Hangin'+With+Hank+-+Jesse+H+2013


 * Most people think it’s easy to move, but really it’s not. I’m still living in the same county and everything but still it’s not as easy as it seems. What’s nice though is I met this real nice colored boy down the street. His name’s Rufus Payne, he’s a street performer. He said. “If ya give me some of your money or food. I’ll teach ya how to play the guitar.” Right now he a teaching me and i’m a learning.

**In 1934 Hank Williams moved to Georgiana, Alabama.**

I’m real good at it too. Mama says “Boy you keep it up and we can be living in big leagues. You’ll be star with that voice of yours.” I believe my mama, I got a good voice and all, I just don’t know if I could make it to the “big leagues” like she says.

Rufus mainly teaches me how to play country, gospel and even honky tonk songs. We practice a lot. One day we were sitting on sidewalk and we was just strumming away when Rufus turned and said. “You know you got a funny name Hiram. You make it big no one’s going to come see you with that funny name.” “What do you mean Rufus, you have a funny name to.” I looked down at my feet. I knew what I said was wrong, always raised that way. Mama taught me not to talk that way. “How does ya know! Just cuz my name’s Rufus doesn't mean it’s funny! Why don’t ya change ya name to something else?” “Maybe I will.”

I thought about real hard when I got home that night. What exactly would I change my name to? Harry? Earl? Hank. It was Hank. The name fit me like a pair of doctor gloves. Hank King Williams. Sounded real nice together, and so from that night on I was known as Hank not Hiram. Rufus and me started to play more he bugged me on how that was not such a great name, but I knew it was. He never called me by my name, just hillbilly.

**Hank Changed his name from Hiram to Hank in 1936**

Mama had ended dragging me away from Rufus, probably the only good friend I had in Georgiana, Alabama. Mama said “Boy, now don’t you be back talkin your mama. Okay? We’re goin somewhere real nice. You're gonna like it I promise.” We ended goin to Montgomery, Alabama.


 * Late in 1936 the Williams family moved to Montgomery, Alabama**

I guess you can say my mama was right when she said i’m gonna be in the big leagues because I got this job over at this radio station called WSFA they asked me to host it for 15 minutes. After that everything started to fall into place. A couple boys and me from town formed a band called The Drifting Cowboys Band. My mama managed us. We’s good to, real good, but because of the band I had to drop out of school.


 * Hank Williams Started his career in 1937**

After I dropped out things started to fall apart. My band Member’s came to me and the said “Hank we’s need to tell you something.” They sat me down at the diner booth and stared at me. I thought they was gonna tell something good, but they didn’t. “ Hank we’re bein drafted. They need more soldiers for the war so they drafted us.” I looked at them my eye’s burning,face red and I stared. How could this happen? Everything was going so perfect right now why did I have to lose the people closest to me. Why? Don Helme’s the steel guitarist of the band reached across the table and took my hand then stared me in the eye and said. “Now Hank don’t you be cry or anything it’s not like we’s not coming back.I promise, we’s gunna come back.” I believed Don, they was gonna come back. Right up until the moment that I found out he didn't keep his promise. I didn’t want anything to do with anyone. I still made music though it’s how I released my stress. That and alcohol. I thought about band members a lot when I made music, so I drank more often than I music. Although tragedy happened I still needed to go to town. While I was in town I saw beautiful lady, right then and there I couldn’t remember the last time something bad happened. I needed to know who she was. So I took the chance. “Excuse me Ma’am.” She looked up at me with those hazel eye’s and I melted. “Is this a good article?” I reached across the flower table we stood in front of to collect a newspaper the was dated 1943. She smiled, beautifully. “Actually I just wanted to get your name.”

The young lady extended her hand swiftly and said “ My name’s Audrey Mae Sheppard, but you can call me Audrey.”

“Well hello Audrey, I liked to see you again.” Her smile was warm inviting but she just said. “We'll see.” Then walked away, leaving me stunned.

I lost my job at the radio station but, sure did I get lucky because I married Audrey on December 15 1944. We’ve been married a for a couple years now and things are going great. Audrey’s taking over my mama’s position as manager for the band. Which is good because we finally got signed by a place called Sterling Records. I’m coming out with song call “Never Again”.


 * Married Aubrey December 15 1944**

A lot of people are liking my music. it’s 1951 and I have 11 chart toppers like “Move It One Over”. Audrey’s getting kinda upset with me though over things that I’m doing and that the record company’s doin, but I have no control over it. Then to top it off Audrey went to the doctor the other day for some stomach pains. The doctor ended up givin her a pregnancy test, it came back positive. I know we’ve been married for awhile but I don’t know if i’m ready for this. She say’s. “We’s gonna him Hank jr.” How does she even know if it’s boy?


 * In 1948 Hank released "Move It On Over" and "Never Again"**

Audrey and I have been fighting for the past year a lot and frankly I’m tired, really tired. We’s decided to get divorce it should be finalized sometime in 1952. I’ve been hitting the alcohol pretty hard again. I still think about Rufus and about Don which is why I drink, that and Audrey and the new addition Hank jr. I went to doctor the other day and he said “Hank you're gonna have a heart attack if you don’t stop this stuff.You're heart is in bad shape.” I kept going though. Finally I was sitting there in my chair in my living room watching TV, drinking and writing a new song then all the sudden my chest started hurting. I grabbed my chest but, fell out of the chair and onto the floor. No one was there to help me. I was having a heart attack, like my doctor said. In the early hours of New Years Day of 1953 I died. My life was emotional wreck but i’m happy to be such a legend.

**Hank Williams died on January 1 1953 at the age of 29** ||  ||
 * "He never called me by my name, just hillbilly." ~ Hank Williams

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Videos: "Move It on Over" media type="youtube" key="-Lza3NVH6Ig" width="420" height="315"

"Never Again" media type="youtube" key="JHGB37IzFXs" width="420" height="315"