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Born Hiram King Williams, which was initially misspelled Hiriam on his birth certificate, Hank informally changed his name during his time in Georgiana, Alabama, under the belief it was a better name for a country musician. He met his one and only mentor in Georgiana - Rufus Payne, an African-American street performer. Payne taught Hank to play the guitar in exchange for change and meals, and he had a significant influence on the musical styles of Williams. His influences helped him infuse blues, folk, and other country music styles into his own unique sound, exposing his audience to a new variety of country twang. But due to an undiagnosed spinal column disorder, he experienced a lifetime of pain, and eventually began abusing alcohol and pain killers. As a result, he lived a short life, living only to 29 years of age. But despite his untimely death, he is possibly the most influential country musicians of the 20th century. He shaped the landscape of the country music genre with hits like “Move it on Over,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” and “Hey Good Lookin’.” |