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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 685 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 685

Honoring Hiram ``Hank'' Williams on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2023

 Mr. Green of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. Zinke, Mr. Ogles, Mr. Rose, 
 Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Griffith, 
and Mr. Roy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
              the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Honoring Hiram ``Hank'' Williams on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Whereas Hiram ``Hank'' Williams is widely regarded as the most influential 
        American singer and songwriter of the 20th century;
Whereas Williams was born in Mount Olive, Alabama, to Lon and Lillie Williams on 
        September 17, 1923, and later moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue 
        the American dream;
Whereas Williams only learned to play basic guitar chords from his aunt and by 
        listening to music that was played at dances, in churches, and on the 
        radio;
Whereas Williams met Rufus ``Tee Tot'' Payne, a Black street musician, at the 
        age of 8 years old on the streets of Georgiana, Alabama, with Mr. Payne 
        teaching the young Hank blues chords and barre chords, which would later 
        become part of Williams signature sound;
Whereas Williams began his career at a young age, playing his $3.50 ``git-tar'' 
        on the street for any who would listen, and ended his career having 
        played to sold-out crowds at the Grand Ole Opry and on stages across 
        America and on military bases in Europe;
Whereas, in 1946, Williams landed a songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose 
        Publications and began composing material for singer Molly O'Day;
Whereas, in 1946, Williams received his first recording contract with Sterling 
        Records;
Whereas Williams started his early career as a radio singer and became a regular 
        on the newly created Louisiana Hayride radio program based in 
        Shreveport, Louisiana;
Whereas Williams wrote most of his songs himself, and crafted direct, 
        emotionally honest lyrics with a poetic simplicity that spoke not only 
        to fans of country and western music but to a much broader audience;
Whereas Williams made a name for himself by creating a plaintive, bluesy 
        phrasing that was unique and ultimately became a touchstone of country 
        music;
Whereas Williams' inability to read and notate music did not inhibit his 
        compositions, and instead he sang in the ``language of the everyman'', 
        as noted by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;
Whereas Williams' common tongue and easygoing music earned him the nickname 
        ``Hillbilly Shakespeare'';
Whereas Williams often authored and sung many gospel songs and recorded many 
        moral narrations under the pseudonym ``Luke the Drifter'';
Whereas Williams recorded 55 singles that made the top 10 of the Billboard 
        Country and Western Best Sellers chart, including 12 that reached number 
        1, 3 of which were after his death;
Whereas Williams authored iconic American hits such as 1947's ``Move It On 
        Over'', 1949's ``I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry'', 1951's ``Hey, Good 
        Lookin''' and ``Ramblin' Man'', and 1953's ``Your Cheatin' Heart'';
Whereas Williams made music history by releasing other famous hits such as 
        1949's ``Lost Highway'' and ``Lovesick Blues'', 1951's ``Cold, Cold 
        Heart'', and 1952's ``Jambalaya'';
Whereas Williams most famous gospel song was his 1948 release of ``I Saw the 
        Light'', ushering in a genre-defining piece of work that set the stage 
        for gospel music for generations to come;
Whereas the Country Music Hall of Fame noted that Williams ``set the agenda for 
        contemporary country songcraft'' and the ``standard by which success is 
        measured in country music'';
Whereas Williams was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame 
        in 1961, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, the Rock and Roll Hall of 
        Fame in 1987, and the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1999, 
        and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame;
Whereas, in 2010, Williams was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special 
        Citation for his work, honoring his ``craftsmanship as a songwriter who 
        expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a 
        pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and 
        cultural force in American life'';
Whereas Williams' many achievements spanned only a few years before his untimely 
        death at the young age of 29;
Whereas, in 2011, ``The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams'' album was released, 
        featuring songs sung by various contemporary country artists paying 
        tribute to Williams, completing and performing the unfinished songs left 
        in Williams' multiple notebooks, which he always had with him while 
        alive to capture his spontaneous ideas;
Whereas Williams' legacy still lives on in country music and rock and roll, 
        inspiring generations of singers and songwriters, such as his son, Hank 
        Williams, Jr.; and
Whereas American music and culture owe much to Hank Williams: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the amazing life and legacy of Hank Williams 
        on the 100th anniversary of his birth;
            (2) recognizes his generation-defining influence on the 
        field of country music; and
            (3) hereby thanks Hank Williams for his contributions to 
        American music and culture.
                                 <all>
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