How Hank Williams Jr. emerged from his father's legendary shadow

For most young men, becoming their own man is one of, if not the most, important part of growing up. As hard as it is, imagine you are the son of a famous person. It's an escape from the past that no one can seem to escape given the gigantic shadow they must overtake. At first glance it seems an impossible feat. Well, that's exactly the feat that Hank Williams Jr. accomplished as the son of Hank Williams.

Hank Williams Jr. and his father were inseparable for a long time. Everyone wanted Williams to be his father, sing like his father and live like his father. However, Williams concluded that if he wanted to be known for his own talents, he would have to undergo a complete metamorphosis. Which he achieved in his early twenties.

Hank Williams Jr.'s need for freedom

Of the many occasions Williams has spoken out about his father, this was one of the interviews in which he became the most transparent The David Letterman Show in 1982. For comparison, Williams was 33 years old and had eight albums on the country charts. However, before this individual success, he spent most of his earlier career trying to emulate his father and appease the fans who wanted him to do so. As a result, Williams told Letterman, “Hank Williams Jr., that's a name that in some ways gives you a really good start” and “also closed the doors in some ways.”

Recalling his years as a child musician, Williams said, “For the little boy, playing Hank Williams was fun, but for the man, it was h….” When Williams Sr. died, Hank Williams also believed , that audiences “wanted every part of him they could get back.”

Given that notion, Williams believed he owed a debt of gratitude to his father's fans. So he continued his legacy by performing his music and imitating his style until he was in his early 20s. That's when he decided to break free and become his own man.

Achieve musical independence

In Hank Williams fashion, he gave a simple answer as to how this freedom was achieved. Letterman said all that was needed was “writing songs, playing shows and showing off.” However, both Williams and the fans know it was far more complicated than that. Williams acknowledged this fact, stating that his success was largely due to people like the Marshall Tucker Band, the Allman Brothers, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings developing the type of music he wanted to make.

As this wave of music became popular, Williams knew he no longer had to sing “Your Cheatin' Heart” darkly and slowly. Instead, he could pick up an electric guitar, write songs like “Dinosaur” and “A Country Boy Can Survive,” and become one of country music's greatest outlaws of all time.