Hank Williams Jr. is Such a Wild Card That He Once Smashed Troy Gentry’s Phone

You can argue that he's impulsive, outspoken and even offensive, but no one can say that Hank Williams Jr. doesn't know how to create a good story. Old Bocephus' rebellious streak has gotten him into plenty of hot water over the years, but for an example a time when his fiery personality caused nothing more than a memorable moment (and a broken phone), look no further than the story Shooter Jennings told on Twitter in 2017.

Following the sudden and tragic death of Troy Gentry (one half of superstar duo Montgomery Gentry), country stars of all stripes took to social media to share stories and express their grief. In addition to his own sentiments, Jennings tweeted a sweet, light-hearted anecdote about an interaction Gentry had with Williams Jr.: One that all started with a phone call Gentry made to his cousin.

"Apparently one time Troy was on the phone with his cousin and simultaneously hanging out with Hank Jr.," Jennings wrote. "Troy's cousin didn't believe he was really hanging with Hank Jr., so Troy handed the phone to Hank and said, 'Say hi to my cousin.'

"Hank Jr. took the phone and threw it against the wall and it broke into pieces. He then said, 'Hank Jr. doesn't do calls,'" Jennings concluded, adding that Gentry didn't harbor any grudges about the broken phone.

"[Troy and] his cousin had nothing but love and a great story for Hank Jr. We often talked about how Hank Jr. could out-Axl Axl [Rose]. We also would talk for long periods about how bada-- Hank's music is," he added.

Of course, not everyone has been quite so forgiving of Williams Jr.'s antics. In 2011, he and ESPN ended a two-decade Monday Night Football partnership because he compared then-President Obama's golf summit with House Speaker John Boehner to "Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

The country star has encountered legal trouble, too: In 2006, a woman accused him of sexual assault, saying that he had lifted her off the ground in a chokehold after asking to kiss her. The case was later dismissed due to lack of evidence, and Williams Jr.'s lawyer stated that the woman had been seeking an "outlandish amount of money," and only took her case to the police after the singer refused to settle.

For better or worse, Williams Jr. has always spoken his mind and done things his way. In fact, according to the latest installment of The Secret History of Country Music, that brazen approach to his life and career might be costing the superstar his otherwise-rightfully-earned spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame. To learn more about Williams Jr.'s exclusion from the hallowed hall, and why he deserves to be there, press play above to watch the latest episode, from The Boot's partner site Taste of Country.

LOOK: Hank Williams Jr. Through the Years

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