February 14, 2002 Country Singer and Songwriter Jett Williams to Deliver Women's History Month Keynote Address

Jett Williams, daughter of the legendary country singer Hank Williams and a singer and songwriter in her own right, will deliver the 2002 Women's History Month keynote address at the Library of Congress at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 5, in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, James Madison Memorial Building. The lecture is free and open to the public.

"We are pleased to have Ms. Williams with us to celebrate Women's History Month," said Federal Women's Program Manager Jean Parker. "As a woman who overcame obstacles to establish her heritage and achieve success as both a vocalist and an author, Ms. Williams exemplifies the theme of this year's national Women's History Month observance, 'Women Sustaining the American Spirit.'"

She was born in Montgomery, Ala., on January 6, 1953 -- just five days after her father's sudden death at the age of 29. In her autobiography, titled Ain't Nothin' as Sweet as My Baby, she recalled, "My adoption records say that every time I changed homes, I didn't have a teddy bear, I had a guitar."

Ms. Williams made her professional signing debut in 1989, blending her father's classics, such as "Your Cheatin' Heart," with her originals. In 1993, she appeared for the first time at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. For more than a decade she has shared the stage with country music legends such as George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Conway Twitty, and brought to life her father's legacy for a new generation of fans. In addition to her autobiography, her credits include two compact discs, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry and That Reminds Me of Hank.