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American singer-songwriter and pioneer of honky-tonk country music, whose raw emotional delivery became the defining sound of modern country.Born in Alabama, Williams rose from local radio shows to national stardom in the late 1940s with timeless hits like 'Lovesick Blues' and 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.' Despite chronic health issues and substance abuse, he recorded 35 Top 10 country singles before his death at 29. Posthumously inducted into multiple halls of fame, his influence reshaped American music.

• Suffered from spina bifida occulta, causing lifelong severe back pain that led to alcohol and morphine dependence.
• Married manager Audrey Sheppard in 1944; their volatile relationship fueled songs like 'Your Cheatin' Heart' and ended in divorce amid accusations of infidelity and violence.
• Fired from the Grand Ole Opry in 1952 due to drunkenness and missed performances, devastating his career.
• Died of heart failure en route to a concert on New Year's Day 1953. The official cause was 'acute ventricular dilation,' exacerbated by alcohol, morphine, and chloral hydrate. He was discovered dead in his Cadillac's backseat at age 29.