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Hank Williams Jr. bashes Obama at the fair

Well there went your White House invite, Hank. 

Yeah, like that was really coming any time soon.

Hank Williams is back to his old Obama bashing ways and according to the Des Moines Metromix (via THR), on Friday decided to tell fans at the Iowa State Fair how he really felt. 

"We've got a Muslim president who hates farming, hates the military, hates the U.S. and we hate him!"

Apparently the crowd loved it and responded with cheers.

Of course, these comments are no surprise since Hank made similar ones in last month's Rolling Stone interview where he said, "I mean, the guy is the worst. Giveaway programs, hates America in the first place, forget about the flag."

Then there was last year when Hank got fired from his long-running 'Monday Night Football' gig after telling Fox & Friends that House Speaker John Boehner playing golf with the president was "like Hitler playing golf with [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

Then on his newest album 'Old School, New Rules', there's a song called Take Back Our Country where there's a line that says, "Hey Barack pack your bags, head to Chicago, take your teleprompter with you so you'll know where to go." 

I don't know. Freedom of speech is one thing, but am I the only one who thinks that Hank could use a little more discretion in his opinions to at least keep himself from sounding like a complete nut? 

Yeah, that'll probably happen about the same time he gets an invite to the White House for tea with the president. 

Hank Williams, Jr.'s 'Old School, New Rules' is the top selling independent album in the country, (from the mailbag)

Hank Williams, Jr. has the top selling independent album in the country with his new CD, Old School, New Rules. The new CD debuts at #4 on Billboard's Country Albums chart and #12 on Billboard's Top U.S. Albums chart. This gives the country music legend the highest peak position of his career on the overall chart, surpassing his previous high of #16 achieved by 1964's "Your Cheatin' Heart" and the 2006 compilation, "That's How They Do It In Dixie: The Essential Collection."

"Old School, New Rules" is the first album on Hank Williams, Jr.'s new label imprint, Bocephus Records, licensed to Blaster Records with distribution by Warner Music Nashville.

Hank Jr. performs Merle Haggard's classic "I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink"

Hank Williams Jr. stopped by "CBS This Morning: Saturday" and played the classic Haggard tune I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink. He also performed his new single That Ain't Good.  You can watch that video here. 

Hank Williams, Jr. debuts new video for "That Ain't Good"

That Ain't Good - Hank Williams Jr. - Hank Williams Jr. Videos

From my inbox:

Hank Jr. gets down to business in his new music video, "That Ain't Good," premiering today on CMT.com! "That Ain't Good," the lead single from Hank Jr.'s upcoming record, Old School, New Rules, carries the legend's classic sound with lyrics packed full of hard hitting realism.

'Old School, New Rules' is due in stores on July 10th.

Hank Williams Jr. releases new album details (press release)

Hey Hank Fans! Today Hank Williams Jr. announced the details of his upcoming album set for release on July 10, 2012. The twelve-song package, available for pre-sale now at www.hankjr.com, will include a duet with Brad Paisley on “I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams” as well as a new duet with the legendary Merle Haggard on his classic “I Think I’ll Just Sit Here and Drink.” “I’m excited about this new album,” Hank said. “I’m definitely ‘Old School’, and I am making music with ‘New Rules’. People know I’m gonna say exactly what I think and this album is exactly that.” Pre order packages available on Hankjr.com include an instant download of ‘Keep The Change’ from the upcoming album. The exclusive ‘You Win Again’ package includes a t-shirt, the vinyl album, as well as an AUTOGRAPHED ‘Old School, New Rules’ CD album. Get yours today! Track Listing: 1. Takin’ Back The Country 2. I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams (with Brad Paisley) 3. Three Day Trip 4. Old School 5. We Don’t Apologize for America 6. You Win Again 7. Cow Turd Blues 8. Who’s Takin’ Care of Number One 9. ThatAin’t Good 10. Keep The Change 11. Stock Market Blues 12. I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink (with Merle Haggard)

Hank Williams Jr. brings SexyBack

Great, now I'm going to have Justin Timberlake's infectious earworm SexyBack stuck in my head all day long.  

I'm bringing sexy back, them other boys don't know how to act....blah blah blah.  

Greattttt.  It's far too easy to mess up my mind, I swear.   

Anyhoo, last Friday the stars aligned in some sort of perfect cosmic mishmash and Hank Jr. got to spend a little time hanging out with Justin Timberlake in Mississippi.  From the looks of the above picture, Jr. had a really great time.     

Justin Timberlake along with his best friend/WilliamRast business partner Trace Ayala were hanging backstage in Mississippi last Friday night with country music legend Hank Williams Jr. Williams was in town doing a concert in Southhaven, Mississippi, where Timberlake along with fiancée Jessica Biel, mother Lynn Timberlake, and buddy Alaya all took in a night of some ‘Rockin Randall’.

“What a great guy! Justin is a friend of my rebel son Kid Rock. He sure is a good country boy. We talked about girls, guitars, turkey hunting, going on cruises and how much we hate them, even though Bobby (Kid Rock) is on one right now and loving it, ugh! Hell, Justin and I even talking about recording a blues song sometime.” – Hank Williams Jr.

Hank Williams, Jr.'s new song is actually an old song, but he's recorded it and is giving it away for free

Hank's got a gift for all his rowdy friends...a free song.

As I mentioned earlier today, Hank William's, Jr. had written a new song that was inspired by the events of the last week.  

Well we've gotten our first listen to Keep the Change and come to find out it's not a new tune but instead it's an old song that Hank added a few words to to make it relevent to current events.  Check the song out below and then if you like it you can head over to his site and download the song for free for the next 48 hours.  

Related articles

• Hank Williams, Jr. writes an ESPN/Fox & Friends inspired song (nashvillegab.com)
• Hank Williams Jr. defends Obama-Hitler analogy (usatoday.com)
• Hank Jr. and friends get appropriately tipsy for white lightening launch (nashvillegab.com)

Hank Williams, Jr. writes an ESPN/Fox & Friends inspired song

Well now this is going to be fun. 

You know, sometimes it's the aftermath of controversy that's funner than the actual controversy itself...I think this is probably one of those times. 

Hank Williams Jr. heads back to Fox and Friends while Sarah Palin defends him

So did you happen to catch Saturday Night Live last night when Hank Williams, Jr. was the subject of one of the show's skits?

Too funny.  Check it out above.

And speaking of Hank, in case you have been living under a rock or out of the country or something, he and ESPN have cut ties and Hank is no longer the opening voice of Monday Night Football.  At first it was ESPN saying they had dropped Hank for his controversial Obama/Hitler comment, but then Hank  took to his website to clear things up saying:

 “After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made my decision. By pulling my opening Oct. 3, you (ESPN) stepped on the toes of the First Amendment freedom of speech, so therefore me, my song and all my rowdy friends are out of here. It’s been a great run.”

So who knows who really quit who first, the fact remains that the partnership is kaput, but after 20+ years of being the opening song singer, maybe change is a good thing. 

Because this was a pretty hot topic last week, everyone and their brother had their two cents on the subject, including Sarah Palin who commented on the issue with her Fox colleague Sean Hannity on his radio show Thursday. 

"Hank Williams and what he is going through now, I think it's a very clear illustration of a greater societal problem and that is the hypocrisy on the left -- the liberals who can throw these stones at a conservative and they knowing that they're not going to be held accountable." 

"It's a one way street and we're always walking on eggshells, aren't we?" the former Alaska governor told Hannity, "you know, like, oh geez, if I say that is somebody going to misinterpret it or spin it as something that is quote unquote racist or sexist or anything else? But the other side ... they can say whatever they want and nobody calls them out on it. I think it's pretty disgusting."

Hopefully this week will bring happier stories for the world of country. 

Well there's one person who is loving Hank Williams, Jr.'s current controversy

So yesterday Hank Williams, Jr. compared President Obama to Hitler in a round-a-bout sort of way on Fox & Friends and the world was totally shocked. 

Dum dum dummmmmm. 

Then ESPN pulled his Monday Night Football theme song from last night's game in a nice wrist-slap gesture probably meant to appease those out for blood.  All I've heard so far, though, is that this was a one-week suspension and that Hank's toe-tapping theme song will be back next week, but I suppose that remains to be seen. 

Then Hank came out and said basically sorry you didn't like my comment, but it was meant to get attention so screw off.  

I'm paraphrasing of course.  

"Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme – but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me - how ludicrous that pairing was."

He continues, "They’re polar opposites and it made no sense. They don’t see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the President.” 

Williams Jr. adds, "Every time the media brings up the tea party it’s painted as racist and extremists – but there’s never a backlash – no outrage to those comparisons…Working class people are hurting – and it doesn’t seem like anybody cares. When both sides are high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job – it makes a whole lot of us angry. Something has to change. The policies have to change.”

But while a lot of the world was shocked by Hank's comments, one person was a little gleeful in light of Bocephus' presidential controversy.

Natalie Maines. 

Yep, former (current?) Dixie Chick, Natalie Maines, who is maybe best remembered for ruining the Dixie Chicks' promising career when she said on stage that she was ashamed to say that then President George W. Bush was from Texas, was enjoying the mess Hanks had gotten himself into. 

From Natalie's Twitter: 

We'll never know if country radio would have banned Hank Williams Jr. for badmouthing the President, because they already don't play him;)

And: 

Finished my NFL theme song!It's called Now We're Ready For Some Football.It's a subtle but effective change.My melody is way better too.

Come on, do you blame her?  It's taken since 2003, but someone finally took the reins from her in the presidential ooops department. 

UPDATE: Okay, so I'm honestly not sure if HWJ is gone from Monday Night Football for good or just for one week.  Everyone is reporting that his theme song is no longer the theme song for MNF, but ESPN's official statement was: "We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from TONIGHT'S telecast."

I don't know about you but that sounds like it was a one-night pull to me and not a permanent one. Of course, after all the ruccus, I have a feeling it will eventually become permanent if it isn't already.