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Tennessee Ernie Ford in Old Time Radio Collection

A country boy who rose to fame in the Southern California Country Music scene, Tennessee Ernie Ford won an important place in the history of Rock & Roll.

Tennessee Ernie Ford

40 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 12 hours, 846 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
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14 Audio CDs


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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Ernie Ford
(1919 – 1991)

Ernie Ford

One of the controversial elements of the Rock and Roll movement was due to how well the music lent itself to rebellion. Most often, the rebellious attitude was limited to youngsters wanting their parents to let them have some unsupervised fun, but in the traditions of Folk Music which influenced the genre, Rock & Roll Rebels were not afraid to take on important social and political issues.

Ernie ForfdOne of Rock's earliest protest songs is "Sixteen Tons" written by Country and Western pioneer Merle Travis. The song is based on the Travis family's experiences as exploited miners in Muhlenburg County, Kentucky, many of the song's most indelible lyrics came from letters written by the composer's family. Travis first recorded the song in 1947 for Capitol Records but it didn't take off until 1955 when Tennessee Ernie Ford cut the song for the "B Side" of "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry".

Travis's original cut of the song stayed true to the singer's Hillbilly roots and the distinctive "Travis Style" of guitar fingerpicking (which can be traced to a Ragtime influence). The finger-snapping and clarinet-driven Ford version appealed to the popular stylings which were beginning to flood the Disk-Jockey formatted radio market. On future TV appearances on The Grand Ol' Opry, Travis would adopt the clarinet arrangement, but by then the number had become Tennessee Ernie Ford signature song.

The personality who started life as Ernest Jennings Ford in Bristol, Tennessee, February 1919, probably didn't need a "signature song" to make the jump from the "B" to the "A-List" of the entertainment world, but the million-selling recording certainly helped. Ernie's talented bass-baritone-voice first received notice in high school, and he was able to parley his music teacher's recommendation into a singing and announcing gig at WOPI Bristol, which he left in 1939 to attend the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. However, before he had a chance to capitalize on his classically trained voice the Country found itself embroiled in the Second World War.

First Lieutenant Ford served as a B-29 Superfortress bombardier on Army Air Corps missions over Japan. As the War came to a close, he was assigned as a bombing instructor at George Army Airfield near Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles. After mustering out, Ford remained in Southern California, finding work at radio stations in San Bernardino and Pasadena. While hosting an early morning Country and Western disk jockey program at KFXM San Bernardino, he invented the exaggerated hillbilly character of "Tennessee Ernie" who often sang along with the records he was playing. His growing popularity had him hired away by KXLA Pasadena where, in addition to the Tennessee Ernie Show (which the station put into nation-wide syndication) he appeared as a vocalist on Cliffie Stone's live Dinner Bell Roundup program. Stone was a part-time talent scout for Capitol Records and signed Ford with the label in 1949.

The popularity of the "Tennessee Ernie" character was noticed by the folks at Desilu Studios, and Ford was cast as Cousin Ernie for three episodes during the third and fourth season of I Love Lucy. Performing with and even upstaging "America's Favorite Redhead" put Ford in the national spotlight but "Sixteen Tons" made him a Star.

Ford had become friends with Merle Travis when they both performed on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree, and he learned "Sixteen Tons" at that time. Seeing his success on Lucy, Capitol was anxious to have Ford cut another record to fulfill his contract. The Label thought that the A-Side was going to be Ford's biggest hit to date but considered "Sixteen Tons" on the B Side a "throwaway". Disk jockeys across the country quickly recognized the song's serious, even bleak imagery as an alternative to the syrupy ballads which had been dominating the pop charts. Billboard listed it as Number One on the Pop Music Chart for six weeks (Number one of the Country Charts for ten weeks).

Ernie Ford

In addition to his experience on I Love Lucy, Ford was the host and quizmaster for an NBC revival of Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge in 1954. Hired because of his success with "Sixteen Tons", ford's biggest TV triumph was The Ford Show beginning in 1956. The show's title caused some confusion, it was named for the sponsor, the Ford Motor Company; Ernie was not related to the Henry Ford clan. Despite his artistic status, Ford butted head with the producers over "creative differences". He insisted on closing each episode with a religious of spiritual song, while the network executives feared that it would cause unneeded controversy. Ford won out, only eighteen of the 121 episodes closed with a secular tune, and the religious offering proved to be one to the program's most popular elements. The Ford Show aired until the end of the 1961 season.

President Reagan awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1984. Three Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have been dedicated honoring Tennessee Ernie Ford; one at 6922 Hollywood for Contributions to the Recording Arts, another at 6311 for Television, and for Radio at 1600 Vine Street. After attending a White House State Dinner hosted by President George H.W. Bush in September 1991, Ford suffered liver failure at Dulles International Airport and was rushed to Reston Hospital in Reston, Virginia. On October 16, 1991, Tennessee Ernie Ford succumbed to complications due to his liver condition. It was exactly thirty-six years from the release of "Sixteen Tons". He was 72 years old.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    I found the recordings of his radio shows very clear and of good quality. I didn't know a young Sue Thompson was one of his regulars on that show, but she sounded every bit as good as she would sound in her later pop hits in the 60's. Duncan Holmes Fredericksburg, TX

    Duncan Verified Purchase

    Great to hear Cliffie Stone and all those west coast performers...this was "Ol Earn" in his cornball days...

    Michael Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    40 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 12 hours, 846 min
    40 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 12 hours, 846 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 40 shows – total playtime 12 hours, 14 minutes
    2. Call of The Range 461021 Chant of Wanderer.mp3
    3. Country Barn Dance 481211.mp3
    4. Dinner Bell Roundup 481125 Old Dan Tucker.mp3
    5. Grand Ole Opry 500107 0115 Tennessee Saturday Night.mp3
    6. Guest Star 550515 0425 Tennessee Ernie.mp3
    7. Hometown Jamboree 490530 Lynchburg Town.mp3
    8. Hometown Jamboree 490704.mp3
    9. LA 491109 Sampson Deliah.mp3
    10. Sb 081 I Love You.mp3
    11. Sb 112 I Cry For Yout.mp3
    12. Sbsp 959 7 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    13. Smokey Visits Stars 590000 06 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    14. Steve Allen Show 491102 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    15. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 1.mp3
    16. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 2.mp3
    17. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 3.mp3
    18. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 001 540308 Side By Side.mp3
    19. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 099.mp3
    20. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 100.mp3
    21. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 101.mp3
    22. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 102.mp3
    23. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 103.mp3
    24. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 104.mp3
    25. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 105.mp3
    26. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 106.mp3
    27. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 107.mp3
    28. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 108.mp3
    29. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 109.mp3
    30. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 110.mp3
    31. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 115.mp3
    32. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 116.mp3
    33. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 117.mp3
    34. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 118.mp3
    35. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 119.mp3
    36. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 120.mp3
    37. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 121.mp3
    38. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 122.mp3
    39. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 123.mp3
    40. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 530522 Aud Molly Bee.mp3
    41. Wizards Of Odds 500120 Aud Mr Mrs Galfin Kansas City.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    40 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 12 hours, 846 min
    40 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    336 MB – total playtime 12 hours, 14 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 40 shows – 336 MB – total playtime 12 hours, 14 minutes
    2. Call of The Range 461021 Chant of Wanderer.mp3
    3. Country Barn Dance 481211.mp3
    4. Dinner Bell Roundup 481125 Old Dan Tucker.mp3
    5. Grand Ole Opry 500107 0115 Tennessee Saturday Night.mp3
    6. Guest Star 550515 0425 Tennessee Ernie.mp3
    7. Hometown Jamboree 490530 Lynchburg Town.mp3
    8. Hometown Jamboree 490704.mp3
    9. LA 491109 Sampson Deliah.mp3
    10. Sb 081 I Love You.mp3
    11. Sb 112 I Cry For Yout.mp3
    12. Sbsp 959 7 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    13. Smokey Visits Stars 590000 06 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    14. Steve Allen Show 491102 Tennessee Ernie Ford.mp3
    15. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 1.mp3
    16. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 2.mp3
    17. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 3.mp3
    18. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 001 540308 Side By Side.mp3
    19. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 099.mp3
    20. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 100.mp3
    21. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 101.mp3
    22. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 102.mp3
    23. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 103.mp3
    24. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 104.mp3
    25. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 105.mp3
    26. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 106.mp3
    27. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 107.mp3
    28. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 108.mp3
    29. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 109.mp3
    30. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 110.mp3
    31. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 115.mp3
    32. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 116.mp3
    33. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 117.mp3
    34. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 118.mp3
    35. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 119.mp3
    36. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 120.mp3
    37. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 121.mp3
    38. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 122.mp3
    39. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 123.mp3
    40. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 530522 Aud Molly Bee.mp3
    41. Wizards Of Odds 500120 Aud Mr Mrs Galfin Kansas City.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    40 recordings on 14 Audio CDs. Total playtime 12 hours, 14 min
    40 recordings on 14 Audio CDs
    total playtime 12 hours, 14 min

    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A001

    1. Sb 081 I Love You
    2. Sb 112 I Cry For Yout
    3. Sbsp 959 7 Tennessee Ernie Ford
    4. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 1
    5. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 2

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A002

    1. Tennessee Ernie Ford Audition 3
    2. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 099
    3. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 100
    4. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 101
    5. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 102

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A003

    1. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 103
    2. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 104
    3. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 105
    4. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 106
    5. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 107
    6. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 108

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A004

    1. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 109
    2. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 110
    3. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 115
    4. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 116
    5. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 117
    6. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 118

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A005

    1. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 119
    2. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 120
    3. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 121
    4. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 122
    5. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 123

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A006

    1. Call of The Range 461021 Chant of Wanderer

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A007

    1. Dinner Bell Roundup 481125 Old Dan Tucker

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A008

    1. Country Barn Dance 481211

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A009

    1. Hometown Jamboree 490530 Lynchburg Town

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A010

    1. Hometown Jamboree 490704

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A011

    1. Steve Allen Show 491102 Tennessee Ernie Ford

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A012

    1. LA 491109 Sampson Deliah
    2. Grand Ole Opry 500107 0115 Tennessee Saturday Night

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A013

    1. Wizards Of Odds 500120 Aud Mr Mrs Galfin Kansas City
    2. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 530522 Aud Molly Bee

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Tennessee Ernie Ford Disc A014

    1. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 001 540308 Side By Side
    2. Guest Star 550515 0425 Tennessee Ernie
    3. Smokey Visits Stars 590000 06 Tennessee Ernie Ford

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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