September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953), born Hiram King Williams,^[1]was an American singer-songwriter and musician regarded as one of the most important country musicartists of all time. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one.

Born in Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama,^[2] Williams moved to Georgiana, where he met Rufus Payne, a black street performer who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals or money. Payne had a major influence on Williams's later musical style. During this time, Williams informally changed his name to Hank, believing it to be a better name for country music. After moving to Montgomery, Williams began his career in 1937 when WSFA radio station producers hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of Sidney Lanier High School in October 1938 to devote all of his time to his career.

He wrote "Honky Tonk Blues,"  "Your Cheatin' Heart,"  "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,"  and "I Saw the Light," among others.  Hank died enroute to a show in Oak Hill, West Virginia on January 1, 1953 at age 29. He is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Montgomery, Alabama.