His face was split open down the middle, hairline to chin as if struck with an axe. Scotty J Where he would call the state of Alabama his new home. From a money pit 100 feet deep to Shakespearean manuscripts, the legendary finds on Oak Island have kept it in the news for centuries. January 27, 2023, 7:23 pm, by He did, but Jrs interpretation was the first I heard and I still think of it as being one of his songs. The fall caused massive injuries to his head and face. During the fall, Hank Jr.'s head impacted on several rocks jutting out from the snow field, and then he landed face first on a boulder. He went on to talk about how his doctor told him how he had worked on numerous soldiers in Vietnam. It took two years for the country star to recover fully, and from then on, he was rarely seen without a beard and sunglasses. Hank jr put out some great music in the late 70s and early 80s. While Robert Urich was famous for doing battle with tough foes on the screen. He was the son ofHank Williams andAudrey Mae Sheppard Williams, both of whom were renowned musicians of their times. Isbell is an insufferable point-dexter about his silly political beliefs. However, did you know that those elements of his style were due to a serious accident? 9. 9. It was on that date that the country starsuffered a near-fatal accident while climbing Ajax Peak in Beaverhead County, Mont. To be specific, the helicopter was forced to land about a quarter of a mile away from the accident scene. In my case it was quit listening to that music and go outside and play or quit watching those classic movies and go outside and play. the amount of money in doing what he was doing could have paid for Hank Jr. to go to a very good college and gotten a very good career doing something other than what killed his daddy. Hank Williams Jr. was performing his father, Hank Sr.'s, songs on stage at age 8. She reportedly suffered a possible blood clot following a medical procedure. It stars Richard Thomas of The Waltons fame as Hank and also portrays a lot of the conflict with his mother that led him to carve out his own legacy. August 10, 2015 @ My head was the size of a watermelon, Hank recalls. Twenty-four hours after admitting we loved each other, I became a monster on a mountainside with most of my face gone, the singer tellsPeoplemagazine. Bocephus music has given me great pleasure and comfort over the years. February 14, 2020 @ From expensive cars to enormous mansions to copious quantities [] More, While Peter Lawford might the least well-known member of the Rat Pack, he is sometimes referred to as the Man Who Kept The Secrets due to his secretive efforts to connect Marilyn Monroe and his brother-in-law JFK. Doctors told him initially he would never sing again, and because of his previous issues with drugs, addiction became a serious issue during Hanks recovery. "It was just God's will for him to live.". Describing the terrifying event in a 1976 interview, Williams remembered falling and hitting his head on a boulder on his way down. Do you think his career would have panned out differently if he hadnt gone through that life-changing event? Smashing his head on jagged rocks as he plunged and sustaining serious injuries in the process. While Williams Jr. was hiking up Ajax Peak, the snow beneath him collapsed, causing him to fall about 440 feet. Country music icon Hank Williams Jr. shows off both his family and a buck in a photo taken on a group hunting trip. August 10, 2015 @ Not every really great and talented artist is Hall worthy is my point I guess. -jr-89495/ Justin But she added that he was young and tough and that it was Gods will for him to live. August 10, 2015 @ Buz Barnes 7:43 am, Its on YouTube free saw it on there not long ago it was pretty good, Jim Turner Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. First, the snow shifted under his feet and he fell down the mountain. Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. The difference being that Hank Jrs political rants are lies, bigoted and worse. It was something he apparently saw coming. August 10, 2015 @ I saw him in concert in WPB at least 12 times and got in a lot of fights at the West Palm Beach Auditorium back in the day. Forty-six years ago today (Aug. 8, 1975) Hank Williams Jr. suffered a near-fatal accident while climbing Ajax Peak in Beaverhead County, Mont.. Williams Jr. was buoyed by the support of the country music community, including two of the genre's biggest stars, during his recovery:"June Carter and Johnny Cash were there when I came around," Williams recalls to USA Today, "and it meant a lot.". May 7, 2021 @ He was driving Hank Williams, 29, who died that night. A post shared by Hank Williams Jr. (@officialhankjr) To be specific, the helicopter was forced to land about a quarter of a mile away from the accident scene. Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. Just a quick correction, though: the accident occurred on August 8, not October 8. The show was a success due to its excellent writing and directing. The country icon went climbing on Ajax Peak in Beaverhead County, Mont., on Aug.. In mid-June 2020, Katherine Williams-Dunning the daughter of country singer Hank Williams Jr. was killed in a car crash in Tennessee. August 8, 2016 @ As always, I enjoyed the article! If you havent yet, I would strongly recommend the Hank Williams biography by Colin Escott to you (or anyone) The stories about Hank Sr and Miss Audrey are insane. 4:54 pm, I just have to note the song Living Proof has nothing what so ever to do with the Mountain fall since it was written and recorded before it happened.. 8. His famous father died just a few years after Williams was born, but many musicians did their best to fill in. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Throughout Monroe and Kennedys alleged affair, Lawford supposedly acted as a liaison for the President. Following his fall he crushed his face and split his skull, and had to have several reconstructive surgeries and had to learn to talk and sing again. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time I never heard anything Hank sang that I didnt believe. More than any other voice, the warm, nasally moan of Hank Williams with its upbeat hiccup and downcast cry defines country. Williams was ascending Montana's icy Ajax Peak when he stumbled and plunged 500 feet. Hank Williams Sr, best known for penning country classics like Your Cheating Heart and Honky Tonk Blues. Audrey told the Nashville-based newspaper The Tennessean that month that it was a miracle that Hank was alive. The name of Hank's father is Hank Williams and his mother is Audrey Williams. So, it shouldnt really be that big of a surprise that, with numbers like those, celebrities would face the same risk of dying [] More, Hank Williams Jr. Talks About the Accident That Almost Killed Him, Gilligans Island Star Ginger Is Looking for Love at 87, Scientists Discovered Evidence That Exposes An Ancient Lie About Woolly Mammoths, Handlers Thought This Owl Was Male For 23 Years Then He Laid An Egg, This Baby Elephant Decided To Spend His Last Days Alongside This Creature, Woman Adpots Tiny, Adorable Puppy. Your email address will not be published. Dinosaur 75 Comments. I for one dont like any artist that uses his status as an entertainer to enlighten us on there politics, even though left leaning actors and musicians do it way more than Conservative musicians and actors. He was buoyed by some old family friends, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The filmstarsThe Waltons' Richard Thomas as the country singer. Lawremce Smith When he finally gained consciousness, he found his godmother, June Carter Cash, and her husband, Johnny, in his hospital room. Williams' then-girlfriend and future second wife, Becky White, also stood by him, though they'd met just one week before his fall. As another note, the newspaper clip got Hank Jr.s age at the time very wrong. Hassan Blues Man Alan Jackson & Hank Williams Jr LIVE ACM 2000 . I loved Almeria Club. Williams-Dunning was driving a 2007 Chevy Tahoe while towing a. However, in the year 1953, his dad passed away due to heart . His partner left his 11-year-old son with him so he could go get help. He was only 29 years when he left his son, who wasnt even 4, behind. Well see you soon with more facts-filled videos covering some of your favorite stars and their wild life stories! Ol' Bocephus, as he's known, has had a slew of number-one hits, recorded 50-plus albums, collected numerous awards, and been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but it might have all ended one summer day in 1975. Shastacatfish Hanks output in the post-fall years was absolutely fantastic, in my opinion. And a badass line. August 10, 2015 @ 3: Give a Damn LOL. On August 8, 1975, Williams and his pal, Dick Willey, set out to hike Ajax Peak, a 10,000-foot mountain near the IdahoMontana border. The most satisfying thing was knowing that I could do it and that the fans were liking it maybe not the industry folks, but the fans were connecting with the sounds and the songs., Editors picks In the second verse I spit-out I went mountain climbing with old bocephus and I pushed him down I looked across at Chris with my I dont know what comes next look on my face. On his way down, he hit a boulder and heard a dull thud, as his head made contact. November 24, 2021 @ On August 8, 1975, Bocephus was hiking on Ajax Peak in Beaverhead County, Montana. Then I realized he has been a headlineing act for about 50 years and he is by far Americas most famous offspring and won entertainer of the year 5 times in a row and sold 70 million albums. I by no means want to infer he does not have incredible talent.. However Ive seen him live in concert and it was terrible. Played all over the country over the years until I started the solo Sweet GA Brown stuff.. anyhow, Chris died of liver failure this past year. He didnt though. Over the next two years, Hank Williams Jr. would have nine reconstructive surgeries on his face and head. There's A Tear In My Beer - Hank Williams Jr. tribute - Lyrics. Thankfully, Williams survived. The fatal head-on collision occurred as she drove along Banner Road. Shastacatfish Jason Isbell is fairly political too, but hes a gentleman and doesnt allow that to overshadow his music. The young lady (18-19 years old) working at the DQ went to put money in the jukebox. And tribulations he had to endure to finally prove to the world that he was a heck of a lot more than just a country stars son. Ever listened to Lester Armistead? I dont think an education was one of Audreys priorities. On Aug. 8, Williams, then 26, and a friend went hiking along rugged terrain near Ajax Lake in search of goats. Joshua R. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The snow beneath him collapsed, and Williams fell 440 feet, fracturing his skull in multiple places. 3. She had been facing financial struggles, and her home had been seized by the IRS for failure to pay taxes, but her son's near-death experience reportedly weighed heaviest on her. Even One Night Stands, the album he put out between Hank Williams Jr. & Friends and The New South, had some pretty jamming tracks, although Hank opined that it was more of a get back in the studio and see if I can still do this sort of thing. She was 27. 5:18 pm. And just like his father, he was very into music. Hank Jr. is the ultimate performer. NEXT: Remember What Song Was Hank Williams, Jr.'s First No. Also, he bought a plot of land on the base of the mountain and built a cabin. His partner left his 11-year-old son there to keep Bocephus awake and talking while he went to get help. Hank Jr., IMO, is the most talented country music singer/performer of all time. "Williams Guide Service graduates, Class of 2022!" the singer tweeted alongside the picture. Since the location of Hanks fall was so remote, it took many hours to rescue him as he laid on the side of the mountain, clinging to life. How come no one ever mentions he was goat hunting when that happened. Thats all Im gonna tell you!. While climbing Ajax Peak on the continental divide (Idaho border) west of Jackson, the snow beneath him collapsed and he fell almost 500 feet (150 m) onto rock; he . by I never knew if I would sing again or not, talk again or not, let alone think about what I was going to look like. October 15, 2015 @ Coupled with the full beard and sunglasses that he wore from then on to disguise his scars, it proved a winning combination, heralding a new career direction that would see him become one of the biggest names in country music over the course of the next decade. Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound On August 8, 1975, Williams Jr, who was 26 at the time. He signed to his first record deal when he was 14 and earned a number-five hit in 1964 with a cover of his fathers signature tune; Long Gone Lonesome Blues. I remember seeing this when i was a kid back in the 80s when i started listening to country music. Hank Jr. Is the very best period .. I remember listening to Hank Williams Jr.s Greatest Hits on tape in my dads truck as a kid. I never knew if I would sing again or not, talk again or not, let alone think about what I was going to look like. But thats part of the exclusiveness of the CMHoF. At age 15, Williams had his first Top 5 hit on the country charts with a cover of his father's . On This Day: Hank Williams Jr. Has Near-Fatal Mountain Climbing Accident in 1975. LOOK: Country Stars Who Have Suffered Terrible Tragedies, Jaimee Harris Finds Strength On Her Own With New Album Boomerang Town [INTERVIEW], Hot Tickets: 2023s Must-See Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk Tours, Country Stars + Americana Artists With March Birthdays, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cashs Sweetest Relationship Moments [PICTURES]. died in 2020 after being involved in a car accident in . He added that he didnt feel any pain directly after the fall. August 10, 2015 @ He also managed to be honored with 4 Emmys and 5 Entertainer of the Year awards. About 1,000 feet below the summit, the two friends came to a snow field, but as Williams crossed it, the snow suddenly gave way under his feet. He has a beautiful voice, and he gives his fans a great show. When I fell, there were only two people I saw when I woke up in the hospital bed, and that was Johnny and June, Williams recalls. 4:41 pm, Great article. 4. Williams started his career singing his fathers hits, but by the 1970s, he was making his own name in the music industry with hits like Family Tradition, A Country Boy Can Survive, Dinosaur, and If Heaven Aint A Lot Like Dixie. He was even inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2020. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? Initial reports suggest that Mary Jane may have passed away due to complications from a blood clot after surgery. Tennessee 2. 3. 6:10 am. We started a redneck punk band called Hellstomper back in 94. Ive been shot, cut up, and hurt before and I looked at my hands immediately. Williams slipped and fell about 500 feet, sustaining "serious head injuries as he. June put a cross on me and told me it was all going to be OK. One night Stands 27, Killed in Tennessee Car Crash. Whisky Bent and Hell Bound So say what u wish but I challenge anyone to tell me another act that was playing shows with patsy cline can headine a 15000 seat arena in 2015, Dan D. Hey Hank were you Drunk when you slipped off Ajax .Mountain ? He was in shock. 10:41 am. Looking to clear his mind and hopefully help find the inner voice he needed to persevere on his new career path, Hank Jr. took a retreat to Montana before a big tour was scheduled to commence. Tune in today for more with Jay Leno, and to meet Jay's care team who helped . Trigger . Hank Williams Jr. found some success, working more or less as a tribute act and playing plenty of his old man's standards. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by Born Randall Hank Williams on May 26, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to father Hank Williams and mother Audrey, Hank Jr. Immersed in the musical world from the day he was born. Katherine Williams-Dunning was 27. . Facts Verse And he does it on television, no less. Before they could fly him to the nearest medical center, Missoula Community Hospital. Hank Jr. was my gateway drug into country music. Country music legend Hank Williams Jr. has said his wife, Mary Jane Thomas, is the love of his life and they share a real-life fairytale that began in 1992 . In the new millennium, Jan has turned her interests [] More, Each year over 1.5 million patients become victims of medical malpractice in the US alone. 8:30 am. Hank unfortunately slipped and fell approximately 500 feet. Milsap is a legend and up there with greatest country voices of all time. What set Hank Williams Jr. apart in my generation was the sound he created that blended country, rock and blues not to mention the subject matter which included, God forbid, drinking AND drugging which prior to Hank Jr. was pretty much taboo in a country song. They were almost certain that he would die. August 10, 2015 @ Hank Jr.'s wife of more than 30 years, she was just 58 at the time of her death (other reports cited her age at 61). I agree with what others have said, the political stuff really grates on me as does the loud mouth cheesy stuff from him the later 80s and early 90s, although I really liked the hog wild album (93 94 I think?). 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No idea what it would be like to be a young kid forced to try and fill the shoes he was forced into and surviving the fall and the subsequent issues would have broken or killed most people. But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. Once called the King of Country Music, he died in 1953. May 19, 2019 @ August 10, 2015 @ And even though he hasnt had a top 10 single in over 20 years when you go see him live in the year 2015 these hot chart toppers of today are opening his shows.. August 11, 2015 @ At that time, Hank admitted that he had no clue whether or not he would ever sing again. He also had the support of his then-girlfriend and future second wife, Becky White, whom he'd met only one week before the accident. Collapsed, and a friend went hiking along rugged terrain near Ajax Lake in search of goats with 4 and! Jason isbell is fairly political too, but hes a gentleman and doesnt allow that to his. 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