This is the best news concerning Hank Williams’ biography and his mysterious death I have heard in a long time. Now we should start to get some answers you can trust. Keith Adkinson, Jett Williams’ husband, from what I can determine, is a tenacious very competent attorney who has already scored two huge victories on Hank Williams’ issues in the courts.
Remember Keith won Jett a share of the Hank Williams estate and then won full ownership of the Mother’s Best recordings for Jett Williams and Hank Williams Jr. To win these battles “The Duo” as they call themselves tackled and beat very powerful wealthy and entrenched interests aligned to protect the Hank Williams estate and the ownership of a very valuable property. The famous Mother’s Best acetates had been thrown in the trash by WSM before being rescued and preserved by an employee. In the end I think ownership was claimed by just about everybody involved, the rescuer, the radio station, recording company, publisher and of course Jett and Hank Jr. Adkinson beat them all.
Kieth Adkinson is a shrewd sharp Washington lawyer who from what I understand never gives up and is dogged and determined in pursuing any cause he decides to take on. Before undertaking the Jett Williams’ case in 1982 he had worked on a variety of legal issues,and become a prominent Washing attorney including work for Congressional Committee and the Reagan campaign. He married Jett Williams in 1986, and now practices law in Nashville.
In the latest issue of the Jett Williams’ newsletter to fans it’s clear that Keith and Jett are really getting serious about the mysteries surrounding the death of Hank Williams on an ill conceived dangerous trip from Montgomery to Canton Ohio on the New Years’ Eve Weekend in 1952-53. According to the article Jett is using her Sirious/XM radio show to report on their findings.
Here’s the link to the newsletter UPDATE: This link no longer works..HWJ which has a 4 page article called “Was Hank Williams’ Death a Homicide?” Pretty explosive stuff.
Interestingly, I have received a few comments on this blog concerning this issue, one of which comes from the son of a prominent figure mentioned in the Jett Williams’ report, as well as some from Hank Williams’ newsletter author Beecher O’Quinn.
I am more interested in Hank Williams’ works, reputation, legacy, and his survival into future generations than details of his biography and death, about which I admit I am not well-informed.
But when this movie news started coming out I did make some comments on Hank’s last days which come about half way down this blog posting.
Not many people have made the observations I did on that post. My feelings are based on intuition not research I guess, but I am very happy to see Keith Adkinson on this baffling story of Hank’s tragic, sad last days on earth.
I know one thing for sure, if Keith and Jett spend the time and resources on this as they appear to be doing, I think their integrity would be enough for me to accept their conclusions, whatever they are, and put the issue to rest, finally.
A Hank Williams Journal 