ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Hank Williams Jr (9 songs)

This Shreveport LA-native singer-songwriter-guitarist is the son of Hank Williams Sr (featured yesterday!), who nicknamed him “Bocephus”. He starred in the movie ‘A Time To Sing’. Injured in a mountain climbing accident 08/08/1975 in Montana, he returned to performing in 1977.

#1
After a remake of his Dad’s hit “Long Gone Lonesome Blues” reached #5 (1964), this biographical song debuted 05/28/1966, spent 19 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5. Of ~45 singles late 1966 to early 1979, 11 reached the Top 10, including 1968’s “It’s All Over But The Crying” (#3, 2 weeks; from the movie ‘A Time To Sing’), 1969’s “Cajun Baby” (#3, 3 weeks), 1970’s “All For The Love Of Sunshine” (#1, 2 weeks), 1970-1’s “Rainin’ In My Heart” (#3, 2 weeks), 1972’s “11 Roses” (#1, 2 weeks) & 1973’s “The Last Love Song” (#4).

#2
This song hit the airwaves 06/09/1979, spent 15 weeks on the charts & peaked at #4. It sparked a stretch of success in the 1980s for him, including 3 straight Top 10s, followed by 1979’s “Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound” (#2, 2 weeks) & 1980’s “Women I’ve Never Had” (#5). After a remake of his Dad’s tune, “Kaw-Liga”, peaked at #12 in mid 1980, stopping the string of Top 10s, 1980’s “Old Habits” sparked a string of 10 straight Top 10s when it notched at #6.

#3
Debuting 09/05/1981, this song spent 19 weeks on the charts & claimed #1. It was his 4th straight Top 10 & 3rd straight chart topper, preceded in 1981 by “Texas Women” & “Dixie On My Mind”. The string of Top 10s stretched to 10 with such tunes as 1982’s “A Country Boy Can Survive” (#2, 3 weeks), 1982’s “Honky Tonkin’” (#1), 1983’s “Gonna Go Huntin’ Tonight” (#4) & 1983’s “Queen Of My Heart” (#5). 3 years later, he scored a #10 hit with the somewhat related “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight”, which was used as the opening theme for ABC’s “Monday Night Football” for many years.

#4
This humorous song hit the airwaves 06/16/1984, spent 18 weeks on the charts & peaked at #5. This single was preceded by 1984’s “Man Of Steel” (#3) & 1983’s “The Conversation” (#15; duet with Waylon Jennings). This is 1 of those songs where the lyrics paint quite a picture in your mind….

#5
This song debuted 01/19/1985, spent 18 weeks on the charts & peaked at #10. As much as I remember hearing this on the radio as a kid, thought sure it notched higher. Compared to previous releases, 1984’s “Attitude Adjustment” & 1984’s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight”, this song illustrates his range, from the poignant to the traditional (like his Dad) to the irreverent, all which made him a fan favorite in the 1980s.

#6
Though this song is nearly 30 years old, I suspect it’d claim #1 again today, given how relevant the lyrics STILL are. It originally hit the airwaves 05/11/1985, spent 23 weeks on the charts & claimed #1. It was the last of 5 straight Top 10s. 1985’s “2 Old Cats Like Us” (duet with Ray Charles) stopped the streak when it peaked at #14.

#7
TV’s “Dallas” enjoyed quite a run along with inspiring some tunes while having some hits of its own. This song is 1 of those inspired by the series; debuting 09/07/1985, it spent 20 weeks on the charts & peaked at #4, sparking a new string of 4 straight Top 10s. The follow-up, 1986’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, claimed #1.

#8
This song, the 3rd of 4 straight Top 10s, debuted 06/14/1986 & spent 21 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at its peak position of #2. The 4th straight Top 10 was a remake of his Dad’s tune, “Mind Your Own Business”, with guest vocals by Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty & Reverend Ike; it claimed #1 for 2 weeks in late 1986.

#9
This song hit the airwaves 06/13/1987, spent 20 weeks on the charts & claimed #1. Though it was his last chart topper, it sparked a string of 4 straight Top 10s, followed by 1987-8’s “Heaven Can’t Be Found” (#4), 1988’s “Young Country” (#2; with various guest vocals) & 1988’s “If The South Woulda Won” (#8). Of 27 releases late 1988 to mid 2009, 3 reached the Top 10: 1989’s “There’s A Tear In My Beer” (#7; duet with his Dad’s vocals from a vinyl record), 1989’s “Finders Are Keepers” (#6) & 1990’s “Good Friends, Good Whiskey, Good Lovin’” (#10).