Montgomery’s Hank Williams Museum will honor the 102nd birthday of the internationally recognized music legend on September 13 with a wreath-laying ceremony at his gravesite and a memorial concert.
The day is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Oakwood Cemetery Annex, located at 1304 Upper Wetumpka Road, where the wreath-laying will take place at Williams’ grave.
The Sheppard Family Band, whose members are cousins of Hank Williams’ former wife, Audrey Sheppard Williams, will perform beginning at 8:45 a.m. prior to the ceremony.
Later that afternoon, the memorial concert will be held at Troy University’s Davis Theater in Montgomery, beginning at 3 p.m.
“Though he died at just 29 years of age, Hank left a lasting musical legacy that continues to be appreciated by each new generation, and we feel it is important to celebrate and recognize the birthday of one of Alabama’s favorite sons and greatest legends,” Hank Williams Museum Director Beth Petty said.
“Our memorial concert features entertainers who perform the traditional country music that Hank and his contemporaries played, and it serves as an appropriate way to honor his 102nd birthday.”
Fortune, the concert’s headliner, was the tenor for the Statler Brothers for more than 20 years and wrote several of the group’s songs including “Elizabeth” and “Too Much On My Heart,” both of which reached number one on Billboard Magazine’s country music chart.
The Statler Brothers earned three Grammy Awards, nine Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year awards, three Academy of Country Music Awards, and three American Music Awards.
After the group disbanded in 2002, Fortune continued writing songs and began touring as a solo performer. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Statler Brothers in 2008.
Other performers scheduled to take the stage include Wyatt Aleman, a traditional country music artist and Hank Williams tribute performer; country singer-songwriter Arty Hill; husband and wife duo Brad and Tammy Magness; the Dewey Bass Band; and J.B., the stepson of Hank Williams Jr. Radio personality Jay Dean with Country Legends Jukebox will emcee the event.
Tickets for the 102nd Birthday Concert are $35 for general admission and $45 for reserved VIP seats. They may be purchased at the Hank Williams Museum, located at 118 Commerce Street in Montgomery, or by calling (334) 262-3600.
The Hank Williams Museum, which was founded 26 years ago, houses the largest collection of personally owned Hank Williams items on display anywhere in the world. Its centerpiece is the Olympic Blue 1952 Cadillac Series 62 convertible in which Williams died.
