Hank Williams Jr. at Mountain Laurel

BUSHKILL - A titan of the country rock scene, Hank Williams Jr. brings his hits to the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts for one performance only, Saturday, July 22 at 8 p.m. Hank Williams Jr. has carved out a career very different from that of his legendary father, the late country star Hank Williams. The younger Williams’ string of hits, spun out in 70 albums over the past three decades, includes “Texas Woman,” “Dixie on My Mind,” “Honky Tonkin’,” “Born to Boogie” and “Family Tradition,” as well as “There’s a Tear in My Beer” (an electronic duet with his late dad). His devotion to patriotism and American pride have brought Hank even more fans, and his concerts are nothing less than rowdy parties that celebrate the raw power of his music. When Hank Jr. began his career, he simply copied and played his father’s music - but soon he veered off in a completely new direction, blending country rock, honky-tonk and roadhouse sounds to create a rip-roaring style all his own. By the 1970s, he had completely retooled his image to appeal to fans of “outlaw country” and Southern rock, resulting in a string of Top Ten singles that continued for two decades. “Bocephus,” as his father had nicknamed him as a child, also became a passionate supporter of American patriotism, writing a pro-Gulf War song and becoming one of the most recognizable pop culture figures of the 1980s and ‘90s. He won back-to-back Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year awards in 1988 and 1989, and continues to be a hugely popular recording artist and concert performer. Mountain Laurel performances are held rain or shine. Audience members are welcome to arrive early to picnic on the lawn, and to enjoy the full-service fast-food menu inside the Tom Ridge Pavilion (no outside food or drink allowed inside the pavilion). Pavilion tickets are priced at $45 to $65 each and lawn tickets at $25 each are on sale now online or by phone through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or 570 693-4100, or in person at the MLCPA Box Office on Bushkill Falls Road. Parking is $5 per vehicle. The Mountain Laurel Center Box Office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to curtain on all performance days. For more information about this and all Mountain Laurel Center events, visit www.mountainlaurelcenter.com or call 570-426-2080.