Hank Jr. unleashes Thunderhead Hawkins on bawdy blues record

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hank Williams Jr. is unleashing his alter ego Thunderhead Hawkins on a new record of raunchy blues songs. “Rich White Honky Blues” shows the Country Music Hall of Famer’s early influences from blues that later helped him develop his blue-collar Southern country rock sound. The album is a sexualized romp through material by Robert Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, R.L. Burnside and Muddy Waters, as well as Williams’ own original tunes. Williams said that the album has a feeling of being in a south Alabama juke joint. The last song on the album is “Jesus Won’t You Come By Here,” which Williams says is too hard for him to sing now since the death of his wife in March.