By 1942, all the members of the band were drafted except for Hank Williams. The Accepted Story of Hank Williams' Death. Published on July 25, 2022 04:52 PM. How Did Hank Williams Really Die? - Country Rebel It was there Hank would be given the opportunity to explore what would become his life's two greatest passions: music and alcohol. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Daly writes that after the veins in Wynette's arms collapsed, she resorted to shooting the drugs between her toes and ultimately had a permanent catheter inserted into her side, into which a needle could be inserted for shooting the drugs directly into her bloodstream. Hiram "Hank" Williams died on January 1, 1953, at the age of 29. Sam was reportedly heavily impacted by the loss of his sister. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Hank Jr.'s daughters Hilary and Holly Williams from his marriage to Becky White were both severely injured in an auto accident in 2006, with Hilary going into cardiac arrest . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "She grew up competing in baton and cheerleading and was one of Hawaiian Tropic's top models. Hank Williams Jr.'s Wife Mary Jane Thomas' Cause of Death Confirmed Hank Williams Jr.'s Wife Mary Jane Thomas' Cause of Death Confirmed By Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh) moved herself and her daughters to Nashville from a life of poverty in rural Mississippi, where the former hair stylist became a country music superstar with such hits as "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and "Stand by Your Man"(RealAudio excerpt). How Did Hank Williams Die? What Is Known About His Mysterious Death In light of the sad news, her brother and county music star, Williams, is now expressing his pain over the loss of his sister. Mary Jane Thomas died on March 22 of a collapsed lung that was punctured during an elective surgery the day before, according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office. ", Caller: "Uh, it was kind of unexpected, but it was a natural death, yes. In 1949, however, following the release of his hit "Lovesick Blues," it was a different story. Wife of Hank Williams Jr. dies in Jupiter - WPTV Williams. On the evening of Dec. 30, 1952, the restless, rail-thin 29-year-old tossed and turned in bed at his home in Montgomery, Ala. All rights reserved. Hank Williams: The Man Who Changed Country Music Hank Williams Jr.'s Son Sam Breaks Silence Over Sister Katherine He responded to an ad from Kaiser Shipbuilding, a shipyard company in Portland, Oregon that promised a free one-way ticket, training, free rent, and a steady wage for anyone willing to work. He pulled into a gas station to receive directions to the nearest hospital, but it was too late. Hank Williams Death Car, Montgomery, Alabama Unfortunately, she died in 1955, just three years after her son's death, so little Jett went into foster care, becoming a ward of the state before she was eventually adopted. Her spirit was gentle and giving. After his wife's tragic death, Hank Jr said: "Her kind spirit and beautiful and endearing love carries on in the hearts of our son, Sam, grandsons Beau and Tennyson, and granddaughter Audrey Jane.". Archive of the Death of Hank Williams | Saving Country Music Hank Williams Jr.'s Wife Mary Jane Thomas' Cause of Death - Newsweek It was never properly treated, and would cause him lifelong back pain. Tracy Wright is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. The Tragic Death Of Hank Williams Jr.'s Wife Mary Jane Thomas While on tour in Shreveport, he met a young woman named Billie Jean Jones. "Please pray for them so hard! Here I have tried to tell the story as briefly as possible using information from a number . How did country music star Hank Williams really die? - New York Post Carr stopped at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Williams began to feel ill, hiccuping and convulsing, according to Lovesick Blues. Booze was freely available at most of their gigs, and Williams took full advantage, which caused tension in the band. Tom [Hiddleston, the actor portraying Williams] puts across that impending sense of doom. 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Hank Jr.'s wife of more than 30 years, she was just 58 at the time of her death (other reports cited her age at 61). He was admitted to a Veterans Administration hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, where he remained hospitalized for most of Hank'schildhood. But as Jack Neely, executive director of the Knoxville History Project explains, local folklore tells a different story. Hank Williams | Spotify In 1952, Williams began performing with the Louisiana Hayride. . 1:44. His official cause of death was listed as heart failure, but there are many who say otherwise. Just before midnight, Carr set about getting Williams to a planned New Years Day show in Canton, Ohio. . Less than 48 hours later, Hank Williams was dead. On Saturday, it was reported that Williams-Dunning, the daughter of country singer Hank Williams Jr., died as a result of a car crash. The late Mary and Hank Jr. welcomed two children; Katie and Sam - daughters Hillary and Holly are Hank Jr.'s other children with his ex-wife Becky White. (AP Photo/FILE) The new biopic "I Saw the Light," in theaters Friday, traces country . His long term substance abuse also began to put a strain on his body, and at the end of 1951, he suffered a minor heart attack, according to Biography. While heart failure was reported as the official cause of death, officials observed that the man's body . The Death Car itself, a beautiful 1952 Cadillac, was put to practical use for years after Hank's death by the Williams family. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Williams' mother, Bobbie Jett, was six months pregnant with her when Hank Williams married his second wife, Billie Jean Eshliman. His shtick as the "Singing Kid" was so popular that he became a regular feature, hosting his own show twice a week. The story follows Williams country music career and the struggles thatthat went along with being a star including his battle with alcohol and infidelity. She and Williams, the 73-year-old son of late country legend Hank Williams, met in 1985 at one of his concerts and were married in 1990. HeWilliams Jr. has threechildren from previous marriages: Hank Williams III, Holly Williams and Hilary Williams. Thomas was married to singer Williams, 72, for over 30 years. She had a smile and presence that lit up every room and she never met a stranger she didn't befriend. I think he had a profound sadness in him, says Marc Abraham, writer and director of, Williams had already been drinking when he was given a shot of B12 and morphine by the hotel doctor. Mary Jane's cause of death was announced on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Peter . or redistributed. Mary Jane Thomas's Cause of Death: New Details Announced - Distractify Thomas and Williams were married for over 20 years and shared two kids, son Sam and the late Katherine, who died in 2020. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Days after Sam made the claims,TMZconfirmed through court records that Hank filed a petition for an emergency conservatorship in August 2020 for Sam. The Drifting Cowboys were a popular act, but by the age of 16, Williams was already struggling to control his drinking. Update: While earlier there was only speculation that Mary Jane Thomas may have died of a complication from a medical procedure, a coroner has now revealed the real reason four months after her death. Years later he had the car restored and displayed it in his Nashville museum. Meet Late Country Star Hank Williams' Grandkids Who - AmoMama The couple spent over 30 years . Hank Williams died on New Year's Day 1953, Montgomery funeral drew I think he had a profound sadness in him, says Marc Abraham, writer and director of the new biopic. The autopsy listed seven other findings including mild brain swelling, mild coronary artery disease, and fatty metamorphosis of the liver, according to the outlet. Wynette died in the same room where Williams' widow Audrey Williams died in 1975 of alcoholism. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Hank Williams Jr.'s wife Mary Jane Thomas unexpectedly died on Tuesday, a source with direct knowledge of the event confirmed to CMT. Nobody would know where he was," via Sing a Sad Song. In one sensational passage, Daly writes that Wynette's infamous 1978 kidnapping from a Nashville shopping mall had been staged by Wynette herself possibly in league with Richey. But clearly Williams' tragic death got in the way of that plan. Due to his bad back, he received a 4-F deferment from the draft, but there was no hope for continuing the band, per Lovesick Blues. Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 - January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. The daughter of country music star Hank Williams Jr. has died in a car crash. Her cause of death was not released. ', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Daly hints that Wynette would deliberately hurt herself in order to gain access to drugs and once hurled herself offstage during a concert to earn a trip to the emergency room. We've received your submission. Most accounts have Williams looking and sounding groggy, and hotel porters allegedly had to carry him to the car. As the end of World War II neared, Hank Williams returned to performing, but he had fallen far from his days as a star with his own radio show. Williams Jr. thanked fans for their prayers and support immediately following his wife's death. The new biopic I Saw the Light, in theaters Friday, traces country legend Hank Williams struggles with alcohol, infidelity and the weight of being one of the biggest music stars in the United States, following hits such as his cover of Lovesick Blues (1949) and his own Why Dont You Love Me (1950). When Hank turned 10, in the fall of 1933, his mother sent him to live with his aunt and uncle in a lumber camp 50 miles west in Monroe County, Alabama. Who knew that the Beach Beauty would turn out to be a world-class hunter and adventurer? "A family member verified Mary Jane died Tuesday in Jupiter, Florida, and we're told the early indication is that she died as a result of a medical procedure problem - probably a blood clot.". Thomas was rushed to a local hospital and died in the emergency room, the report said. Legal Statement. Hank Williams Jr.'s daughter Katherine, 27, killed in car accident - Yahoo! When he was sober, Williams was a great performer, but as Williams' drinking problem worsened, Opry executives began to lose patience. Neither Hank Williams Jr. or Sam Williams have commented on the news of Mary Jane's autopsy. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! . He might have been scrawny and somewhat sickly, but Hank"had a lot of nerve," according to his cousin Taft Skipper inSing a Sad Song: The Life of Hank Williams. Hank Williams + Audrey Williams' Love Story. She could take down a ten-point buck and fix dinner for her grandchildren at the same time! Just before midnight, Carr set about getting Williams to a planned New Years Day show in Canton, Ohio. On Jan. 22, 2021, Aaron died in his sleep, according to the Atlanta Braves, his long-time team. In recent years, a Knoxvillian . Daly charges that Wynette, at the time of her death, had developed a dependence on painkillers, which she injected with syringes. His daughter, christened Antha Belle Jett, was born just five days after Williams' death. Country music singer Hank Williams Jr daughter's accident in Henry County, Tennessee, about 100 miles west of Nashville on Saturday night (June 13, 2020) resulted in her death. Williams had already been drinking when he was given a shot of B12 and morphine by the hotel doctor. But, according to a new story from the New York Post, one of the biggestissues of debate about Williams life remained untouched by the movie: His mysterious death, something that the singer predicted less than 48 hours before he died. He thinks Williams died -- the official cause was heart failure -- somewhere between Bristol, Tenn., and Oak Hill on the way to a New Year's Day 1953 show in Canton, Ohio. This was the scene in Montgomery's Municipal Auditorium Jan. 4, 1953 as thousands filed past the open casket of singer-composer Hank Williams who died Jan. 1 . Tom [Hiddleston, the actor portraying Williams] puts across that impending sense of doom. She received a $30,000 settlement, but gave up all rights to his estate and name. They hit it off, and Williams asked Sheppard to marry him almost immediately. It is unclear if the arrangement is still in effect. In Georgiana, Lillie landed a coveted job at a cannery, according toSing a Sad Song. Hank Williams died on January 1, 1953, at the age of 29. She was 58. For his part, Hank was always picking up odd jobs, selling peanuts or shining shoes on the corner to make extra cash. But suspicions about this final journey arose immediately. On March 22 she became unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital where she died. College student Charles Carr had been hired to drive the Im So Lonesome I Could Cry Singerto West Virginia, but winter weather made it impossible to reach the venue. The former model, who lived in Nashville, had traveled to Jupiter, Florida to undergo liposuction, as well as to remove previous breast implants at Bafitis Plastic Surgery. But their marriage was tumultuous, and provided much of the raw fodder for Williams' more lonesome melodies, most famously "Cold, Cold Heart." He had also previously been arrested for forgery and armed robbery. Tom [Hiddleston, the actor portraying Williams] puts across that impending sense of doom. At midnight, Carr began arranging to transport Williams to an early morning performance in Canton, Ohio. Hank Williams Death Monument - Atlas Obscura Hank Williams Jr's Wife Cause Of Death Revealed, Related To Cosmetic Could you send someone, please? It was at one of these medicine shows in Banks, Alabama in the summer of 1943 that he met Audrey Sheppard, a beautiful blonde with a figure that could "melt the wax off a Dixie cup," per Lovesick Blues. Did Hank Aaron Die From COVID-19 Vaccination? | Snopes.com has been telling people he was the doorman at the Andrew Johnson, and he says Hank was conscious and joking when he left. Carr had insisted that Williams couldnt have been dead in Knoxville, because they had spoken briefly in the car after leaving town. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Hank Williams - Grunge.com Singer Hank Williams Jr. and wife Mary Jane Thomas, attends the 2008 BMI Country Awards in Nashville, TNN., on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008. You're about the purtiest thing I ever saw," via Sing a Sad Song. Just before midnight, Carr set about getting Williams to a planned New Years Day show in Canton, Ohio. He survived a suicide attempt (OD'd on pills) and a mountain fall of over 500 feet on Mt. Hank Williams Death. In October of 1939, he dropped out so he could tour with the band full time, per Lovesick Blues. The book recounts Wynette's tumultuous life, career and five marriages, including a stormy six-year union with country legend George Jones. The autopsy indicates that Thomas' lung collapsed after her surgeon punctured the membrane while completing the fat transfer as part of a breast lift following a breast implant removal. The wife of country music legend Hank Williams Jr., Mary Jane Thomas, reportedly died from complications related to cosmetic surgery. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Although he attempted at various points in his life to get sober, it never lasted long. This time, the legality of the marriage would cause real trouble for Jones. When she was just a senior in high school she married her first husband, James Erskine Guy, but . The 58-year-old died one day after she went under the knife for liposuction. Williams and Thomas also share a son, Samuel Williams. Katherine Williams-Dunning, the daughter of country music singer Hank Williams Jr. and his third wife, Mary Jane, died in a car accident in . According to the New York Post, the singer, who suffered from back problems, was given a sedative before departing to a scheduled New Years Eve show in Charleston, West Virginia. Preview of Spotify. Ultimately, that would never happen. . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. His mother flew him home to Montgomery so he could try to get well, according to Hank Williams, So Lonesome. The 58-year-old former model was found unresponsive on March 22, just one day after undergoing the fat-removal procedure on her back, arms and stomach, People reports. Audrey Mae Sheppard was born in Banks, Alabama in 1923. Katie Williams and Tyler Dunning.". (They later dropped Richey from the suit.). Hank Jr is the son of Hank Williams - a revered country legend who had 12 Number 1 singles, including three posthumously. The next day, Williams was still unwell, curling up in the backseat and saying all he wanted was to sleep. In his first statement since the death of his wife, Mary Jane, Hank Williams Jr. thanks fans and friends for their prayers. Hank Williams' Death Car - Montgomery, Alabama - Atlas Obscura Sam, 24, claimed in a February YouTube video that he was under a conservatorship filed by his father and half-sister, Holly, in August 2020 following Katie's death. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. At the time, a family source speculated that it may have been a blood clot after an undisclosed medical procedure. The car in which Hank Williams passed his last few hours and died on New Year's Day, 1953 is exhibited at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. "Tammy Wynette: A Daughter Recalls Her Mother's Tragic Life and Death," by Jackie Daly (Putnam), was published on Monday (May 8), the day that depositions were to begin in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the late singer's doctor. Hank Jr., has forged his own path in the country world and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame induction last November. A representative for Bafitis Plastic Surgery did not immediately respond to The Posts request for comment. Hank Williams - Hey Good Lookin' (Official Video) - YouTube Questions were immediately raised about the 29-year oldsdeath, with some saying that his body showedsigns of a recent fight and others, including a police officer, claiming to have seen a soldier riding in the car with Williams. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. She was released from the facility around 7 p.m. on March 21, and was taken to a recovery facility, according to the report. He had no intention of staying with Jett, as by this point he was already infatuated with Billie Jean Jones. (Jason Kempin), HANK WILLIAMS JR.'S WIFE, MARY JANE THOMAS, DEAD. Thomas, 58, traveled from Tennessee to Florida for liposuction and a procedure to remove previous breast implants witha breast lift at Bafitis Plastic Surgery, locatedin Jupiter, investigators say in the documentsobtained by USA TODAY. (AP Photo/FILE). Whiskey Riff. Hank Williams Jr Daughter's Accident Resulted in Her Death. But, it's the 'still climbing' part that is the most important. The coroners report also listed that she was given an anticoagulant, and had suffered mild brain swelling in addition to mild coronary artery disease and fatty metamorphosis of the liver, a common finding for people with a history of alcoholism. Williams decided to leave the music business altogether. In January 1953, Jones went to court, but the judge ruled that her marriage to Williams was illegal. But suspicions about this final journey arose immediately. Hank Jr has forged his own path in the country world and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame last November. Thomas traveled from her home in Nashville, Tennessee, for liposuction and breast implant removal procedures performed at Bafitis Plastic Surgery, according to the reports, and was then cleared by physicians to recover at home, where she traveled to the nearby Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa in Palm Beach County. A Justice of the Peace married the couple outside of a Texaco Station in Andalusia, Alabama, before Sheppard completed the required 60-day waiting period following her divorce from her first husband, per Sing a Sad Song. Receive daily updates with the best country music videos, news, and more! This story has been shared 119,909 times. Hank Williams Jr., 73, is the son of country music legend Hank Williams. Ajax, in which his skull was split from forehead to chin, knocking out several teeth, dislodging an eye from its socket, and . Rest in peace Mama, I will always be the son of Mary Jane.". Death of Hank Williams - Wikipedia Legal Statement. (Carr died in 2013 and, for much of his life, kept silent on his journey with Williams.). Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. He said: "I definitely broke and went through a really, really, really hard time. Later he shared more photos and thoughts. The cause of death for Mary Jane Thomas, the wife of country singer Hank Williams Jr., has been revealed.. Thomas, 58, died on March 22 of a collapsed lung that was punctured during elective surgery the day before, according to a report from the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner as well as an autopsy report, which were obtained by PEOPLE. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Hank Williams Jr.'s Wife Mary Jane Thomas Has Died: 'A Beautiful Soul'. ", The 25-year-old made the allegations in a silent YouTube video, holding up a sign that said: "I want out.". Hank Williams Jr. has broken his silence regarding the tragic death of his wife, Mary Jane Thomas. Some have suggested that Williams may have even died at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville, and that Carr had unknowinglydriven several hundred miles with a deceased Williams in the back seat. She moved the family first to Garland and then to Georgiana, Alabama, where she successfully ran a series of boarding houses. Mary Jane Thomas, the wife of country singer Hank Williams Jr., died from a collapsed lung just one day after having liposuction surgery, officials said. Discover Hank Williams Death Monument in Oak Hill, West Virginia: A humble plaque marks the site where the country music legend was found dead in his Cadillac.