The Music Biz: Hank III versus Nashville

Hank III - Trashville

[purchase]

Hank III - Dick in Dixie

[purchase]

Hank III - Grand Ole Opry (Ain't So Grand Anymore) (live)
[preorder]

While there are no shortage of artists out there who are anti-Nashville and penning Nashville protest songs no one has taken it to the level Hank III has. Born Shelton Hank Williams III, Hank III has waged a virtual personal war against Nashville and one of it's biggest names, Mike Curb.

In 1996, mounting child support payments led Williams to capitalize on his family name and sign a contract with Nashville, Tennessee music industry giant Curb Records and released Risin' Outlaw in 1999. He expressed dissatisfaction with his debut, and reportedly the label was unwilling to release his appropriately named This Ain't Country LP, nor allow him to issue it on another record label. In response, Williams began selling t-shirts stating "Fuck Curb."

After Curb refused to release III's third album, Thrown Out Of The Bar, Hank took Mike Curb to court. After more than a year of court appearances a judge ruled in favor of Williams in the spring of 2005, demanding that Curb release the album. Shortly thereafter III dropped his "Fuck Curb" campaign and Thrown Out Of The Bar was reworked into Straight To Hell.

Hank's new album, Damn Right, Rebel Proud, has suffered release date push back after release date push back but has finally settled (we hope) on an October 21 release date.