BELOVED singer Hank Williams Jr. is often seen rocking a beard, hat, and sunglasses.
What some fans might not know is why the country star has this signature look.
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Who is Hank Williams Jr.?
Randall Hank Williams, known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is a singer-songwriter and musician who was born on May 26, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to country music legend Hiram “Hank” Williams and his wife, Audrey Williams.
Known for his unique style, which features a blend of rock, blues, and country, the younger Hank became famous in the 1980s after releasing several multi-platinum albums and countless chart-topping singles.
Some of his most well-known songs include Family Tradition, Texas Women, Born to Boogie, Ain’t Misbehavin, and A Country Boy Can Survive.
What happened to Hank Williams Jr.?
Hank’s iconic look has nothing to do with fashion, instead, it’s linked to a horrific accident that occurred in 1975.
Back then, he was hiking around Ajax Lake in Montana with his friend, Dick Willy, when he slipped and fell over 500 feet.
“I put my hands up to feel my nose. Where my nose should be there’s nothing there,” he recalled in his autobiography, Living Proof: The Hank Williams Story, via Distractify.
“My teeth and parts of my jaw fall out in my hand. I raise my hand to my forehead, and where my forehead should be, there’s something soft and squishy. That’s my brain, I think.”
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Later on in his book, he discussed waking up in the hospital, writing: “When I fell, there were only two people I saw when I woke up in the hospital bed, and that was Johnny [Cash] and June [Carter Cash]. June put a cross on me and told me it was all going to be OK.
“I never knew if I would sing again or not, talk again or not, let alone think about what I was going to look like. It was a scary time.”
Nonetheless, Hank persevered. He underwent 17 operations and has since used his beard and sunglasses to hide the scars.
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Where is Hank Williams Jr. now?
In the years following his accident, he released over 25 albums, including his 2022 hit, Rich White Honky Blues.
While he often stays out of the spotlight, he still tours to this very day but he also spends time doing other things he enjoys, like fishing and hunting.
On August 8, 2023, he took to Instagram to reflect on his life, 48 years after the almost fatal accident.
“48 years ago today 530 feet and 17 operations later this picture says it all. I am a very blessed and thankful man,” he captioned a picture that showed the height of his fall.
When Hank isn’t on the road or in the studio, he can often be found spending time with his children and grandchildren.
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