By Shea Anderson
“I’ll never get out of this world alive,” sang the country star known as the “Hillbilly Shakespeare.”
He was known for his honesty, and these lyrics rang true. But he left behind a legacy. Hiram “Hank” Williams, a country music revolutionary, is honored in nearby Oak Hill, West Virginia, with a road that carries his name.
Why Oak Hill, a mere 10 miles down the road from Songer Whitewater? The still mysterious death of the young rising legend unfolded in 1952 at a gas station in the town. While on his way to a show, he was discovered dead at the age of 29 in the back seat of his ’52 Cadillac after an alleged cocktail of drinks and medication. The gas station is gone, but a bar that claims it was Hank’s last stop still stands just down the road in Hilltop.
His heart stopped—just called it quits and stopped beating. That was the conclusion from the official autopsy. But for many, it’s not a satisfying enough answer for the sudden loss of a musical mainstay.
Details of Williams’ death are disputed, but one thing was certain: it did not stop his music’s momentum. His sincere and passionate songs continued to top the charts after he passed, and he set a foundation for country music that still endures. (And gets copied in homage—icons like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan have covered Hank Williams tunes.)
He topped the charts at number one 11 times in his career, establishing himself as the father of contemporary country and setting a new standard for stardom. More than half of his recordings rocketed to the top 10, ensuring him a permanent place in country music history. In fact, in 2010, almost 60 years after his death, his influence earned him a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize board. They recognized him as a “songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life.”
His heartfelt tunes were accompanied, however, by a reputation for rough living. Though he showed early talent, picking up a guitar when he was 10 and teaching himself, he still had to leap the hurdle of stage fright. And his struggled rise to fame was always at odds with his recklessness and drinking, which crumbled his first marriage.
In many ways, these hardships made his music more authentic and relevant. He thrust his deepest feelings out for the world to see and share, and that’s what people loved about him.
His legacy is apparent within the whole of the country music genre, but it is also carried on by his son and grandson, Hank Williams Jr. and Hank Williams III, who have added their own talents and styles to the country scene. Junior incorporates Southern rock and blues, while Hank III dips into punk and metal styles.
While you’re visiting Adventures on the Gorge for a rafting trip or a TreeTops Canopy Tour, you can take the quick spin to Oak Hill to drive the road and see the memorial dedicated to him. Perhaps you might stumble upon his hat, which was reported missing after his death. Residents tell stories of the hat, as well as other former possessions of the superstar, still floating around the town. One former owner of the supposed hat even called it cursed after his hair started falling out.
This video of Hank’s “Lonesome Whistle,” includes more information about Hank’s career. If you haven’t given country’s cornerstone musician a listen yet, take some time to appreciate his music and the way he transformed the genre and popular music in general, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
