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Kid Rock Slams the Potential Destruction of Historic Hank Williams Estate

Southern rocker Kid Rock recently condemned the potential demolition of legendary country music singer Hank Williams’ home. The 51-year-old decried the action of tearing down the antebellum home on Tuesday night during “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

The historic home, Beechwood Hall, is located near Franklin, Tenn. It was built in the 1850s and even endured the Civil War. Hank Williams owned the home, and more recently country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill did too.

The home is also believed to have inspired Williams’ “Mansion on a Hill.” The main home is over 3,000 square feet and includes three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a primary suite. The estate also boasts a 12-stall stable, barn, guest homes, and cabins that have been preserved for over a century.

Then, in 2021, fund manager Larry Keele bought the 268-acre property. However, now, Williamson County residents fear that the aging home could face potential demolition.

On Tuesday night, the Michigan native told host Tucker Carlson he is “sick of seeing history torn to the ground.” “Whether it be in the form of monuments, statues, and now something so important here in Nashville … where does it end?” he asked Carlson.

In an official statement, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, a non-profit preservation organization, said it is working in a “collaborative and positive manner” with the new owners to “create a comprehensive preservation plan, and bring resources and solutions to the table for discussion.”

In addition, Keele released a statement on behalf of the organization, saying there were no demolition plans. “Contrary to misinformation that is being published, no historical items have been placed in any burn pile. There is no scheduled demolition.”

Kid Rock urges residents, country music colleagues to get involved in preservation

Keel also revealed that the home has been vacant for decades. When he and his wife purchased the estate, it was in a “deteriorated state.”

He also noted that architects have come to the home to offer insight on how they could better restore it to resemble the original Beechwood Hall. He also said the “rear 1970s addition” was removed because it was “not historical.”

Organizers at savebeechwood.org, a website whose goal is to halt any future demolition and save the historical home, say the architects are “carefully selected experts” who want to “create a perception that the property is ‘too far gone’ to be restored.”

As for Kid Rock, he hopes more people will speak out against the potential destruction and stand up for its preservation.

“I think there’s going to be many, many people [who] will get on board. They can go to savebeechwood.org. I think you will see a lot more country music stars, musicians, just great people in the community that want to preserve this for the next generation to come. Generations beyond that,” he said.