He was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcoholism. In 1952, he divorced Sheppard and married singer Billie Jean Horton. Years of back pain, alcoholism, and prescription drug abuse severely compromised Williams' health. Among the hits he wrote were " Your Cheatin' Heart", " Hey, Good Lookin'", and " I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". He was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree. One year later, he released a cover of " Lovesick Blues", a huge country hit, which propelled him to stardom on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1947, he released " Move It on Over", which became a hit, and also joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program. After recording "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. Williams married singer Audrey Sheppard, who was his manager for nearly a decade. When several of his band members were drafted during World War II, he had trouble with their replacements, and WSFA terminated his contract because of his alcoholism. He formed the Drifting Cowboys backup band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote his time to his career. Williams began his music career in Montgomery in 1937, when producers at local radio station WSFA hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. Payne, along with Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb, had a major influence on Williams' later musical style. 1 (three posthumously).īorn and raised in Alabama, Williams was given guitar lessons by African-American blues musician Rufus Payne in exchange for meals or money. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he recorded 55 singles (five released posthumously) that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 12 that reached No. Hiram " Hank" Williams (Septem– January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician.
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