Hank Williams Jr Fires Civil War Cannon on Fourth of July: ‘It Made a Pretty Big Bang’ [Watch]
Many Americans nationwide spent Fourth of July watching dazzling fireworks dancing in the sky. Hank Williams Jr., however, opted for something a little more explosive — a Civil War-era, 12-pound Napoleon cannon. Of course, he shared the moment on social media for the world to see.
"BOCEPHUS FIRECRACKER! Hank doesn't use fireworks on 4th of July," he writes to accompany the video. "Original Civil War cannon. Grandkids and friends loved it."
"It made a pretty big bang," Williams shouts as the 1861 cannon's boom echoes across the field.
While it's not clear how the "Family Tradition" singer came into possession of such a relic, in June of 2022 he shared with Taste of Country Nights host Evan Paul his plans for Independence Day. One would think he would need a permit from the county to shoot off such a massive piece of artillery, right?
"S--t no," he said at the time. "It ain't no f----in' Davidson County, man. I'm in West Tennessee. I got a permit from a United States federal judge. You wanna talk permits — I ain't no county mounty! Mine is federal."
While chatting with Paul, Williams also shared that he is a Civil War buff and enjoys searching for pieces of history. He's been known to bust out the metal detector looking for artifacts. He even took Brad Paisley out on one of his expeditions.
His love of this particular chapter in history — specifically the cannons — is something he shared with Johnny Cash. He and the "Ring of Fire" singer were close, as June Carter Cash was Williams' godmother. Bocephus was more than happy to share one of his Cash stories with Taste of Country Nights — and yes, it involves a cannon.