Hank Williams Jr. Biography: The Outlaw Country Music Icon from America!

Hank Williams Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician known as one of the pioneers of outlaw country music. With a career spanning over 50 years, he has released over 70 albums and earned numerous accolades, including 5 Grammy Awards. Williams is also famous for singing the opening theme song for Monday Night Football from 1989 to 2011.

Hank Williams Jr. Net Worth

As of 2024, Hank Williams Jr.’s net worth is around $45 million. He has amassed his wealth through a successful music career over five decades. Williams has extensively sold over 70 million albums worldwide and tours, performing over 200 shows annually. His opening theme song for Monday Night Football also earned him a lucrative contract with ABC Sports. Additionally, Williams owns a music publishing company, Bocephus Music, allowing him to collect royalties from his extensive catalog.

Hank Williams Jr. Early Life

Hank Williams Jr. was born as Randall Hank Williams on May 26, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is the son of legendary country singer Hank Williams and Audrey Mae Sheppard. His father passed away when Hank Jr. was only 3 years old. After his father’s untimely death, Audrey raised him on his own.

Hank Jr. learned to play guitar at a very young age and made his stage debut when he was 8, singing his late father’s songs. In 1964, at 14, he made his recording debut with the single “Long Gone Lonesome Blues.” He imitated his father’s style, sound, and mannerisms early in his career.

Hank Williams Jr. Career

Hank Williams Jr. began his career by closely following in his father’s footsteps. His debut album, “Hank Williams Jr. Sings Songs of Hank Williams,” was released in 1964. He recorded several more albums paying tribute to his father throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.

In 1975, Williams had a near-fatal fall while mountain climbing in Montana, significantly changing his life and music career. His new gritty, rock-influenced sound forged the way for Southern rock and outlaw country. He released his breakthrough album “Hank Williams Jr. and Friends” in 1975, featuring appearances from other Southern rock artists.

Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Williams dominated the country charts with hits like “Family Tradition,” “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound,” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight.” His concerts became known for their rowdy, rock-inspired energy. In 1989, his song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” became the opening theme for Monday Night Football, taking his fame to new heights.

Other major successes followed, including the multi-platinum album “Maverick” in 1992. Williams has continued to release albums and maintain a busy touring schedule up to the present day. His iconic status in country music has been widely recognized through inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame (2004) and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2011).

Hank Jr.’s Personal Life

Hank Williams Jr. has been married three times. In December 1969, he married his first wife, Gwen Yeargin. They have one son together named Hank Williams III, born in 1972. Hank and Gwen divorced in 1977.

In 1977, Hank Jr. married Becky White, with whom he had two children – daughter Holly in 1981 and son Hank Williams IV in 1984. Hank and Becky divorced in 1988.

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In 1990, Williams married Mary Jane Thomas, with whom he also had two children – daughter Katie in 1993 and son Samuel in 1997. Hank and Mary Jane remain married today, residing primarily in Paris, Tennessee, on a ranch when not on tour.

Outside of music, Williams is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, and gun sports. He is also known for his staunch patriotism and conservative political views, which occasionally stir up controversy.

Hank Williams Jr. Wife

Hank Williams Jr.’s current wife is Mary Jane Thomas. The two married in October 1990 in Montana. Mary Jane was previously married to Vanderbilt University offensive lineman William Thomas, with whom she had one daughter, before marrying Hank.

Mary Jane has been by Hank’s side as his wife for over 30 years. She often accompanies him on tour and to public appearances. The couple resides on their ranch in Paris, Tennessee, when not on the road.

Together, they have two children – daughter Katie Williams-Dunning (born in 1993) and son Samuel Williams (born in 1997). Tragically, in 2020, the couple’s daughter Katie died at the age of 27 in a car accident. Hank and Mary Jane have continued supporting each other through this difficult loss.

Unknown Facts About Hank Williams Jr.

• Hank Jr. recorded his first single at 14 and his debut album at 15.
• He was the last person to speak to his father, Hank Sr., on the phone before Sr.’s untimely death at age 29.
• He survived a 500-foot fall off the side of Ajax Mountain in Montana in 1975. The incident significantly altered his appearance and musical direction.
• He has appeared as himself in various films and TV shows, including The Dukes of Hazzard, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons.
• He sang the Monday Night Football theme song weekly for over 20 years straight until parting ways with ESPN in 2011 over controversial political comments.
• He was nearly selected to join Lynyrd Skynyrd but opted to focus on his solo career instead.
• He boycotted the Country Music Association Awards for a decade beginning in 1988 due to disputes over the direction of country music.
• He is an avid gun enthusiast and hunting advocate. Williams owns an outdoor clothing line called HW Unlimited Outdoors.
• In 1989, he set a world record for the largest free-fall parachute jump at 19,800 feet.
• He is a self-taught musician who never learned to read music but plays multiple instruments by ear.

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