Hank Williams

"Hank" Williams is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers charts, including 11 that ranked number one (three posthumously). After an initial rejection, Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry. Writing hits "Your Cheatin' Heart," Hey, Good Lookin'," and "So Lonesome I Could Cry." In 1952, he was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcohol abuse. On January 1, 1953, he suffered heart failure while traveling to perform at a concert in West Virginia and died as a result. Despite his short life, Williams is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th Century and has been cited as a key musical influence on Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones.