Hank Williams was one of the greatest songwriters to ever put music and words down on paper…..as he wrote some 500 songs up until his death at age 29 on an icy country back road in Ohio in 1952 during a snowstorm. It is said that to be a great songwriter, a person has to have “loved and lost” on more than a few occasions….and Hank certainly fit that bill….as some of his most touching songs are about his love and affection for his son Hank Jr….of whom he wrote “My Son Calls Another Man Daddy” in his 1950 hit…. and “To My Son, My Greatest Pal Of All” ….as performed by his son, Hank Jr. in the 1979 television special Tribute To Hank Williams in this video herewith.
There is no question by those who loved Hank Williams music that he died of a broken heart….and part of that heartbreak was due to his being robbed of being a “Dad” to his son Bocephus….as we here at ImaSportsphile are of the opinion that “a picture says a thousand words”….as the picture that we feature on this post is one of those pictures….as it speaks volumes on his “heartbreak” from not being able to a part of Hank Jr.’s life.
Years of back pain, alcoholism and prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health. In 1952 he divorced his 3rd wife, Sheppard….and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcohol abuse. On New Year’s Day 1953, Hank Williams died suddenly while traveling to a concert in Canton, Ohio, at the age of 29. Despite his short life, Williams is one of the most celebrated and influential popular musicians and songwriters of the 20th century….especially in regards to country music.
