Hank Williams

Born Hiram Williams in Mount Olive, Alabama, Hank Williams is a mythical legend of country music. With little contact from his father, who moved into a veteran's hospital when Williams was six, he often felt a loneliness that was displayed in his music. His musical influences were typically local gospel and blues artists. African American street performer Rufus "Teetot" Payne is credited with teaching Williams how to play a guitar.

Williams scored his first hit song with "Move It on Over" in 1947. He received his invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry two years later, after his successful recording of the minstrel era song, "Lovesick Blues." Despite never learning to read music, Williams was a prolific songwriter including country music classics such as "Hey, Good Lookin'," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "Your Cheatin' Heart." He recorded a total of 66 songs in his six-year recording career, 37 of which became hit records. It was not unheard of for Williams to record three hit songs in one afternoon.

In addition to recording songs with his wife, Audrey, Williams recorded 14 songs as his alter ego, Luke the Drifter. The identity of the wise and moral Luke was supposed to be kept secret, although Williams would perform Luke the Drifter songs during his live shows. These songs were often narratives, in a drawn-out blues style, and so different from the typical Williams songs that he did not want to record them under his own name out of fear that it would negatively influence his marketability. After Williams died, MGM released a box set of Luke the Drifter records with Williams listed as the singer.