Alabama museum to honor 70th anniversary of Hank Williams death
A “year of big milestones” for the late country music icon Hank Williams kicks off with the 70th anniversary recognition of his death and will culminate later in 2023 with his 100th birthday celebration.
A Montgomery-based museum honoring Williams will also celebrate its 25th anniversary in February 2024.
Williams, who died unexpectedly at age 29 on New Year’s Day in 1953, will be honored with an annual wreath laying ceremony Sunday at his grave in Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Montgomery.
Erica Parker, an assistant the Hank Williams Museum in downtown Montgomery, said the graveside event typically occurs around 10 a.m., before people arrive to the museum for entertainment.
The museum will then honor the Williams legacy from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Live music will be performed by Shepard Family, Mike Ball and David Church. The cost to attend is $10 for museum members, $15 for non-members.
The New Year’s Day tradition has been going on since the museum first opened, 24 years ago.
“Alabama, of course, was home to Hank,” said Parker. “Montgomery as well. Hank’s music is still alive. It’s not dying down.”
The museum is preparing for a larger event that will occur in mid-September to honor his 100th birthday. Williams was born on September 17, 1923, in Butler County.
Parker said the museum is preparing for a three-day weekend of events, which would be a first since the museum opened on February 8, 1999.
“The main event show will be on Saturday, but it’s possible we’ll have a Friday night show and one all day Saturday and going into Sunday,” Parker said.
Details about the anniversary show and more information about the museum can be found at www.thehankwilliamsmuseum.net.
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