the mystery that surrounds hank williams death still lingers to this very day. and he’s been dead almost fifty-one years. what caused his death will most likely never be known. dark clouds of doubt begin to surface shortly after his passing. the last 48 hours of his life are filled with shadows that remain one the biggest mysteries of american history. the world of country music was shocked beyond belief when the news that hank williams had died at the young age of 29 on new years day 1953. no matter what is written about the last hours of hank williams someone will say that’s not the way it was told to me. after talking with people who knew hank williams personally and to people who were close friends of the family here’s most likely what happened in the final hours of hank williams life. hank williams loaded his 1952 powder blue cadillac convertible on the morning of december 30th for a trip to charlestown, w.va. a.v. bamford hired him to play a new years eve show in charlestown, w. va. hank didn’t want to be late for the show. he was on a come back trail after some hard knocks. the last one was being kicked off the grand ole opry because of his problem with alcohol. it was a short four day trip and he was taking as little as he could get by with. just his guitar some personal items and two changes of stage uniforms. he hired charles carr a nineteen year old freshman attending auburn university to drive him to charlestown, w.va, for a new years eve show and on to canton, ohio where the drifting cowboys were to meet him for a 2pm matinee show show new years day. it was extreamly cold on december 30th weather reports were calling for snow from birmingham up through tennessee virginia, w.va, and ohio not a good day for travel. an experienced driver would have checked out the weather reports for december 30th and left as early as possible or suggested that hank take a flight out of montgomery to charleston. none of this happened. hank was wearing blue pants a white shirt and tie and a navy blue over coat. he was not dressed warm enough for the freezing weather that lay ahead. at around 11:30 the pair of travelers left hank’s mother’s boarding house in montgomery to begin their trip, with the exception of time comsuming visits before getting started that could have made a big difference in the out come of the trip. hank wanted to go by some radio stations in montgomery and visit some of his dj buddies. afterward he attended a convention at a hotel where he had a few drinks. now he wanted to visit his personal doctor to get a shot of morphine for his back pain. when his doctor realized he had been drinking he refused to give him any morphine. hank knew another doctor who did give him a shot of morphine. by early afternoon the pair of travelers were headed to birmingham. they arrived in late evening and spent the night due to bad weather. early the next morning they drove north to knoxville by the time they reached chattanooga the highways were becoming covered with snow. when they got to knoxville it was after 10:30am snowing heavy and getting worse. they realized they would not get to charleston in time for the new years eve show. carr drove hank to the knoxville airport where he found a flight leaving for charleston at 3:30 that afternoon. the flight returned to knoxville some time after 6:pm due to bad weather. a.v. bamford he promoter of the show was notified that hank would not be able to make the new years eve show due the severe weather. hank was supposed to be a guest on cas walkers mid-day show at wnox in knoxville, but never showed up. hank and carr returned to knoxville and checked into the andrew johnson hotel. hank had to be helped to his room by two porters. two steaks were ordered for supper and brought to hanks room. hank ate a little of his steak in bed and went to sleep. he later fell from his bed to the floor, dr. cardwell was called to check on hank. when the doctor arrived he gave hank a sedative and two shots of morphine. a.v. bamford when advised hank would not make the new years eve show told hank to be sure to be on time for the 2:pm matinee show on new years day in canton, ohio. carr had the porters carry hank from the hotel to the cadillac waiting on the street. the porters said they heard hank making wheezing and coughing sounds as they carried him to the automobile. they placed him laying down in the back seat and put his over coat over him. charles carr drove out of knoxville at 11:45 p.m headed for canton, ohio. the entire southeastern united states was covered with snow and ice with the temperature falling below freezing. hank williams lay in the back seat of a cadillac convertible with light clothes. i n freezing weather a person can get hypothermia and without warm clothes you can die from it. hank williams wasn’t wearing warm clothes. the back seat of his cadillac was probably colder than an ice box. the weather would be at 0 or below through new years night and most of new years day. they had a good strong six hundred mile trip to canton, ohio over the most dangerous highway in the southeastern united states. route 11 west going from knoxville through bean station to bristol is a narrow two lane road going into steep mountains and winding curves. truckers avoid route 11 in bad weather. with snow covering the highway this was not the road to be on, but there they were and it would be hank williams’ last ride. carr was stopped in blaine, tennessee by patrolman swan kitts for reckless driving. when patrolman kitts asked about his passenger’s condition, carr told him it was hank williams and that he was in a hurry to get him to a new years day show in canton, ohio. kitts told carr there is something about your passenger that doesn’t look right. carr told kitts that hank had been drinking and had been given a sedative for back pain. charles carr was given a ticket for reckless driving. at l:00 a.m. carr drove on toward canton. when carr arrived in bristol, he was very tired due to the fact, he had been awake for almost 24 hours. he picked up a relief driver in bristol by the name of donald surface who drove to bluefield while carr rested. carr paid donald surface in bluefield and left him there. carr got a cup of coffee in bluefield and drove on toward canton. early in the morning of new years day carr stopped to check on hank. hank’s hands were cold and carr put his over coat across his chest. at around 5:30 a.m. carr pulled into burdette’s pure station in oak hill, west virginia. he went inside and asked the men who were working would they come out to his automobile and take a look at hank. when the men couldn’t awaken hank, they told carr there was a hospital just a short drive down the road. carr drove to the emergency room and two orderlies took hank inside. hank williams was pronounced dead in the oak hill hospital emergency by dr. diego nunnari at 7:00 a.m. january 1st l953. the actual time of death has never been determined. hank was taken to the tyree funeral home for an autopsy. the autopsy was done by dr. ivin malinin a russian intern who spoke little english. he found needle marks in hank’s arms bruises on his body and welt on his forward. he also discovered hemorrhages in his heart and his neck. the cause of death was contributed to acute right ventricular dilation. alcohol was found in his blood, but no drugs were detected, probably because they weren’t looked for. many things were probably overlooked during hank’s examination. even if hank williams had lived, it would have probably been to no avail, in reality he died along time ago, because there is nothing in the state of the art of modern medical technology that can fix a broken heart. it was the last ride of the most famous country music entertainer who ever lived hank williams.

~ Widmarc Clark