HANK WILLIAMS JR.

Just as his career was being revived, tragedy beset Williams. While he was climbing a mountain in Montana in 1975, he fell 442 feet down the side of the mountain. His injuries were serious -- his skull was split and his face was crushed -- but he survived. Following extensive reconstructive cosmetic surgery, he had to relearn how to speak and sing. Williams' recovery period lasted a full two years.
In the 1980s, Williams catapulted to stardom with several multi-platinum albums and dozens of chart-topping singles, including "Family Tradition," "Texas Women" and "Born to Boogie." He won the Country Music Association's Award for entertainer of the year in 1987 and '88, and a Grammy Award in 1989 for a duet with his father's recorded vocals called "There's a Tear in My Beer."