look happy when Brenda Lee put the medallion on him, though. Hanks what you might call semi-retired. So he spends all his free time huntin, fishin and living the outdoor life. I thought the deer season comment was hilarious. I get it though, its deer gun week here where I live and Ive already been out. Got a doe, thus far, the bucks seem to be in hiding, ( But that doe is good freezer meat, so im happy as can be)
Frank, are you crazy? Hasn’t made a good record since Whiskey Bent??? Huh? What about The Pressure is On, or Family Tradition, or Major moves, or Strong Stuff, or Montana Cafe, or Rowdy? Or Five-O, or Pressurized? Man of Steel? Good lord, he was just starting with Whiskey Bent.
December 2, 2021 @ 5:16 am
Frank is clearly a moron. Like Jr says, That dont deserve no answer, Hoss. His comment is so ignorant, best not to even recognize it.
December 2, 2021 @ 6:52 pm
Yes Marsha, frank is clearly a dump ass. For anyone to say Hank Jr. hasn’t made anything decent since whiskey Bent, and then turn around say but he does deserve to be in the HOF, is clearly a moron. Most of what got Hank Jr. in the HOF was done after whiskey Bent.
December 1, 2021 @ 12:49 pm
There is obviously truth to his “Outlaw” label since the establishment was afraid of what he would say. Today being an outlaw country artist means having a beard and singing about drugs and alcohol in front of a Cross Canadian Ragweed sounding band
December 2, 2021 @ 9:48 am
Well Eric…you just can’t argue that the long haired, ccr looking, drunken/drug bands produce much better music than that what’s been the normal for the last 20+years
December 2, 2021 @ 1:25 pm
Good stuff is out there, but most country songs now lack that spark of expertly crafted lyrics. I am enjoying Mike and the Moonpies’ latest album.
December 1, 2021 @ 1:18 pm
At last!
December 1, 2021 @ 2:16 pm
I figured wokeness had caught up to the HoF & he was gonna be left out for “Attitude Adjustment” (with a line about roughing up a woman,) and “If The South Would’ve Won We’d Have It Made.”
I think he peaked in the early 1980s, but good for Bocephus.
December 1, 2021 @ 4:11 pm
What a loser. So many artists get passed up for the hall of fame and he is more worried about a stupid hunting trip? He could go hunting anytime, this is a once in a life time event. Just making a stupid right wing talking point about guns. There are far more deserving people that deserve to be in the hall of fame, I would put his son. HANK 3 in there before I ever would that very over rated singer, he is good, but not hall of fame good.
December 1, 2021 @ 4:22 pm
You sound like you were born and raised in Brooklyn.
December 5, 2021 @ 12:40 pm
More like you were, and you’re angry at Countryfan68 for saying what they said.
December 1, 2021 @ 5:43 pm
Hey you idiot, Hank Jr. is one of the greatest entertainers and artist that ever lived. He reinvented himself and stepped out of his fathers shadow. He fell off a mountain and nearly died, they told him he would never sing again but he defied the odds and proved everyone wrong. He ain’t no overpriced cover singer who sings pop country crap. Even Waylon said Hank Jr. was a better singer than his father and wrote more songs. Loser my ass, he’s a winner and true warrior. It’s about time he got into HofF, he should of been inducted years ago.
December 1, 2021 @ 6:23 pm
Countryfan68,
Have you looked into the possibility of getting set up with an around-the-clock drip of the Pfizer therapeutic? It might help you be less grumpy.
December 1, 2021 @ 6:51 pm
Your comments are so bad sometimes I wonder if this is just parody and the joke is on us. He wasn’t making a right wing point, he just likes to hunt. Thanks for politicizing something unpolitical. The world needs more heroes like you.
December 1, 2021 @ 8:18 pm
You and your fellow losers are just upset that Hank Jr didn’t go on a political rant thus rendering all those pre-written think pieces unused.
He made a comment about hunting with family. That isn’t political except to miserable betas like yourself.
By the way, new variant is here. Better get jabbed for the 153rd time. They like it when you are on your knees.
December 2, 2021 @ 4:02 am
Most of us hate anything that we don’t understand. Cause everybody’s got to have somebody to look down on. Who they can feel better than any time they please. Someone doing something dirty decent folks can frown on.
December 2, 2021 @ 10:59 am
Holy shit this a dumb comment. And Hank 3 in the Hall? Goddamn. The shit-cherry on top of the shit-sundae you tried serving us.
December 5, 2021 @ 6:52 am
Jr doesn’t fit in with all the cookie cutter so called country artists thank God!
December 2, 2021 @ 6:20 pm
And you dare to have countryfan in your title. The absurdity just blows your mind.
December 4, 2021 @ 4:49 am
It’s the middle of the rut right now my dude. Is nothing sacred to you?
December 4, 2021 @ 2:37 pm
Countryfan68, you are an asshat for what you said about Bocephus. I’m a lifelong fan of his and he should’ve been inducted into the Hall of Fame twenty years ago. He deserves to be in there with his daddy and Waylon. As for Hank III, I don’t know if he’ll be inducted since he goes back and forth between country music and heavy metal music. His band is called The Assjackers. As for Bocephus’s political views, those are his business. I’m a Conservative myself but I don’t hunt. That’s my choice. I respect Bocephus and he’s one of the best country singers/songwriters/musicians that’s still alive today. I wish only the best for him. As for you, I hope you realize how wrong you are for calling him a loser because you are the loser here like a few others who insult him very badly.
December 1, 2021 @ 4:24 pm
Good for Hank Jr. He took it as he should. The HoF is no longer important to him. He’s moved on in life.
December 1, 2021 @ 4:27 pm
Nice how the CMA makes it a point to make sure there is no chance in hell of anyone watching this event.
December 1, 2021 @ 6:09 pm
Hank Jr. is the most criticized country music artist of all time. He’s been hearing from idiots like Countryfan68 calling him down since he was 8 years old. Idiots telling him “you ain’t as good as your daddy”. He proved everybody wrong buy reinventing himself and stepping out of his fathers shadow. No Hank Jr. ain’t no loser, he’s a winner and what the Blackfoot call a true warrior. He’s one of the greatest artists and musician of all time. Waylon, Hank Sr. and johnny must be looking down and saying “way to go Bocephus”. Also, Hank Jr. in the songwriters hall of fame which pretty well sums it up, he ain’t no loser. Shame on you and the Country Music Hall of Fame for snubbing him in favour of overpriced cover singers who belt out pop country crap
December 1, 2021 @ 7:10 pm
About time way to go hank
December 1, 2021 @ 7:22 pm
Congrats Bocephus. This news is long, long overdue.
December 1, 2021 @ 8:07 pm
Hank Jr. is a legend in his own right, in addition to being the last of an era. Anyone who says otherwise is not a true country music fan.
December 1, 2021 @ 8:15 pm
I really tire of the continued disclaimers when discussing all things Hank Jr. Constantly referring to his “polarizing” or political views (I am NOT referring to Trigger here by the way).
Is he the only country artists, or HOF member that this can be said about? Of course not.
He needs no disclaimers. He did it his way, would not bend to current tides, and told everyone else to kiss his @*!!. That’s why some can’t stand him.
And that’s why I love him.
December 1, 2021 @ 9:20 pm
I”m With The Majority,I Love Hank Jr.I Always Thought He Should Have Been In There Yrs. Before,He Is Great And Deserves a Whole Lot More Acculades,Is What I Say,And Besides That He Passed His Talent On Down To His Children,So There Will Be Williams Singing For yrs. To Come!!!Tell it Like It Is Hank Jr.!!!
December 2, 2021 @ 2:06 am
HWJR Has More Talent In His Indexes Fingers! 95 Percent Of The Performance’s Truthfully. He’s done So Well. He Doesn’t Give A Damn What You Thiink.
December 2, 2021 @ 3:49 am
With a wired up jumbo Gibson and Hank sitting on a chair in a chair singing Whiskey Bent, an entire stadium of people get goose bumps. It is the same man that can sing A Baby Again or Eleven Roses with such purity of voice and a tender touch. I think the only folks that would think he is not worthy are the ones that do not like his stances.
The only thing that the politics did wrong for me (and I am NOT getting political here) was getting him kicked off of MNF. “We got Frank and Al and Dan, they’re gonna get it kick started” was SO much cooler than “Hey Jack it’s a fact”. Man we went from the penthouse to the janitor’s closet with that one!
December 2, 2021 @ 6:38 am
I’d rather go to a Hank Williams jr museum over the country music hall of fame any day of the week. just sayin’
December 2, 2021 @ 8:01 am
Hank’s sour attitude is reflected by many of today’s country music fans. He’s the antithesis of a woke organization that has fully embraced the BLM movement in an effort designed to distract the public from music executives with huge bank accounts churning out shallow assembly-lined garbage that’s being labeled as country music. Maybe it’s time for real country music to exit Nashville. The air is too polluted with wokeness.
December 2, 2021 @ 10:13 am
Yes.
And those who bitch about waving the American flag, think it is oh-so-hip to wave the BLM flag. Step out into traffic, with their crowd, you know, because they are so damn “in tune.” Just about got me 3 at once, downtown Nashville, TN. when they made that mistake.
And, before you woke have a meltdown, i have friends of many backgrounds, a lot of whom are like family. We actually spend the nights at each other’s homes – catch up on the latest, when traveling around the country.
The American flag – i’ll go down waving her.
Interesting point Trig just posted about Marty Stuart.
I consider Trig & Marty, Brothers-In-Arms in their quest to keep country music alive.
Congrats Hank.
December 2, 2021 @ 9:08 am
I ask this as someone who didn’t really live through a lot of the 80s music when Marty Stuart was at his peak commercially. And this is a little off topic for a Hank post.
But can someone explain to me why Marty Stuart deserves to be in the HOF when so many artists (who seemed to me to have much more commercial/critical success and have bigger influence on the genre as a whole) are still left on the outside looking in? I realize he’s been the de facto historian of country music in the last several years, which is certainly commendable.
Its hard for me to wrap my head around how he got in before The Judds (even though they’re in now), Tanya Tucker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, and so many more (I realize some of these artists are now in the “veterans” category and wouldn’t have been on the same ballot.
I am not saying he doesn’t deserve it. I just could use someone to civilly explain what I’m missing so I can expand my knowledge on him.
December 2, 2021 @ 9:49 am
bryan92,
Marty could have easily entered the HOF in the recording/touring musician category alone not to mention as a performer in the modern era. Not to many HOF members can qualify beyond one category. He qualifies in at least two of them and quite possibly three.
In addition, his whole body of work sets him apart from others who, admittantly, deserve to be in. When one looks at teh whole of his wrok and contributions, it is a slam dunk.
December 2, 2021 @ 9:56 am
In my opinion, Marty Stuart is a country music Hall of Famer. Should others have been put in before him? Yes. But you can make that case for just about every single inductee except for Hank Williams Jr. for the last decade. This is because the spots to get in are so few, and the people who deserve them are so many.
No, Marty Stuart was not a commercial success. Yes, Marty Stuart was a critical success. But the reason he’s a Hall of Famer is because no single individual—artist or otherwise—has done more active work to preserve the roots of country music than Marty Stuart. Many of the artifacts in the Hall of Fame are his—stuff he rescued from dumpsters and thrift shops when country’s history was being literally thrown away. Yes, that also means he’s very close with the Hall of Fame and likely one of the reasons he got in, and so early. But I don’t have a problem with the pick at all.
December 2, 2021 @ 10:24 am
Yeah I think he definitely deserves to be in, and I don’t particularly love his music from before the Pilgrim. But the Pilgrim and everything he’s released since has been better than anybody in that time span.
December 2, 2021 @ 11:39 am
To understand Martys musical evolution consider that his early albums were done after a decade playing with Cash. So those early Marty records were strong on the Sun rockabilly influence. Songs like Tempted and Arlene and Hillbilly Rock. Later, Marty started expanding his sound to include Bakersfield and then with The Superlatives, he brought in a bit of the Lester Flatt influence. (Tear the Woodpile Down) And the latest album explores that Byrds, Parsons influence.
As to why hes in the HOF, i agree with Trig. Nobody advocates more for the heart and tradition of Country Music than Stuart. And when you consider his years as prominent sideman for Flatt and later Cash, you see the importance of what hes done.
December 2, 2021 @ 10:40 am
I’ve been a Hank Jr. fan for most of my life I got all of his albums from Sings the songs of Hank Williams (1963) to It’s about time (2015). I wish Hank had let off on the political stuff in the last 15 or 20 years I think it’s hurt him kept him out longer than it should’ve….but regardless Bocephus is phenomenal he holds records that will never be broken in any genre let alone country. I always go back & forth on who’s my favorite Hank Sr. or Hank Jr. I find it odd that Sr. died at 29 & that’s the same Hank Jr. was when his career finally took off…kind of ironic if you think about it…Bocephus has endured a lot in life his dad died when he was 3, he fell off a mountain beat the odds only to see his mother die months later, & now recently his daughter passed on…no country artist in history has had a life that could be compared to Hank’s. I’m glad his in been a long time coming. THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT MUSIC HANK… COUNTRY MUSIC WOULDN’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU!
December 2, 2021 @ 10:49 am
These Are My Ten Favorite Hank Jr. Songs
1.) Family Tradition
2.) A Country Boy Can Survive
3.) Cajun Baby
4.) I Don’t Have Anymore Love Songs
5.) The Blues Man
6.) Old Nashville Cowboys
7.) Just Call Me Hank
8.) Lonesome Down Here
9.) Living Proof
10.) Kaw-Liga (1980)
These are my favorite Hank Jr. Songs..don’t know why but I thought I would share them.
December 2, 2021 @ 8:45 pm
I think if you just based it on quality of his songs, I’m not sure Marty deserved it but it’s not always about that. He deserves it just for keeping traditional country alive along with a good song library.
December 2, 2021 @ 11:02 am
Hank has been ignored by the Nashville establishment for years and he should have been inducted years ago, but I saw the speech and I get how he feels because he’s been treated like an outsider by the country music industry, Hank is an entertainer in every sense of the word, and Hank deserves the respect.
December 2, 2021 @ 1:49 pm
It is about time !!
Finally!!
First time heard Bocephus was the song tear in my beer then it was the conversation with waylon. I was twelve at the time. Will always be a Hank fan!!
December 2, 2021 @ 1:50 pm
No matter what album he puts out there I like it all!
December 3, 2021 @ 10:54 am
It’s about time Bochepus made it to the HoF. A great performer, songwriter, singer and American.
December 4, 2021 @ 7:01 am
Bocepouse and if you don’t like Hank jr you can kiss both of our a#$es.
December 7, 2021 @ 8:15 pm
They are just some of his best ones I like them all
December 7, 2021 @ 8:17 pm
Whoo hooo.
Bocephus is finally in!
Yahoo!
February 5, 2022 @ 8:56 pm
A lot of these comments show what’s wrong with the world today. A bunch of oversensitive snowflakes who have accomplished NOTHING in their lives get online and talk s**t about someone who actually has. Hank Jr. is without question one of the all time greats. I agree with most all of his opinions and am glad he has the stones to state them to the public. Go on and try to cancel him, talk crap about him or whatever it is you people do. He’ll be living the life he wants to live, saying what he thinks and having a net worth of almost $50M. Don’t think he cares a bit about anything anyone has to say….
February 24, 2024 @ 10:35 pm
Gonna always love Hank, Yes I am, and if you ain’t into that I don’t give a damn.