William M. Mizell, known professionally as Hank Mizell, was born on November 9, 1923, in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. He began his music career after serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Mizell started singing professionally with a band featuring guitarist Jim Bobo and settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where he performed on local radio. It was during this time that he adopted the stage name Hank Mizell, inspired by country singer Hank Williams.
Mizell recorded his breakthrough single "Jungle Rock" in 1958 for Eko Records, which initially went unnoticed but later gained significant attention when reissued by Charly Records in March 1976. This release peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and reached Number 1 in the Netherlands. Despite this success, Mizell's music career was relatively short-lived; he continued to perform live until 1962 before transitioning into preaching for the Church of Christ. In the late 1970s, Mizell signed with Hammer Records and planned a tour, though specific details on these activities are scarce. He passed away in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on December 23, 1992.
