In the early years of Audrey and Hank Williams’ marriage, they lived close to the bone, working together in a shipyard in Mobile during World War II while they pursued musical careers, per “Family Tradition.” Audrey wasn’t a talented singer, but she was good at helping to foster her husband’s career until his drinking and physical fights finally took their toll. On May 26, 1948, Audrey and Hank Williams divorced. But less than a month later they were back together, according to “Hank Williams: So Lonesome.”
The couple then moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where Hank joined “The Louisiana Hayride.” The live radio show rivaled Nashville’s “Grand Ole Opry” and would launch the careers of everyone from Elvis to Johnny Cash. Audrey sometimes performed with Hank, but they would turn down her microphone, and her push to be a star allegedly damaged Hank’s career early on.
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On May 26, 1949, Audrey gave birth to their son Randall Hank Williams, better known as Hank Williams Jr. Soon, the family moved to Nashville where Hank joined the “Opry” and they amended their divorce decree. Things were looking up. But in Nashville, Hank kept Audrey off the stage. She did get a shot at recording an album for Decca, but the results were panned by the press, per “I Saw the Light: The Story of Hank Williams.”
