Hank Williams’ star burned briefly, but brightly. Prior to his untimely death at age 29 on the first day of 1953, he penned such timeless hits as “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Hey, Good Lookin’.” On this day in 1952, just four days before he would pass from heart failure in Oak Hill, West Virginia, a spectator reportedly captured the final photo of “The Singing Kid” in Montgomery, Alabama.
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You Can see the Mic From Hank Williams’ Final Performance at This Museum
On Sunday, Dec. 28, 1952, the “Hillbilly Shakespeare” gave one final performance during a private musicians union at the Elite Cafe Montgomery. According to a December 2024 post from the Hank Williams Museum, the audience requested that the “Honky Tonkin’” crooner get up and sing a few songs. He performed “Move It On Over” at the behest of a woman in attendance, along with “Jambalaya,” “You Win Again,” “Cold Cold Heart” and “Lovesick Blues.”
In the photo, posted to Facebook by the page Outlaw Muse in 2023, Williams is nearly unrecognizable without his famous cowboy hat. Dark hair slicked back, staring straight ahead with a pensive expression, he faces the mic. You can view this exact microphone and stand at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery…