In 1937, he participated in a talent show at the Empire Theater and won the first prize of $15, singing his first original song "WPA Blues". Williams wrote the lyrics and used the tune of Riley Puckett's "Dissatisfied".

On New Year's Day 1953, Williams died suddenly at the age of 29. The original autopsy indicated simply that he died of a heart attack, but author Colin Escott concluded in his book Hank Williams: The Biography that the singer's heart failure was caused by a combination of alcohol, morphine and chloral hydrate.

In October 1952, just a few months before his death, Williams married singer Billie Jean Jones, who he met through her then-boyfriend, singer Faron Young. A year later, Billie Jean married another country star, Johnny Horton. After Horton's death in 1959, Billie Jean briefly dated Johnny Cash.

Williams performed "Lovesick Blues" during his first appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in 1948. Receiving an enthusiastic reception from the audience, Williams decided to record his own version, which sold 50,000 copies in the first two weeks.

Alabama governor Gordon Persons officially proclaimed September 21 "Hank Williams Day". The first celebration, in 1954, featured the unveiling of a monument at the Cramton Bowl that was later placed at Williams' gravesite. The ceremony featured Ferlin Husky interpreting "I Saw the Light".

In the 1964 film, a young Hank Williams (George Hamilton) tries to earn money by pitching a snake-oil cure-all to the gullible. He caps his spiel with a musical number on his guitar. In the crowd are the Drifting Cowboys, a group of touring country-western musicians who happen to be passing through. They invite Williams to join their group, and the rest is music history.

Williams recorded 35 Top 10 singles (five released posthumously), including 11 that ranked number one (three posthumously).

"Your Cheatin' Heart" was released in January 1953, about a month after Williams' driver found him dead in the back seat of his car during a stop on the way to a New Year's show in Canton, Ohio. The song became an instant hit, reaching number one on Billboard's Country & Western chart, where it remained for six weeks.

"Moanin' the Blues" is one of only two songs that feature Williams working with drums. The other is "Kaw-Liga."