In a Facebook post last Thursday (Aug. 24), Sam Williams, the son of Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of Hank Williams, opened up about the impact of constant online scrutiny on his mental health.
"'Hank Williams is rolling in his grave' —a comment I've received throughout my short career, and is flaring back up because of traction on social media again," Sam wrote. "Hmm. Firstly it's wildly immature to use someone's own family against them in a sense that you know them better than the person you're disparaging. No one knew my grandpa, nor has his literal blood in their veins other than my family and I."
Sam's debut big-label album, 2021's Glasshouse Children, introduced the singer-songwriter on his own terms through pop elements that lean more Keith Urban than Keith Whitley.
"It was always that my voice didn't fit the current narrative around what's 'real country music'," Sam wrote. "That can be rebutted with the fact I've been co-signed and supported by the likes of Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart, Bill Anderson, etc. Then I'm pigeonholed into 'this is pop country garbage.' While my debut album definitely forays into pop, I don't even know how to explain this one... I shall just let the music speak for itself."
Critcism intensified in Oct. 2022 when he came out as gay.
"Fast forward to last year, the release of the 'Tilted Crown' video —it was just entirely shocking and repugnant that I came out," Sam continued. "I couldn't even delve into all the commentary around that. So, in order to be a man, a country musician or a proper descendant of Hank, being gay is the last straw —according to the dufus (sic) circus of idiots who received their masters in Country Music History from __________. Fill in the blank....I'll put it this way. I like boys and I like making music and I'm pretty damn good at it."
Lastly, Sam addressed the irony in that some critical of him for not sounding more like his forebears also accuse him of coasting on his surname.
"Another is the 'riding coattails' 'Hank 3 For LiFe" yadda yadda.. ay, dios mio.... for anyone without prior knowledge, Hank 3 is my half-brother and we have no bad blood," Sam wrote. "As well, his first commercial entry and success was around the re-recording of Hank Sr's music. My fathers was as well..? As it should've been, because it's his blood and namesake to claim, as it's mine, and no one else's. I had the opportunity to come into Nashville and present myself as the 'new Hank Williams' and wear the clothes, fake my tone, be someone I'm not —and instead, I wrote my own original music, wore wtf I wanted to and was able to eventually create my own image and sound. Don't even get me started on coattails. My family's name and image has been used over and over and over and it goes without explaining. Hence Waylon's line in 'The Conversation.' The coattails have been ridden and worn out for over 70 years now. I could've really ridden them. Like you've never seen... I chose not to.
"I'm gonna have to put this in the music at some point around what's 'country' and what's not," he continued. "We'll get there, but for now I write about life experience. I'm excited about the new music coming, and I foresee some feet being eaten. Time will tell."
In the comments, Sam thanked his fans for their encouraging responses to his post.
"Not even 6 weeks ago I was considering giving it up, just haven't had the confidence to carry on and do the social media game and all," he admitted.
