Hank Williams III 470347 222384933 2008-06-29T01:58:16Z 142.46.8.6 Removed the non-existent "Taper-friendly musicians" category link {{Refimprove|date=April 2007}} {{Two other uses|Hank Williams III|his grandfather|Hank Williams|his father|Hank Williams, Jr.}} {{Infobox musical artist |Name = Hank Williams III |Img = Hank Williams III SXSW 2006 crop.jpg |Img_capt = Hank III performing in 2006 at the [[South by Southwest]] Festival. |Landscape=yes |Background = solo_singer |Birth_name = Shelton Hank Williams |Alias = Hank III<br>III<br>The Unholy 3 |Born = {{birth date and age|1972|12|12}}<br>[[Nashville, Tennessee]]| |Origin = |Instrument = [[Singer|Vocals]], [[Guitar]], [[bass guitar|Bass]], [[Drums]] |Genre = [[Country music|Country]], [[Cow punk]], [[Punk rock]] |Occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]], [[Musician]], [[Bassist]] |Years_active = 1996&ndash;present |Label = [[Curb Records|Curb]], [[Bruc Records|Bruc]] |Associated_acts = The Damn Band, [[Assjack]], [[Superjoint Ritual]], Arson Anthem |URL = [http://hank3.com/index.htm Official Website] }} '''Shelton Hank Williams''' ([[December 12]], [[1972]]) is an [[United States|American]] musician. He is sometimes credited as '''Hank III''' or even '''III'''. The three is often represented by a modified version of [[Raymond Pettibon]]'s [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] logo. The grandson of [[Hank Williams, Sr.]] and the son of [[Hank Williams Jr]], both [[country music]] legends, the younger Williams' music alternates between somewhat traditional country, and a more aggressive music that touches on [[punk rock]] and elements of various [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] styles. His music is difficult to classify concisely, but has been described as hard-twang, [[cowpunk]], [[altcountry]], [[hellbilly]], and honky punk.<ref>[http://www.marysville.k12.mi.us/mms/Finished_Projects/Internet/zcataldo/hankIII.html hankIII<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Hank III enjoys an extremely loyal grassroots fan base and much of his success can be attributed to his taper-friendly stance of his frenetic live tours, which have been his main promotional vehicle. ==Biography== Williams spent much of his early career playing [[drum]]s in [[punk rock]] bands. In 1996, mounting [[child support]] payments led Williams to capitalize on his family name and sign a contract with [[Nashville, Tennessee]] music industry giant [[Curb Records]]. ''[[Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts]]'' was issued shortly thereafter, which spliced together recordings to make it seem that three generations of Williams men were singing alongside one another. Upon first meeting Hank III, [[Minnie Pearl]], a friend of Hank Williams Sr., reportedly said "Lord, honey, you're a ghost," as she was astonished by his striking resemblance to his grandfather. Williams' first solo album, ''[[Risin' Outlaw]]'', was released in September [[1999]] to respectable sales and strong reviews. While his name (and his uncanny vocal and physical resemblances to his grandfather) could have guaranteed Williams a thriving [[country music|country]] audience, he had little patience for the often predictable Nashville sound, nor for even the minimal constraints on behavior his promoters required. His opinions on this subject are well summed up in the songs "[[Trashville]]" and "[[Dick in Dixie]]" ''[[Lovesick, Broke and Driftin']]'' was released in [[2002]]. Known for his relentless touring, Williams' live shows typically follow a "[[Jekyll and Hyde]]" format of a [[country]] set followed by a [[hellbilly]] set, and then an [[Assjack]] set. He plays country and hellbilly with his "Damn Band" and produces a very different sound with Assjack, which is a [[punk rock]] band. The lineup for Assjack includes the addition of supplemental vocalist, Gary Lindsey, bassist JoeBuck switching from upright to electric bass, and the departure of his fiddle and slide guitar players. In the past, The Damn Band/Assjack also featured fiddle-player extraordinaire Michael "Fiddleboy" McCanless, who would play both sets, adding traditional violin for country set of the concert before plugging his instrument into an amplifier and distortion unit for later sets. Another former band member was guitarist [[Duane Denison]], previously with [[The Jesus Lizard]], who left The Damn Band and Assjack in January 2001 and later that year formed [[Tomahawk]]. Williams had a great deal of trouble with [[Curb Records]]. He expressed dissatisfaction with his debut, and reportedly the label was unwilling to release his appropriately named ''[[This Ain't Country]]'' LP, nor allow him to issue it on another record label. In response, Williams began selling t-shirts stating "Fuck Curb." Also during this era, Williams played [[bass guitar]] in [[Superjoint Ritual]], a now defunct band led by with former [[Pantera]] vocalist [[Phil Anselmo]]. [[Joe Fazzio]], former drummer for [[Superjoint Ritual]], has toured with Hank III as well as contributing to his album ''[[Lovesick, Broke and Driftin']]''. In late 2004, ''Thrown Out of the Bar'' was slated for release, but Curb opted not to issue it. Williams and label executive [[Mike Curb]] would be in and out of court for the next year before a judge ruled in favor of Williams in the spring of 2005, demanding that Curb release the album. Shortly thereafter, Williams and Curb came to terms, and Williams dropped his "Fuck Curb" campaign. ''Bar'' was reworked into ''[[Straight to Hell (album)|Straight to Hell]]'', released on Curb’s rock imprint, Bruc, which featured a cover of "Pills I Took," originally by [[Those Poor Bastards]]. Battles with [[Wal-Mart]] had delayed the release of ''Straight to Hell'', which was released on February 28, 2006 as a two-disc set in two formats: a censored version (for Wal-Mart), and an uncensored version, which was the first major-label Country album to bear a [[parental advisory]] warning. One of the songs, "Pills I Took", was written by a little-known Wisconsin group called Those Poor Bastards who originally released the song on their 2004 CD ''Country Bullshit''<ref>Popmatters music review</ref>. Currently, Hank III is touring in support of ''Straight to Hell'', and has been overheard claiming that a rock record, presumably under the moniker of Assjack, will finally see the light of day in less than a year, followed by a new country album. He has also played drums for [[Arson Anthem]], formed with Anselmo and [[Mike Williams (singer)|Mike Williams]] from [[EYEHATEGOD]].<ref>[http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=18998 Metal News - Superjoint Ritual Is No More ( Metal Underground . com )<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As Stated in a [[Youtube]] interview, Hank is currently working on a new album, for now Hank calls it "Damn Right & Rebel Proud" and has some of the same type of songs on it as ''Straight to Hell''. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-YeQfRNUlA YouTube - Hank III interview (American Nightmare Radio)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Other activities== * Hank III has recorded the tracks "87 Southbound" and "Thunderstorms and Neon Signs", which were penned by [[Wayne Hancock]], a musician who is often compared to him. * On the self-titled - and single - release of [[Rebel Meets Rebel]], a side project by [[David Allan Coe]] and Pantera's [[Dimebag Darrell]], [[Vinnie Paul]], and [[Rex Brown]], Hank III is featured on "Get Outta My Life". *Backed by the [[Rollins Band]], Williams sang Black Flag’s “No Values” on ‘’[[Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three]]’’. * Hank III appears in the film ''Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician'' (2001).[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278044/] * Hank III has written liner notes for all three studio albums by grindcore band [[Brujeria (band)|Brujeria]]. * Hank III played drums on Arson Anthem's eponymous debut. * Hank III is credited with Guitar and Vocals on 'Ramblin' Man' and Vocals on 'Okie from Muskogee', both on the 2000 album 'the Crybaby' by the Melvins * Hank III is 6'2" and resides in [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]] ==Discography== ===Albums=== ====Solo==== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! width=55|<small>[[Top Country Albums|US Country]]</small> ! width=55|<small>[[Billboard 200|US 200]]</small> |- | 1996 | ''[[Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts]]'' | align="center"|29 | align="center"| |- | 1999 | ''[[Risin' Outlaw]]'' | align="center"|52 | align="center"| |- | 2002 | ''[[Lovesick, Broke and Driftin']]''<sup>A</sup> | align="center"|17 | align="center"|156 |- | 2003 | ''[[A Lethal Dose of American Hatred]]'' <small>(w/ [[Superjoint Ritual]])</small> | align="center"| | align="center"| |- | 2006 | ''[[Straight to Hell (album)|Straight to Hell]]'' | align="center"|17 | align="center"|73 |- | 2008 | ''[[Damn Right, Rebel Proud]]'' | align="center"| | align="center"| |} *<sup>A</sup>Peaked at #4 on [[Top Heatseekers]]. ===Other appearances=== *''Badlands: A Tribute To [[Bruce Springsteen|Bruce Springsteen's]] [[Nebraska]]'' (contributing track: "[[Atlantic City (song)|Atlantic City]]") (2000) *''Driven Soundtrack'' (contributing track: "Hang On") (2001) *''Timeless: A Tribute To [[Hank Williams]]'' (contributing track: "I'm A Long Gone Daddy") (2001) *''Sharp Dressed Man: A Tribute To [[ZZ Top]]'' (contributing track: "Fearless Boogie") (2002) *''[[The Crybaby (album)|The Crybaby]]'' ([[The Melvins]], Vocals and Guitar on ''Ramblin' Man'', Vocals on ''Okie From Muskogee'') (2000) *''Dressed In Black: A Tribute To [[Johnny Cash]]'' (contributing track: "Wreck Of The Old 97") (2002) *''Live In London... England'' ([[Dale Watson (singer)|Dale Watson]] ''Backing Vocals on "Country My Ass"'') (2002) *''[[Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three|Rise Above]]: 24 [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] Songs To Benefit [[The West Memphis Three]]'' (''No Values'') (2002) *''Grand Ole Opry at The Ryman Auditorium: Tribute to Hank Williams Sr.'' (2003) *''Stars & Guitars'' ([[Willie Nelson]] and Friends ''Vocals on "Dead Flowers" and "Move It On Over"'') (2003) *''Touch My Heart: A Tribute To [[Johnny PayCheck]]'' (contributing track: "I'm The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised") (2004) *''Rebel Meets Rebel ([[Rebel Meets Rebel]] ([[David Allan Coe]] and [[Pantera]]), Vocals on "Get Outta My Life") (2006) *''50 Years Too Late'' (Joey Allcorn, vocals on "This Ain't Montgomery") (2006) *''Everybody Loves [[ANTiSEEN]]: A Loving Tribute To The Boys From Brutalsville'' (contributing track: "Ruby, Get back to the hills") (2006) *''For the Sick: A Tribute To [[EyeHateGod]]'' (contributing tracks: "Take as Needed for Pain" and "Torn Between Suicide and Breakfast"; credited as The Unholy 3) (2007) *''Arson Anthem self titled (2008)'' (featuring Phil Anselmo on guitar, Mike Williams on vocals and Hank 3 on drums) ===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! <small>[[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]</small> ! Album |- | 2000 | "I Don't Know" | align="center"|50 | ''Risin' Outlaw'' |- |} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.hank3.com/ Official Website] * [http://www.myspace.com/hank3 Hank III Music page Myspace] * [http://www.myspace.com/hankwilliams3 Myspace Page] * [http://www.hankville.com/ Hankville Fan Website] * [http://acmi.canoe.ca/JamMusicArtistsW/williams_hankIII.html News] * [http://www.superjointritual.com/ Superjoint Ritual Official Website] * [http://www.rockabilly.net/hank3/bio.shtml Biography] * [http://entertainment.msn.com/artist/?artist=105047 Additional Biography] * [http://tvcasualty.com/hank3/ Discography/Mulitmedia] * [http://clubpix.kingsnake.com/index.php?stype=keywords&si=hank&action=search&cat=1&subcat=0 Concert Photos] * [http://www.pbase.com/bowman1/assjack Assjack Concert Photos] * [http://www.pbase.com/bowman1/hank_iii Damn Band Concert Photos] '''Interviews''' * [http://www.rockabilly.net/articles/hank3.shtml Collected Interviews] * [http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A184067 Boise Weekly Interview, August 9, 2006] * [http://www.altweeklies.com/alternative/AltWeeklies/Story?oid=oid%3A167211 AltWeeklies Interview, June 8, 2006] * [http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2758752 iFilm interview, June 2006] * [http://streamos.rhino.com/download/rhino/podcasts/hankiii-extended.mp3 Rhino Records Interview, May 23, 2006 MP3 format] * [http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/williams-hank-iii-060512.shtml PopMatters Interview, May 12, 2006] * [http://www.live-metal.net/features_interviews_hankIII.html Live-Metal.net Interview, April 22, 2006] * [http://www.mp3.com/features/stories/3675.html Mp3.com interview, March 15, 2006] * [http://www.takecountryback.com/march2006/Raw%20Deal%20-%20Hank%20III.pdf Take Country Back Interview, March 2006] * [http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1860 Blender.com Interview, March 2006] * [http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/6071/tempidx/5/menuid/3 Blistering.com Interview, January 18, 2004] * [http://www.perfectpitchonline.com/v01i03/iii.php Perfect Pitch Online Interview, May 6-19, 2003] * [http://newshound.de.siu.edu/pulse/discuss/msgReader%2419 Daily Egyptian Pulse Interview, August 27, 2002] * [http://www.druidcityonline.com/fa-hank3.htm Druid City Online Interview, August 13, 2002] * [http://tvcasualty.com/articles/a_hankw3.html TV Casualty Interview, June 2, 2001] * [http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewhotstar.pl?Artist=HANWILR Pollstar Interview, September 11, 2000] * [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/W/Hank_Williams_Iii/2000/07/12/751858.html Canoe Interview, July 12, 2000] * [http://music.yahoo.com/read/interview/12053477 Yahoo Music Interview, April 4, 2000] * [http://www.salon.com/ent/music/int/1999/11/03/hank/print.html Salon Interview, November 3, 1999] * [http://www.rockzilla.net/rockzilla/weikert2.html Rockzilla Interview, undated] * [http://www.countrystandardtime.com/hankwilliamsiii2FEATURE.html Country Standard Time Interview, undated] * [http://www.synthesis.net/music/story.php?type=band&id=1245 Synthesis Interview, undated] * [http://www.tomaroundtheworld.com/hankwilliams3.mp3 Tomaroundtheworld Interview, undated, MP3 format] * [http://www.southboundbeat.com/issue_12/interviews/hank3.php3 Southbound Beat Magazine Interview, undated] * [http://www.midwestexcess.com/oct05/hank3.shtml Midwest Excess Interview, Undated] '''Reviews''' * [http://www.americanaroots.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=533&Itemid=73 Americana Roots Podcast Review] * [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002613445 Hollywood Reporter Concert Review, June 6, 2006] * [http://club.kingsnake.com/index.php?/archives/68-Concert-Review-Hank-Williams-III-at-La-Zona-Rosa,-Austin,-Tx.html Concert Review, May 23, 2006] * [http://www.rocknworld.com/features/06/HankIIIlive.shtml Concert Review, April 6, 2006] * [http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blhankiiiconcrev.htm Concert Review, September 20, 2002] * [http://www.rocknworld.com/features/06/HankWilliamsIII.shtml Rocknworld.com Straight to Hell CD Review] * [http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/22/143550.php Blogcritics.org Straight to Hell CD Review] '''Fans''' * [http://74.86.44.120/phpBB2/ Cussin' Board/Fan Community] * [http://cbe.whathelps.com/chat/UserEntrance.aspx?query=Dirty_Hack_III Official Chat Room] * [http://www.hankville.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=3 Hank 3 Board/Fan Community] '''Misc.''' * [http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/fiddleboy/ Michael "Fiddleboy" McCanless Memorial] * [http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/hank%20gives%20up%20visitation%20fight%20over%20unknown%20lovechild_02_06_2006] * [http://www.clevescene.com/issues/2006-06-28/music/sonicreducer.html] * [http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail.cfm?article_id=4113 Harp Magazine Interview Featuring Hank III's Truck] {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Hank, III}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:American rock bass guitarists]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Nashville, Tennessee]] [[Category:Tennessee musicians]] [[Category:Curb Records artists]] [[Category:American alt-country singers]] [[de:Hank Williams III]] [[et:Hank Williams III]] [[es:Hank Williams III]] [[fr:Hank Williams III]] [[fi:Hank Williams III]] [[sv:Hank Williams III]]