Voting Station

Tennessee Ernie Ford

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (February 13, 1919-October 17, 1991)
    Born in Bristol, Tennessee
    Birth name is Ernest Jennings Ford
    Hosted 'Tennessee Ernie Ford Show' (1956-1961)
    Recorded 'Sixteen Tons,' 'Mule Train,' 'The Ballad of Davy Crockett,' 'Tennessee Border No. 1,' 'Milk 'Em in the Morning Blues,' 'Country Junction,' 'Smokey Mountain Boogie,' 'Anticipation Blues,' 'Blues Stay Away from Me ,' 'Feed 'Em in the Morning Blues,' 'My Hobby,' 'The Cry of the Wild Goose,' 'Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own,' 'I'll Never Be Free,' 'Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women,' 'Shotgun Boogie,' 'Stack-O-Lee ,' 'Tailor Made Woman,' 'The Strange Little Girl ,' 'Mister and Mississippi,' 'Rock City Boogie,' 'Kissin' Bug Boogie,' 'Hey, Good Lookin',' 'Blackberry Boogie,' 'I Don't Know,' 'This Must Be the Place,' 'River of No Return,' 'His Hands,' 'You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry,' 'That's All,' 'Work Song,' 'Sweet Dreams,' 'Hicktown,' 'Trouble in Mind,' 'Sweet Hour of Prayer,' 'Softly and Tenderly,' 'The Old Rugged Cross,' 'Rock of Ages,' 'When God Dips His Love in My Heart' and 'Just a Little Talk With Jesus'
    Radio broadcaster at WOPI - Bristol, Tennessee

Why he might be annoying:

    The song that made him famous, 'Sixteen Tons,' is morose and fatalistic. The lyrics are 'You load sixteen tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go; I owe my soul to the company store.'
    He was a closeted alcoholic, and it destroyed his liver.
    Despite the nickname Tennessee, he died in Virginia.
    He insisted on closing each of his TV shows with a gospel song.
    He fell fatally sick after having dinner with President George Bush.
    His catchphrase was 'Bless your pea-pickin' heart!'
    He created the persona of 'Tennessee Ernie,' as a hillbilly character while in California.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He released more than 80 record albums for Capitol Records.
    'Sixteen Tons' became Capitol's fastest selling single.
    He sold over 60 million records.
    He was a B-29 bombardier in World War II
    Tom Waits mentions him in his song 'First Kiss.'
    He discovered Jim Lange ('Dating Game') and the Everly Brothers.
    His album 'Hymns' (1956) charted for 350 consecutive weeks.
    His persona was warm, likable and down home southerner.
    He was married to the same woman for over 45 years, until her death.
    He spanned country, gospel and pop music.

Credit: Bruce


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 37 Votes: 32.43% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 119 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 26 Votes: 11.54% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 23.08% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 26 Votes: 42.31% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 57 Votes: 50.88% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 71 Votes: 35.21% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 152 Votes: 45.39% Annoying