Jim Owen honored 30 years later on Gene Williams TV Show

It’s been over 30 years since Jim Owen portrayed Hank Williams Sr. in his PBS special “Hank” and this week on the Lucas Oil sponsored “Gene Williams Country Music Television Show” Owen is honored for his work with a gold record. The awards just keep coming when Williams is also surprised with one presented to him from his fans.

The gold record awards are made by Nashville’s Ken Kittinger of Creative Award Designs who has made gold records for the likes of former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, George Strait, Earl Thomas Conley, Willie Nelson, Epic Records, CBS, Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie McDowell, Charly McClain, Exile and the Jack Daniels distillery.

Kittinger presented Williams’ award on behalf of his fans for having the “best traditional country music show in America,” and “Jim’s award is one that just slipped through the cracks and it is well deserved. It gives me great pleasure to present it to him,” he said. Owen won an Emmy for his PBS special that was voted public television’s best show of the year in 1977. In addition to the PBS portrayal of Hank, Williams also portrayed the legend in two movies.

Charlie Daniels called Owen a country music superstar and many country superstars have recorded his hit songs. “Louisiana Women, Mississippi Man” was recorded by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. Mel Tillis recorded “Too Lonely Too Long” among others. Charlie Pride, Cal Smith, Tommy Cash, George Jones, Charlie Louvin, Melba Montgomery, Waylon Jennings and Eddy Arnold and Owen himself have recorded his original songs.

Also on this show Johnny Lee stops in to visit with Williams, Owen and Katie Lynn, Williams’ co-host. Lee is making country music history by starring in his own show that will open Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. in the Gene Williams Theatre, the former Branson Hall of Fame Theatre, at the Branson Mall. Tickets are on sale at the box office of the theater recently opened by Williams where his weekly television show is taped live before a studio audience and where he is now showcasing several live shows: Mark Aldred Variety Show at 10 a.m., The Sweethearts of Branson at 2 p.m. and through Aug. 30 Real Country with Wally Barbee and Warren Farren at 8 p.m.

The broadcast with Owen and Lee of Williams’ syndicated TV series was May 17 and 18.

Williams’ television guests have included Doug Kershaw, Ed McMahon, Mickey Gilley, the Oak Ridge Boys, Roy Clark, Barbara Fairchild, Sons of the Pioneers, the Osmonds, Johnny Cash’s band The Tennessee Three, Helen Cornelius, Leona Williams, Charlie Louvin, Mary Lou Turner, Cal Smith, Stonewall Jackson, Norma Jean, Little Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner, Jim Owen, Buck Trent and Wanda Jackson.

Williams’ co-host Katie Lynn has received the Branson Entertainment Awards Best Support Vocalist twice for her work in the “Mickey Gilley Show.” She has worked with Gilley for more than eight years and also worked with Jim Owen for seven years. In addition to her singing career, she is a real estate agent. She and the guest stars perform weekly on the television show with the Country Junction Band.

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