Hank Williams was one of the most influential and popular country music singers of all time, who recorded classics such as “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “Hey, Good Lookin’”, and “I Saw the Light”. He was also a troubled and tormented soul, who suffered from chronic back pain, alcoholism, and drug addiction. His life ended abruptly and mysteriously on New Year’s Day 1953, when he was found dead in the back seat of his car, en route to a concert in Ohio. But what was the cause of Hank Williams death, and what happened during his last hours?
A Life of Fame and Pain
Hank Williams was born on September 17, 1923, in Mount Olive, Alabama, as the son of a railroad engineer and a church organist. He showed an early interest in music and learned to play the guitar from a local blues musician. He started performing on the radio and in local shows, and soon gained a reputation as a talented and charismatic singer-songwriter. He married Audrey Sheppard in 1944, and they had a son, Hank Williams Jr., who would also become a famous country singer.
Williams signed with MGM Records in 1947 and had his first hit with “Move It On Over”. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1949 and became a star, with a string of hits that showcased his distinctive voice, emotional lyrics, and honky-tonk style. He also had a loyal fan base, who admired his authenticity and simplicity.
However, Williams also had a dark side, fueled by his physical and emotional problems. He suffered from a congenital spinal condition, called spina bifida occulta, which caused him severe back pain and made him prone to injuries. He also struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse, which affected his personal and professional relationships. He had a turbulent marriage with Audrey, who often clashed with him over his career and finances. He also had several affairs, one of which resulted in a daughter, Jett Williams, who was born five days after his death. He was fired from the Grand Ole Opry in 1952, due to his unreliability and erratic behavior. He also developed a dependency on painkillers, such as morphine and chloral hydrate, which he obtained from dubious doctors.
A Fatal Journey
On December 30, 1952, Williams was scheduled to perform at the Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, West Virginia, but the show was canceled due to a snowstorm. He decided to hire a college student, Charles Carr, to drive him to his next show, which was on New Year’s Day 1953, at the Canton Memorial Auditorium in Canton, Ohio. Williams was already in poor health and had been drinking heavily. Before leaving, he received an injection of vitamin B12 and morphine from his regular doctor, who had a fake medical diploma and was later arrested for illegal prescription.
Williams and Carr left Montgomery, Alabama, around noon, and headed north. They stopped at a hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Williams received another shot of B12 and morphine from a hotel doctor. Carr later said that Williams looked and sounded groggy, and had to be carried to the car by hotel porters. They resumed their trip around midnight, and crossed the state border into Virginia.
The last time Carr spoke to Williams was at a restaurant in Bristol, Virginia, where Williams asked him to buy him some sandwiches and a soft drink. Carr noticed that Williams was coughing and snoring, but did not think much of it. He continued driving until he reached a gas station in Oak Hill, West Virginia, around 5:30 a.m. He stopped to refuel and check on Williams, who was lying in the back seat, covered with a blanket. Carr tried to wake him up, but got no response. He asked the gas station attendant for help, who felt Williams’ wrist and said he was dead.
Carr called the local police, who arrived at the scene and confirmed that Williams was dead. They also noticed some bruises on his body, which suggested that he had been in a fight recently. They took Williams’ body to a nearby funeral home, where the undertaker performed an autopsy. The official cause of death was listed as “insufficiency of the right ventricle of the heart”, or heart failure. The autopsy also revealed that Williams had traces of morphine and alcohol in his system.
A Lasting Legacy
The news of Williams’ death shocked the country music world and his fans. His body was taken back to Montgomery, where thousands of people attended his funeral on January 4, 1953. He was buried at the Oakwood Annex Cemetery, next to his mother. His death was also the subject of many songs, books, and movies, which tried to explain the mystery and the tragedy of his final ride.
Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest country music artists of all time, and one of the most influential figures in American music history. He has been inducted into several halls of fame, such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has also inspired generations of musicians, from Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash to Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen.
The cause of Hank Williams death remains a matter of debate and speculation, as some people have suggested that he was murdered, or that he died earlier than reported, or that he was still alive when he reached the funeral home. However, most experts agree that he died of a combination of heart failure, drug overdose, and alcohol poisoning, which were the result of his long-term abuse of his body and his soul. He was a genius and a legend, but also a victim of his own demons. He saw the light, but he also saw the darkness.
