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Hank Williams Jr: Country Music, Southern Rock And Bocephus
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Published: July 19, 2007
Millions of people tune in every Monday night to watch one of America's greatest traditions in “Monday Night Football.” When the program opens, every ear is greeted by a man with dark sunglasses and a cowboy hat spouting the familiar line, “Are you ready for some football?” Many viewers know this man simply as the Monday Night Football guy, but they never realize just how much success lies behind those dark shades in the man named Hank Williams Jr.
Not only is Hank Williams Jr.
the son of one of country music's pioneers, Hank Williams, but he also has been a recording artist for nearly his whole life. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana with the name of Randall Hank Williams. In 1953, when Hank Williams Jr. was still a little boy, his father died and left his mother, Audrey, to raise him. It is said that Audrey is the one who set Hank on his way to a country music career, partly because she was so responsible for his father's career. In the early 1960's, Hank Williams Jr. scored a number of country music hits, but never really blossomed into his own musical role until later in the decade.
In 1966, Hank Williams Jr. released the song “Standing in my Shadows” from a soundtrack that was dedicated to his father. In this song,, fans heard a sound that drifted away from country and more towards a sound that combined country roots with rock and roll. This new sound would be one of the first that would pioneer country music and southern rock. Hank Williams Jr. was looking for a way to step out of his father's footsteps and into his own, and this combination was the perfect way to do so.
At first the country music fans Hank Williams Jr. won over were very disappointed with the new direction he was heading. He did not seem to mind this though, as he adopted a look of a cowboy hat, full beard and dark glasses while still continuing with the southern rock style. In the 1980s, Hank Williams Jr. started to reach the pinnacle of his success as he recorded many number one hits. These hits coincided with many music videos and he became a public icon. It was during this time Hank Williams Jr. was asked to rerecord his song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” into “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” for “Monday Night Football.”
However, in the late 1980s, those same country music fans that originally spurned Hank Williams Jr. and his new musical direction began to open back up to him. He was given many country music awards including Entertainer of the Year by the County Music Association in 1987 and 1988. Hank Williams Jr. saw his career come full circle; now he was accepted by his roots and by the general public.
When Hank Williams Jr. was born his father nicknamed him Bocephus because he believed he resembled a ventriloquist dummy after the same name. The Bocephus nickname still sticks with him to this day as he still has tours with the name on it and passionate fans will call him by it when talking about him. Hank Williams Jr. even has a box set out with all of his songs on it entitled “Bocephus.” What started as an innocent nickname in the cradle has really turned into something of a namesake for Hank Williams Jr.
Randall Hank Williams was born into a family that knew success in the music business. He took the Hank Williams Jr. and turned it into a household name. Every Monday night, America is welcomed to a football game by his familiar face. People should be aware that the face they see on the television is one of the most successful musicians country music and southern rock has ever seen.
Sources:
"Hank Williams Jr." Wikipedia. 1 July 2007. 3 July 2007.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_William s_Jr.
"Hank Williams Jr. : Biography." Country Music Television, Inc. 2007. 3 July 2007.
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/williams_jr_ hank/bio.jhtml
Not only is Hank Williams Jr.
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In 1966, Hank Williams Jr. released the song “Standing in my Shadows” from a soundtrack that was dedicated to his father. In this song,, fans heard a sound that drifted away from country and more towards a sound that combined country roots with rock and roll. This new sound would be one of the first that would pioneer country music and southern rock. Hank Williams Jr. was looking for a way to step out of his father's footsteps and into his own, and this combination was the perfect way to do so.
At first the country music fans Hank Williams Jr. won over were very disappointed with the new direction he was heading. He did not seem to mind this though, as he adopted a look of a cowboy hat, full beard and dark glasses while still continuing with the southern rock style. In the 1980s, Hank Williams Jr. started to reach the pinnacle of his success as he recorded many number one hits. These hits coincided with many music videos and he became a public icon. It was during this time Hank Williams Jr. was asked to rerecord his song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” into “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” for “Monday Night Football.”
However, in the late 1980s, those same country music fans that originally spurned Hank Williams Jr. and his new musical direction began to open back up to him. He was given many country music awards including Entertainer of the Year by the County Music Association in 1987 and 1988. Hank Williams Jr. saw his career come full circle; now he was accepted by his roots and by the general public.
When Hank Williams Jr. was born his father nicknamed him Bocephus because he believed he resembled a ventriloquist dummy after the same name. The Bocephus nickname still sticks with him to this day as he still has tours with the name on it and passionate fans will call him by it when talking about him. Hank Williams Jr. even has a box set out with all of his songs on it entitled “Bocephus.” What started as an innocent nickname in the cradle has really turned into something of a namesake for Hank Williams Jr.
Randall Hank Williams was born into a family that knew success in the music business. He took the Hank Williams Jr. and turned it into a household name. Every Monday night, America is welcomed to a football game by his familiar face. People should be aware that the face they see on the television is one of the most successful musicians country music and southern rock has ever seen.
Sources:
"Hank Williams Jr." Wikipedia. 1 July 2007. 3 July 2007.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_William s_Jr.
"Hank Williams Jr. : Biography." Country Music Television, Inc. 2007. 3 July 2007.
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/williams_jr_ hank/bio.jhtml
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