The Steel Guitar Forum

if you watch some of his stuff on you tube that is not edited he is very very nasty. but hey he is riding on the gravy train and can pretty well do as he pleases. I dont think he cares if he makes it big he already is worth plenty in a round about way

trust me, its no gravy train. there aint much money in what III is doing right now

keep in mind, young artists dont always get to make the music they want to make. The record label can sell the third generation of an american musical legend. They cannot sell an unknown (and not very good) punk band.

I agree, I was meaning he will always have money from the family and not anything he does. I dont agree how these guys perform always drunk or high on willie weed or what ever they are high on. and the markings all over their arms first thing I think of is how many needles have they pushed into their veins. may not have pushed any at all but thats the picture they paint

I wouldn't go across the street to see his so called "punk rock" show. I do however, like his old Hank styling material. Mississippi Mud, comes to mind as well as, Lovesick Broke & Driftin'.

Delvin I am with you, I LOVE punk rock and I would run across the street to GET AWAY from his punk show.

Hank the third is a pure case of being born in the right family and being named after a Legend and a half..If his name was Joe Materatz he would be lucky to get a Job playing for tips and only if foul mouthing was allowed.. There are a lot of entertainers who sound like old and older Hank..None so far have made it big or are needed since theres already been one and almost two. ..Maybe ole Hank would have a tough time dealing with todays trendy music as many Legends are finding out now..But no one can take away accomplishments..

well to be fair, his name is Shelton Hank Williams, and I think he's a fine singer of country songs.

theres a thing called rebel or outlaw country.
Merle, Willie, Waylon, etc. Shelton taps into that more than his grandpas music in terms of attitude and lifestyle choices. Granted that is not for everyone...but I like it.

Its hard for me to find fault in his disdain for nashville and modern country and the country music establishment. Hank Sr is NOT in the country music hall of fame. can anyone explain that??? The most revered country singer of all time not in the country music hall of fame. Not to mention the sorry state of new country music...talk about your peeeee-yeeeeews.

Hank Sr. was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1961. I've heard Shelton when he sounded a lot like Hank, but I think he chooses to do his own thing, like it or not. I like Hanks sound better. I also think us guys that feel this way are not in the age bracket that would buy tickets to his live shows anyway, so he plays to those who pays.

This post brings to mind a Don Helms original he liked to tell.

He said something like, "One time someone asked me if I thought Hank III really sounded like Hank Williams. I told them, 'I don't know, but their ponytails are totally different.'"

I stand corrected Bobby, thanks. I meant to say grand ole opry not hall of fame.

I really wonder how much family gravy 3's ever gotten, seeing how he can't stand his dad and wouldn't be surprised if he get's shunned at will time. I get the feeling the young man would be doing much the same if his name was Jones.

Bobby Burns wrote:Hank Sr. was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1961.

Nope-
Hiram "Hank" Williams was inducted Nov 3 1961 (the night before I was born). There was nobody named Hank JR.(his name is Randell), so there was no Hank SR. ever inducted into the Hall Of Fame!!
You can walk around the Country Music Hall Of Fame all day long and will never find a plaque with the name "Hank Sr".

Seems to me he's doing exactly what he wants. You can like it or leave it, plain as that. It's better than the carefully concocted, pitch corrected, forgetteable fluff you can have shoved down your throat on every top 40 FM station. But so are a lot of other artists.....

Lets face it, if it wasn't for the name he couldn't play a low class beer joint. These guys that try to ride to fame on thier dad,mom,sister's name ect. make my butt hurt.
Crystal Gale made it on her own merit.
Conways son will never come close to his dad, so quit trying to be him and pave your own road.
IMHO
BD

I was always kind of indifferent when it came to Hank Jr.( I thought he has had some great songs over his career), but when I saw him at the Johnny Cash Memorial at the Ryman back in '03 and he blew everybody else off the stage with his version of "Ring Of Fire". His voice was like thunder compared to everybody else performing that night, and there were some big stars on the bill. I came away that night with a much bigger respect for him. I think I sort of realized the whole "Bocephus " thing has been his "gag", but the man can REALLY sing his rear end off.

I agree Paul, Hank JR Did it his way. He never tried to act or look like his dad. I meant so many of them try be a copy and it just don't work. There has already been a Hank Williams and will never be another.

Bill Dobkins wrote:I agree Paul, Hank JR Did it his way. He never tried to act or look like his dad. I meant so many of them try be a copy and it just don't work. There has already been a Hank Williams and will never be another.

WHAT, do you know how Randall Williams started his career?
His first record was all his dads songs, and he used to wear his dads suits when he performed them. That's why his mom and a Nashville marketing agent started having him go by the stage name of "Hank Williams Jr.", even though he is not a Jr. His first 8 or 10 years in the music business was being a clone of his dad, and a kind of lame one at that with piano and an orchestra instead of a fiddle & steel.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB8oWOSYG58

WOW Alvin, I did not know that. But I had never heard of him until stuff like Born to Boggie came out.

Alvin, that period of Bocephus' life wasn't of his own choosing! That was all the idea and choosing of his mother Audrey! She wanted to keep the money rolling in and right into her purse as long as she could. When Jr. finally was able, he did it his way and I'm glad that he did as he's always been one of my favorites. Listen to the words of "Standing in the Shadows", I can hear a little of what he was going through and how he felt in those days!.......JH in Va.

i just dont get the gripe - this guy is pure old school honkytonk, it aint your fathers or grandfathers honkytonk, but thats what i'd call it - same themes & beat. i saw the MS show and it was a great match with Marty's style, much like the old variety shows of the 50's-60's. i thought III's band was dead on, though they looked like they just crawled out from under the bus.

i'm so glad to hear someone who runs 180 degrees from the Nashvegas sound - i mean, with all the critics, he could have EASILY rode into NV and "gone country" with the marketing media establishment but chose to do his own thing instead

I got the old Hank Jr. stuff on LP/8-trk and like it
I also have the new Hank Jr. stuff on LP/CD and like it
And of course I love ol' Hiram "Hank" Sr

well we aint really discussing steel guitar so before this gets moved, lets talk about III's steeler.

Watch this and fast forward to 1:11 for the steel break.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86QUJwnyCs

whatcha think? I dig that harmonic flurry at the end.

Still not a fan ....but that last YouTube video was head & shoulders better than the Marty show stuff .Steeler & fiddler very talented .Could listen to this easy, Hank3 didn't sound so nasally & fake .Looks like they know how to entertain there fan base .

Ben,thanks for posting this as I wouldn't have bothered to look otherwise .

****Bob****

I'm a HUGE Hank III fan. I love his country music more than the Hellbilly metal stuff but I can appreciate both. Shelton's steel player in Andy Gibson, very talented and shines in a live environment. As far as the gravy train, Shelton adopted the name Hank III when he found out he had a son and wanted to support him. I can't fault a man for doing what he needs to to support his own. I do know that Shelton was not raised by his father, only an occasional visit for hunting and whatnot. Shelton was raised by his mother and neither of them received much from Hank Jr. She still works. Shelton has always been pretty open about his appreciation for Hiram but to my knowledge has never received royalties from either his Grandfather or Father's work and only has a tie that was worn by Hiram. Hank Jr.. to my knowledge. has never passed down anything else and it would seem that Marty Stuart owns everything else as he purchased a majority of Hiram's belongings from his sister a long time ago.

Hank Sr.(Hiram)DIDN"T come out 10 years later. That's what made him great.