Hiram hank williams september 17, 1923 january 1, 1953 was an american singersongwriter and musician. He was laid out on a stretcher, and another intern, diego nunnari, listed the time of death at 7 a. Some local citizens, however, didnt want oak hill to be remembered as the death site. The death of hank williams chords misc cowboy lyrics. The facts have been debated and disputed for years but that is the story told by the last person to. They did one on hank sr and the story of his last day. Williams was an american singersongwriter and musician regarded as one of the most significant country music artists of all time.
At 17, charles carr was the only witness when a legend died, and myths were born. The hillbilly shakespeare, as the media sometimes called hank williams, lit up those old tube radios like no one before or since. Im doing what im doing for hank williams, says promoter ralph moore of lineville, alabama. The director of the hank williams museum in montgomery, beth petty, said carr, a retired investor, died monday after a brief illness. On january 1st 1953, hank williams was scheduled to perform a new years show in canton, oh. The exact cause of death, and what happened in the last 48 hours of his life will perhaps never really be known. Charles carr, hank williams driver for last ride, dead at 79 cmt. According to the beckley registerherald, oak hill is an area where ultraconservative values conflicted with hanks rambling lifestyle and reputation as a boozer. Charles carr, the young driver hired to take hank williams from montgomery, al to a show in canton, oh, died after a brief illness at his home in montgomery. Charles carr, 79, driver on the night hank williams died. Ap more than half a century after his death, fans are still paying homage to country music icon hank williams. Hank williams daughter retraces route of country legend. Hanks hired driver for the trip was an 18yearold auburn university student named charles carr, son of the local cab company owner, who was hoping to make a. Charles carr the driver of the car in which hank williams died was still in his teens when he was confronted with a dead countrysinger in the backseat.
On january 1, 1953, hank williams, country music star and idol of millions, was found dead in the back seat of a chauffeured car on his way to a gig in west virginia. Sometime early on new years morning in 1953, country music star hank williams died in the back seat of his 1952 cadillac convertible near oak hill, west virginia. Charles carr in 2007 at the williams family graves in montgomery, ala. Driver recalls hank williams last ride part 2 of 2 cmt. Uncovering the mystery behind hank williams death by arden lambert july 30, 2017 i saw the light, hank williams latest biopic, still leaves a huge gap in the hearts and minds of the viewers after it failed to reveal the real cause of the singers mysterious passing. Cecil who passed away in 2010 commissioned an oil painting of hanks last departure from montgomery his 17yearold driver, the cadillac, and hank which. Hank williams fans wanted to mark this spot for posterity. Hank williams to wife billie jean shortly before he died but suspicions about this final journey arose immediately. The car in which hank williams passed his last few hours and died on new years day, 1953 is exhibited at the hank williams museum in montgomery, alabama. Hank williams was born in september 1923 in a small alabama farming community about 70 miles south of montgomery. Carrs son, charles lands carr, said his father didnt talk much about being williams driver on that final trip, until late in his life. In 1951, williams fell during a hunting trip in tennessee, reactivating his old back pains and causing him to be.
Hanks mother, lillian skipper williams, played the. On the morning of new years day, 1953, near oak hill, west virginia, williams driver stopped to check on his passenger in the back seat, who had been quiet for. On the way to a performance during a trip detoured by storms, hank williams passed away. He had been on his way from tennessee to ohio to play a new years day gig, but died in the dark some time after crossing the west virginia state line. The real hank williams story tyree funeral home oak.
Williams driver, charles carr found the singer dead while stopped at a gas station a few miles out from oak hill, west virginia. He was driving hank williams, 29, who died that night. But in the end it doesnt really matter, hank williams was dead at 29 years old. A tracing of hanks final ride by peter cooper of the tennessean was republished this weekend, and michael williams of the sevier county news has another good account of hanks final ride. Despite his short life, williams is one of the most celebrated and influential popular musicians of the 20th century, especially in regards to country music. This, coupled with the fact that williams young driver, a college student named charles carr, may have taken him to a local hospital for another shot of morphine in the morning, could have led to a drug overdose. Country music legend hank williams left montgomery, alabama, on december 30, 1952, in a baby blue. Misc sheet music the death of hank williams recorded by jack cardwell writer. Though billie jean was dating country singer faron. Williams was a country legend whose life had collapsed. Charles carr, who was just 18 and a college freshman when he drove country music legend hank williams on his final journey more than 60 years ago, died july 1 after a brief illness. For immediate releasefile this is an undated file photo of country and western singer and guitarist hank williams. His driver stopped at a restaurant during their trek and asked williams if he wanted something to eat, which. I saw the light vs true story of hank williams, audrey.
It is unknown what they did with the dead hank in the back seat from about 5 or 6. The strange death of country music star hank williams. Charles carr was driving hank williams in this cadillac shown at the hank williams museum in montgomery, alabama when williams died jan. In the second installment of this twopart series, writer tom robinson talks to charles carr, the college student who drove the.
He sat for a few minutes in the drivers seat of the cadillac he drove that night. Looks back on lifealtering accident and album just as he released his most sonically adventurous lp to date, the country superstar took a near deadly fall off a mountain. Williams was born with a mild undiagnosed case of spina bifida occulta, a disorder of the spinal column, which gave him lifelong paina factor in his later abuse of alcohol and other drugs. His boyhood home, a museum in montgomery and the cemetery where he and his wife are buried attract a steady stream of fans, including visitors from england, japan and other places around the world. The strange death of country star hank williams all. Hank williams, johnny horton and the bizarre history of. His father was a railroad engineer who was also a victim of shell shock after a year of fighting in france in 1918 during world war i and spent many years in veterans hospitals. Hank williams death car, montgomery, alabama roadside america.
Retracing each of hank williams mysteryfilled final. In the back seat lay country music superstar hank williams, dead maybe an hour, probably from an accidental overdose of morphine and whiskey. Hank williams cadillac 5 famous death cars where are. Williams got into the backseat of the cadillac allegedly with a bottle of whiskey, and the teenage chauffeur headed out for canton. Williams died at the age of 29 just before or on jan. Upon arriving in oak hill in the early hours of jan. On new years day 1953, he died suddenly while traveling to a concert in canton, ohio at the age of 29. The songwriters 29yearold heart turned cold, cold sometime. Hank williams mysterious last ride the independent. Hank williams radio station death announcement resurfaces. Around 1988 wtvk channel 26 in knoxville, tn had a series of videos they did on country music. Hank died at the age of twentynine, just a few days after christmas in 1952.
D d way up in west virginia between midnight and a7 dawn a d big, blue car was rollin its wheels they a7 hummed a. In his book, the death of hank williams, ralph moore said one of surfaces cousins told him hank was wearing only a tshirt. This would explain heart failure, which is what is listed as hank williams cause of death. Hank williams was born with the spinal condition, spina bifida. What happened at the andrew johnson hotel that may have killed. The prolific musician and performer wrote songs such as your cheatin heart, drank too much whiskey, had family problems. Hank williams became one of americas first country music superstars, with hits like your cheatin heart, before his early death at 29. With his records selling by the bucketload, williams. He died in the back seat of his cadillac while being driven to a gig on new years day 1953. Archive of the death of hank williams saving country music.
Charles carr, the auburn university freshman who chauffeured hank williams on his final ride, died monday july 1 in montgomery, ala. I just feel there is something lacking in his legacy. Hank williams death remains somewhat of a mystery to this day. We do know that he was pronounced dead at the oak hill hospital at 7 a. The strange circumstances surrounding hank williams death quickly. Williams was taken to a west virginia hospital and he was officially declared dead at 7. The restaurant first opened in 1942 and, according to local legend, has long been said to have been the last time anyone saw the great country singer, hank williams, sr. Oak hill man recalls bond with hank williams driver. Officials listed his cause of death as heart failure but noted that body. There are many contradictory statements about hanks condition and his final trip. Carr explained to kitts that he was driving hank williams to an engagement in ohio and.
At the time of his death, williams was married to aspiring singer billie jean jones. The driver of the car in which hank williams died was still in his teens when he was confronted with a dead countrysinger in the backseat. He also lit up his body with alcohol, cocaine, morphine, chloral hydrate, and heroin. Charles carr was the driver of the car in which williams died, according to the hank williams museum in montgomery. As main witness he has been questioned during his life up till now. When the driver was stopped for speeding, the policeman noticed that hank looked like a dead man. Hank williams last ride was 64 years ago mystery still. Charles carr told the ajc in 2002 he was the only witness when hank williams died. He sat for a few minutes in the driver s seat of the cadillac he drove that night. Driver recalls hank williams last ride houston chronicle. Williams was supposed to have performed near the time of his untimely death. The hank williams box has copies of his death certificate, a few local reminisces about the night that cadillac rolled to a stop there, news clippings about the curse of hanks stollen hat in oak hill, fan letters sent to the archive, proclamations made at times when the memory was in vogue around town, and even a shirt depicting what can.
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