DAVE'S DIARY - 9 DECEMBER 2003 - HANK WILLIAMS JNR
THANK HANK FOR HUNTING AND FISHING
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Hank
Williams Jr almost emulated his famous sire as he plunged from Ajax
Mountain in Montana on August 8, 1975. Bocephus was 26 when he flirted with God, three years younger than his dad, in the horrific hunting accident near the Idaho border. But surgeons rebuilt his shattered face and body over two years and he rebounded to become the most successful country artist for more than a decade. Now, four wives and 50 million album sales down the lost highway of his late dad, we learn more about the legendary trailblazer.Hank Williams Jr 'Full Access' is one of several historic DVD gems released here by Umbrella Entertainment through A V Channel. Hank Williams Jnr |
The 80 minutes of concert footage from the 'Omni' in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 11, 1989, and interviews at Hank's Montana retreat and Paris, Tennessee home, is augmented with a 20 minute behind the scenes glimpse of its making.
HANK
THE HUNTER AND FISHERMAN
It also fleshes out the offstage life of the fisherman in mountains where
he has been hunting and photographing 'Rocky Mountain Elk', moose, wolverines,
coyotes and bears since he made his first movie at 17.
| Hank,
a musical guest for George Bush Sr, and his mates fly into his mountain
retreat in his private jet and round up and brand cattle grazing in
spring and summer. His buddies make their own cartridges and stuff their prey on walls of their log cabins where rappers don't roam. It's a far cry from Music City and Paris, Tennessee, where Bocephus's museums and stores house a fleet of Caddies including one his Daddy died in - subject of an Austin Lounge Lizards song. |
Hank Williams Jnr with George Bush |
A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE
Hank Jr proves
why he was the first country artist to sell his country/Dixie rock/blues
hybrid to hungry audiences with a rock attitude.
Bocephus didn't ponce around like the pop puppets - he captured the spirit
of armies of rural rooted rebels with oft updated anthemic 'A Country
Boy Can Survive,' 'If Heaven Ain't A Lot Like Dixie,' 'If The South
Woulda Won,' 'Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound,' 'Born To Boogie'
and 'Family Tradition.'
That family tradition extended to Hank 111 who makes a cameo role as a
drummer at a more recent concert - sadly young Hank 111 has soaked up
family 'Bad Habits' but has failed to deliver fully on his rich musical
roots.
Bocephus wrote, recorded and charted with social comment, hell-raising
songs when peers were pumping out soft cock pop and disco music.
REAL MAN OF STEEL
There's also
'All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight' which inspired the
name of cartoonist Fred Negro's son 'Rowdy' and 'Man Of Steel' which didn't
do the same for Boy Howardy.
Hank Jr eulogises his dad with Dixieland in 'Ain't Misbehavin,' 'Long
Gone Daddy', 'Mind You Own Business' and 'Move It On Over.'
'Bama Band' watchers will recognise 'Amazing Rhythm Aces' pianist Billy
Earheart
enjoying much larger audiences than on radio challenged Australian forays.
This proves how important Hank Jr was to peers by doing it his way to
enjoy a shelf life much longer than his puny P C critics.
Bocephus explains why he appeals as much to the "gal in her Mercedes
in Dallas, Texas, as the guy in the pick-up in North Dakota."
Hey, it's a family tradition you can't cook up in a cyber chat room.
NEW CD - I'M ONE OF YOU
When Hank
launched his new CD, 'I'm One Of You', at the BMI building in Nashville
on November 12 he acted out his larger than life persona.
With a burning cigar in one hand and a glass of red wine in the other,
Hank made it plain that he wasn't about to be humble - the standard Music
Row pose.
When BMI's Paul Corbin presented him an award and a monogrammed jacket,
he leaned into the microphone and said, "You know how much I care
for these things, baby. Zero."
He told celebrants that he had just visited a house in Franklin, Tennessee,
that his dad once lived in.
"I haven't been on that front porch since 1956," he revealed.
Doug Johnson, who produced Williams' album, - bringing his career tally
to about 80, explained he had a lot riding on it.
"If this works," he explained, "they'll paint a water tower
in south Georgia for me. If it doesn't, I'm done."
Mike Curb, head of Williams' record label and friend for 33 years, said
"I've never heard so many singles on an album. Every single quality
a superstar should have, this man has."
MISSING GUN
Hank Jr is
also trying to buy back a gun that Johnny Cash fired before a joint show
in Chattanooga in 1964.
A San Francisco auction house is selling the Civil War era handgun that
Cash gave to Hank Jr.
The gun comes with a hand written note from Cash to Bocephus.
"Please accept this cased model Colt's pistol as a gift. There is
no greedy motive of any kind behind this gift. Just friendship - and I'll
fight the man who says otherwise."
Hank's publicist says Hank was shocked when he found about the gun that
was set to be offered at the auction on December 8.
His second ex-wife Gwen - mother of Hank Williams 111 - sold the gun to
a Nashville collector for $1,000 in 1977 when she and Hank were in the
throes of divorce.
"He gave me no money," says Gwen who now manages a store in
the Nashville suburb of Green Hills, "I had a baby in the house.
Electricity was turned off. I sold anything I could to survive."
Hank's manager Merle Kilgore - the prolific songwriter who penned Ring
Of Fire with the late June Carter Cash - says Hank Jr supported Gwen until
she remarried.
The gun, appraised at $5,000-$7,000, was being sold by Greg Martin Auctions.
HOW TO WIN DVD - BUT NO GUN
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Williams Jr Full Access' by becoming a member of Nu Country TV.
CLICK
HERE for official Hank Jr album discography.