And in 1990, she published an autobiography Ain’t Nothin’ as Sweet as My Baby: The Story of Hank Williams’ Lost Daughter and released the 1995 album That Reminds Me of Hank. Cathy Yvonne Williams, 6 January 1953, Montgomery, Alabama. She became “obsessed” with finding out the true identity of her father. Many of those who knew Hank Williams Sr. and have met his daughter agree that she resembles him. “I feel I’m a more positive person now,” she says. Williams had lived with her mother, Bobbie Jett, but they never married. "Jett Williams" was born after Hank Jr., days after Hank Sr.'s death. Even after finding out about her biological parents, Hank's daughter had to go through great lengths to prove her story. Unimaginable tragedies in the country singer's life led him to open his heart and expand his family. Hank Williams' daughter, Jett Williams was raised by her adopted parents. On September 28, 1986, Deupree and Adkinson married in Washington. Jett's brother, Williams Jr., also used to depend on alcohol and drug during the mid-1970s. The first time Hank Williams appeared on The Grand Ole Opry, he brought down the house. USA. I really, really do,” she told the Los Angeles Times in 1990. After years of hardships, Jett adopted both of her biological parent's names and performed under it and found fame for her music. Ain’t Nothin’ as Sweet as My Baby: The Story of Hank Williams’ Lost Daughter. Drinking seems to be a problem among the Williams family. So, today we take you close to the personal life, net worth, and married life of the aspiring artist. During Jett’s quest to bond with her late dad, she also started to sing, making her professional debut in 1989 before performing at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry in 1993. But that wasn’t good enough for Jett. Hank's mother, Lillian Skipper Williams, played the organ in their local church and taught him gospel songs when he was six. The country singer tragically died five days before his illegitimate daughter, Jett, was born, and it took her more than 20 years to discover his identity. The child was passed from guardian to guardian before she was adopted at the age of three by Wayne and Louis Deupree in Mobile, Alabama, and became Cathy Deupree. Jett Williams knows her own hard times have been a different kind. Williams is also recognized as the son of late country music legend Hank Williams, the half-brother of Jett Williams, the father of two successful singers, Hank Williams III and Holly Williams, and a late daughter named Katherine Williams-Dunning who died at the age of 27 in a car crash Saturday night in Tennessee, on June 13, 2020. But their relationship did not last, and the pair got separated six years later. The up-and-coming songwriter and country music singer found common ground on a crossover classic that cemented both artists' reputations. Adkinson was also husband to entertainer Jett Williams. While Jett was a college junior at the University of Alabama in Montgomery majoring in recreation therapy, her adoptive parents came to visit and gave the then 21-year-old $2,000 that had been held for her when she turned 21 from Stone. On 15 October 1952, Williams and Jett reached a legal agreement that he and his mother, Lillian, would be responsible for the as yet unborn child, who was born fi…. Half-brother of Jett Williams and Lycretia Williams. There had been numerous infidelities, including Hank's affair with a woman named Bobbie Jett, which resulted in a daughter, Jett Williams (born after her father's death). In 1987, a judge ruled she was the singer’s daughter but under Alabama law was not entitled to an inheritance from his estate. Although Hank Williams had executed a custody agreement three months before her birth that gave him custody of his unborn daughter, she was forced to go to extreme lengths to prove the relationship and be recognized as Williams' daughter. Hank William's mother adopted her, as … 5 Facts About Rasheda Ali's Husband Robert Walsh aka Bob Walsh, Any Children Together? Her manager-husband, attorney Keith Adkinson, stops the vehicle in front of the home, only steps from the door. Richard Williams coached his daughters hard from a young age, setting the sisters up for domination in the sport for more than two decades. The singer-songwriter has credited her husband for being the strength in the difficult times. She published her autobiography in 1990, detailing much of her search for identity. On June 11, 1949, the lanky 25-year-old walked up to the microphone and began singing his No. The pair were married until Keith's death on June 19, 2013. Deupree knew she was adopted, but she did not learn who her biological parents were until the early 1980s. She is the daughter of musician Hank Williams, Sr. and Bobbie Jett. Jett and her half-brother, Hank Williams Jr., have both used their voices to keep their father's legacy alive. PELL CITY -- Hank Williams’ daughter, Jett Williams, and author Rheta Grimsley Johnson held a special program and book signing Thursday in conjunction with the world premiere of the play, The book documents the struggles she faced in her life and the end result of them. She learned that her birth mother was a secretary in Nashville who became pregnant with Williams' baby just months before he married another woman, Billie Jean Eschliman. The 39-year-old looks to carry the family legacy forward and is doing her job perfectly to the current date. But her father was committed to make sure the unborn baby was taken care of — pledging to pay the medical bills and giving Jett a one-way ticket to California, with the promise that after two years, he would take custody of the child. Fletcher “Keith” Adkinson, who was the attorney for the Estate of Hank Williams, passed away Wednesday (June 19) at the age of 69. The actress' sudden passing at the age of 32, left many puzzled — then her husband died in the exact same way five months later, leaving more questions than answers. Photo: Will Mcintyre/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images. ‎b. Is the father of five children: with first wife Gwen - son Hank Williams III born 1972. Five days later, a baby girl was born in Montgomery, Alabama. The couple left their estate to Fountain and other relatives. His father was a railroad engineer who was also a victim of shell shock after a year of fighting in France in 1918 during World War I and spent many years in veterans hospitals. She was born in Nashville and had spent some time in California. Court battles and family rivalries challenged whether Jett truly was in Williams' lineage, as she kept hitting "one brick wall after another," adding that “my case was argued in probate court, circuit court, the state supreme court, the federal courts in New York, the appellate court and no less than five times in the U.S. Supreme Court. I mean, you stop and catch your breath, and you feel as if he's singing that song just to you,” Jett told NPR in 2008. Musically speaking, though, Williams’ identity has been clear for many years. After knowing about her true identity, Williams had to go through numerous court battles to be recognized as the late musician's daughter. Bobbie Jett. Jett set off on a huge treasure hunt to discover the truth about her own past, digging into all sorts of legal and adoption records — as well as lost family connections. Then Keith and Jett began their relationship and married in 1986. Williams’ mother was Frances ‘Bobbie’ Jett, her father Hank Williams. She fought for years to receive a share of her fatherâ s songwriting royalties and settled in court with Hank Williams Jr. in 1993. Bobbie Jett and Hank Williams met in the spring of 1952. However, years later, Jett had to go through great lengths to prove her relationship with her father. ", Eventually, she met a lawyer named Keith Adkinson who found documentation of the arrangement between Williams and Jett’s mom (though how he came to obtain it has never been revealed). Hank reportedly had gained his daughter's custody three months before her birth. The country singer and the baseball pitcher found their peace and forged a genuine bond despite Tug's longtime refusal to acknowledge paternity. When she came back to Nashville she had a child and she started to work as a secretary. Didn't Know Who Her Biological Parents Were, Nicole Ari Parker Net Worth - Earning From Empire, Soul Food And Other Popular Projects, Who Is Jamillah Ali's Husband Mike “Pickle” Joyce? Hank Williams' daughter Jett was born on January 6, 1953, five days after her father died of heart failure. While Jett has been recognized as Hank Williams's daughter by the court, her family members have not addressed the issue. Here are seven facts about Hank Williams's daughter Jett Williams that helps us to know more about her. During her fight for justice, she was already married but later divorced her first husband. She reportedly admitted to having two beers and failed the sobriety test. She has been involved in charities, which was acknowledged in 2000 when the Tennessee House of Representatives passed a resolution designating 18 May 2000 as ‘Jett Williams Appreciation Day’ in Macon County, where she resides. In 1987, Jett Williams--as she is known professionally and to most of her friends but whose legal married name is Cathy Deupree Adkinson--established in … “I’m never going to have memories of Christmas with my father or of sitting in his lap, but I still feel I know him,” she says. However, after a long and hard battle, Jett is now legally recognized as the country star's daughter and has continued to carry out his legacy. This is a blind item from Crazy Days and Nights that’s quite possibly as fake as fake can be, but it’s still fun to speculate.. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Since then, she has released a few records and even performed with her father's backing band, The Drifting Cowboys. With second wife Becky - daughters Hilary Williams born 1979 and Holly Williams born 1981. Her father also suffered from alcohol abuse, and it was one of the reasons behind his poor health and subsequent death. In her autobiography Jett Williams states that they met when Audrey and Hank Williams were still married. She was first arrested and charged with DUI in February 2014. However, she was adopted by another couple the following year after her grandmother's death. Hank Williams was born in September 1923 in a small Alabama farming community about 70 miles south of Montgomery. And I’ve implied that I think my father is my guardian angel — and that he’s looking down.”. The couple has a son named Shelton Hank Williams (Hank Williams III and Hank 3), born on 12 December 1972 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. While it’s been reported that the cause was a heart attack, the Los Angeles Times also says it may have been from “complications brought on by alcohol and drug addiction.”. Then Keith and Jett began their relationship and married in 1986. Mrs. Adkinson, 36, was adopted by Mary Louise and Wayne Deupree. Jett Williams is widely known as the daughter of the late country music icon Hank Williams. Adkinson was not only interested in the case but also showed a personal interest in her, and the two became closer through the process. They made vows in a … The pair … Son of Hank Williams and Audrey Williams. During one of the legal battle, it was revealed that she was yet to meet and have a conversation with her half-brother, Hank Williams Jr. Not only this, Williams Jr. actually appealed to the federal court about the judgment of his sister getting a share in their father's inheritance. The singer-songwriter has credited her husband for being the strength in the difficult times. Jett's second arrest came not even three months later and was charged with DUI again. Similarly, she is also the niece of Jett Williams, and the daughter of blues and country singer Hank Williams Jr. Image Source: Social Media. 7 Facts About Hank Williams' Daughter Jett Williams. An "innocent, wonderful picture" of Caroline Kennedy triggered Diamond to include her name in his 1969 love song. Some time in her 30s, Jett gave herself the name Jett Williams — a combination of her birth mother Frances “Bobbie” Jett and her father’s names. When Hank turned 10 … She learned that her birth mother was a secretary in Nashville who became pregnant with Williams' baby just months before he married another woman, Billie Jean Eschliman. As did other family members, like Hank Williams, Jr., who didn’t acknowledge his half-sister for years — in fact, they were in a legal battle for nine years. At the age of 21, Williams was first given some basic information by her adoptive parents about her … Williams filed a lawsuit after the discovery and was then ruled her as the daughter of Hank Williams in 1985. Available with an Apple Music subscription. Hank began his music career following the footsteps of his father, who is also a great country music singer. Gwen Yeargain Divorce Gwen Yeargain’s Ex-Husband Career She was then named Cathy Lousie Deupree by her adopted parents and used it as her legal name. In addition to music, Williams also published her autobiography titled, Ain't Nothin' as Sweet as My Baby, in 1990. After all, it’s music that has kept their relationship alive. Love Life And Children. 7 Facts About Breana Tiesi, She Is Nick Hogan's Ex-Partner And Is She Still Casper Smart's Girlfriend. Her mother, Bobbie Jett, was in a brief relationship with her father in between his two marriages. Parted Ways With Ex-Fiance Phil Costa Because Of Father Hulk Hogan. In 1986 Williams married Keith Adkinson, an investigative attorney who helped her discover her heritage. Official site for this country musician, daughter of Hank Williams, who makes her home in Lafayette. However, the court refused to hear the case in 1990, and currently, both of Hank's children have rights on their father's music. This time, the legality of the marriage would cause real trouble for Jones. Jett Williams Adkinson, daughter of the late Hank Williams Sr., is free on bond after being arrested early Tuesday morning (Feb. 25) for driving under the influence in … 1 … "I had four families before I was four, was orphaned three times and had six name changes," Deupree — who now goes by Jett Williams — said in a 2002 speech at the Library of Congress. Rachel Chang is a journalist and editor specializing in pop culture and travel. Biography, photos, tour schedule, information about recordings, … It wasn't until her thirties that she christened herself "Jett Willams" to represent the union of her natural mother, Frances "Bobby" Jett and her famous father, Hank Williams. And that was her first “crumb” that she could possibly be Williams' daughter. Jett was adopted by her paternal grandmother, Lillie Williams Stone in December 1954, and was renamed Catherine Yvonne Stone. Not only did he become a husband, he also became stepfather to … Jett Williams in recent years has pursued a career as a country singer, and last October made her first professional appearance with members of the band that, 40 years ago, backed up her father. “I believe that I’ve had a guardian angel. Hank Williams Jr Net Worth, Salary, Cars & Houses Hank Williams Jr. is an American country musician who has a net worth of $45 million dollars. Williams married Audrey in 1944 when he was still struggling to make it as a country performer. Eventually, she got in touch with an uncle and Williams' cousin, Marie Harvell. Jett Williams was born five days after Hank Williams Sr. died at 29 years old in 1953. Country Music Icon Hank Williams Jr.'s Daughter Katherine Williams-Dunning Died in A Car Crash. by Jessica Nicholson. Adkinson was actively engaged in the practice of law for over 40 years. "Someone said, 'It's a real shame you didn't have one pair of shoes and go to bed hungry at night,' " she says. Use of this web site constitute acceptance of the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Common License. Keith Adkinson not only helped Jett in her quest to be recognized as Hank Williams's daughter but also became a big part of her personal life. They married in a private ceremony in Minden, Louisiana on October 18, 1952, then repeated their vows before sold-out audiences at two Williams concerts at the Baton Rouge High School gymnasium and the Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans, Louisiana. They also found proof that she was deceived for the financial gain of others. Jett Williams' mother was a girlfriend of Hank Williams Sr. between the country icon's marriages. "He entered into a pre-birth custody agreement that gave him full custody and responsibility for me... My father never intended for me to be adopted.". The couple married on on April 7, 1971 at the Presbyterian Church. And in 1985, the Alabama State Court determined legally that she was indeed the singer’s daughter. Even though her father had already executed a custody agreement before her birth, Jett only got to know about him in the 1980s. The young Deupree was shuffled around often — living with Williams' mother Lillian Stone until she died and then ultimately being put into the system for adoption since Williams' sister Irene Smith, who was the next in line, wouldn’t take care of her. No really, take a guess. Article by ecelebrityspy.com, All right reserved. She was also not wearing a seat belt and was released after posting a $1K bond. And to truly step into her own dad’s footsteps, she reached out to two of her dad’s old sidemen, Jerry Rivers and Don Helms, to have them play with her. Bobbie was a dancer and reportedly had an extramarital affair with the famous country singer. “When I hear my dad sing, to me it sounds like his life depends on it. This A list country singer got more than he bargained for this week when the fire alarm went off in his hotel while he was in bed with his boyfriend. Now she lives in Washington, and even though she is Hank Williams' daughter, she has managed to keep most of her life hidden from the spotlight. Well, Jett Williams was arrested for driving under the influence on two occasions. As she reached adulthood, she searched for her birth parents and found that her mother was a Nashville secretary named Bobbie Jett. But it wasn’t until decades later that she set off on a long and complicated journey to figure out that she was the daughter of the famous Hank Williams. But clearly Williams' tragic death got in the way of that plan. This first person account of a life-long struggle to claim roots can get confusing. She lived a great life with her adoptive family but only knew about her biological parents when she was in her twenties. Mason Gooding Bio - Cuba Gooding Jr's Son And Actor, Who Is Brooke Hogan's Husband? Jett had the help of investigative attorney Keith Adkinson, to prove her case and was the reason she found out about the custody agreement. On 15 October 1952, Williams and Jett reached a legal agreement that he and his mother, Lillian, would be responsible for the as yet unborn child, who was born five days after her father’s sudden death. (And in 1986, she married Adkinson.). Well, we can assume Jett Williams' net worth to be of a considerable amount, which she has amassed from her multiple endeavors. "My daddy loved me enough to do something just for me," she said in 2002. Sheppard, it seems, was extremely eager … Explore more on eCelebrity Spy and get updates on Celebrity News, Wikis, Net Worth, and More. Shortly after the legal battles, Jett was convinced by Keith to pursue a career in music and introduced her to country music. In her personal life, Williams married Keith Adkinson in 1986, and they remained together until his death in 2013. Inspired by her father's inability to read, the country singer founded the Imagination Library to help kids develop a love of books and reading. However, some sources suggest that their relationship started during the divorce processing of Williams and Audrey Sheppard. Jun 13, 2017 In a misty gold twilight last September, singer Jett Williams, the daughter of Hank Williams, married Kelly Zumwalt, beautiful divorced mother of three. She was the first wife Hank Williams Jr. (Randall Hank Williams). Williams and Sheppard married in 1944. “There’s nothing you can do about it, there’s no proof,” Jett remembers her adopted mother telling her. Jett's father is regarded as one of the most influential men in the country music scene and has been an inspiration for many musicians. With all the constant reminders, Jett is reminded of what she doesn’t have. AIN'T NOTHIN' AS SWEET AS MY BABY: The Story of Hank Williams' Lost Daughter by Jett Williams with Pamela Thomas.Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, $19.95.Hank Williams is said to have ridden for six hours in the back of a Cadillac on New Year's Eve 1952, stone-cold dead.Supposedly, the driver didn't notice Hank had died, even after a highway patrolman stopped him and asked why the country … Hank's legacy is now carried out by his daughter, Jett, and son, Hank Williams Jr. Just like her father and elder brother, Jett has also pursued a career in music and has gained massive accolades for her works. During her fight for justice, she was already married but later divorced her first husband. She went through vocal training and then started her career by signing her father's song. For a decade, the actress thought another man was her biological father instead of the Aerosmith frontman. The couple were married in Louisiana by a Justice of the Peace on October 18, 1952, but Jones' divorce would not be officially finalized until October 28, 1952, according to Hank Williams, So Lonesome . "My life was repeatedly changed with the stroke of a pen, be it by an attorney, social worker, judge, family member or the courts.". Adopted at birth, the country singer was determined to find her "missing link.". They had a son together, Hank Williams Jr., on May 26, 1949. Jett Williams was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, The year 1953 should have been one of hope and promise for singer-songwriter Hank Williams, one of America’s first country music superstars, known for his songs like “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.” In fact, he was on his way to perform at a concert Canton, Ohio, on New Year’s Day of that year when he died in the backseat of his 1952 powder blue Cadillac at the age of 29. However, there are not many details about Jett's personal life, and whether or not she has children or is a mother is still a mystery. The girl grew up to be a woman who now calls herself Jett Williams. While Jett Williams knew that she was adopted, she had no idea who her birth parents were. At the time of arrest, she admitted to eating pizza and drinking a Diet Coke and also that she had been drinking earlier. Williams’ mother was Frances ‘Bobbie’ Jett, her father Hank Williams. But not the sleek customized bus carrying Jett Williams.