Watch a Young Hank Williams Jr. Perform a Medley of His Father’s Hits on ‘The Johnny Cash Show’ in 1970

Long before Hank Williams Jr. rose to prominence as a member of the Outlaw Country movement after a near-fatal accident in 1975, he was following in his father’s footsteps. Hank Jr.’s early recordings were spot-on covers of songs like “Long Gone Lonesome Blues” in the same style. In the early ‘70s, he appeared on The Johnny Cash Show and performed a medley of his father’s hits.

Many of Williams’ fans wouldn’t recognize him without his trademark look—a beard, sunglasses, and a hat. However, before his accident, he was the image of a clean-cut country singer. In the video below, a clean-shaven Bocephus sports a tan suit, ‘70s-style sideburns, and short hair. More than that, the bravado he carries onstage with him today is absent. Instead, he sits, calmly moaning the blues like his father before him.

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Hank Williams Jr. Performs a Medley of His Father’s Hits

The performance clocks in at under three minutes. However, Hank Williams Jr. is able to work in snippets of four of his father’s biggest hits. During his appearance on the Johnny Cash Show, he sang “You Win Again,” “Cold Cold Heart,” “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You),” and “Half as Much.”

Hank Williams released “You Win Again” as the B-side to “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” in July 1952. At the time, the conventional wisdom was that faster songs sold more copies. So, they would put an up-tempo number on the A-side and back it with a slower ballad. “You Win Again” peaked at No. 10 on the country chart. “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” peaked at No. 2.

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Williams released “Cold Cold Heart” in February 1951. Following the pattern of the time, it was the B-side to the up-tempo “Dear John.” However, this is one of the few cases in which the common belief that faster songs sold more was untrue for the iconic country singer. “Dear John” peaked at No. 8 on the country chart while the B-side brought Hank Sr. a No. 1 hit.

“I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You)” was another B-side that became a hit for Hank. He released it alongside “Howlin’ at the Moon” in April 1951 and the song went to No. 2 on the country chart. The A-side came in just behind it, peaking at No. 3.

“Half as Much” stands out in this medley as the only song not penned by Hank Williams. Curley Williams wrote the song and released the first version of it in November 1951. Hank Sr. released his version the next March and it became a No. 2 hit for him.

Featured Image by Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images