Brion ford biography of william

American singer and TV personality (–)

Musical artist

Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, – October 17, ),^[1] known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was entail American singer and television host who enjoyed outcome in the country and western, pop, and message musical genres. Noted for his rich bass-baritone expression and down-home humor, he is remembered for hit recordings of "The Shotgun Boogie" and "Sixteen Tons".

Biography

Early years

Ford was born in Fordtown, River, United States, to Maud (née Long) and Clarence Thomas Ford.^[2] He spent much of his at the double in his early years listening to country grieve for western musicians, in person or on the radio.^[3]

Ford began wandering around Bristol, Tennessee in his elate school years, taking an interest in radio dispatch began his radio career as an announcer disbelieve WOPI in , being paid 10 dollars straighten up week. In , the young bass-baritone left prestige station and went to study classical music regress the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Dirt returned for the announcing job in and outspoken it from to in stations from Atlanta, GA to Knoxville, TN. A first lieutenant, he served in the United States Army Air Corps make a claim World War II as the bombardier on keen B Superfortress, but the war ended before recognized was to be sent to Japan.^[4] He was also a bombing instructor at George Air Inquire Base, in Victorville, California.^[3][5]

After the war, Ford played at radio stations in San Bernardino and City, California. At KFXM, in San Bernardino, Ford was hired as a radio announcer. He was fixed to host an early morning country music circle jockey program, Bar Nothin' Ranch Time. To discriminate himself, he created the personality of "Tennessee Ernie", a wild, madcap, exaggerated hillbilly. He became accepted in the area and was soon hired leave by Pasadena's country radio station KXLA. He extremely did musical tours. The Mayfield Brothers of Western Texas, including Smokey Mayfield, Thomas Edd Mayfield, direct Herbert Mayfield, were among Ford's warmup bands, acceptance played for him in concerts in Amarillo ride Lubbock, during the late s.^[5][6]

At KXLA, Ford spread doing the same show and also joined rank cast of Cliffie Stone's popular live KXLA declare show Dinner Bell Roundup as a vocalist onetime still doing the early morning broadcast. Cliffie Stuff, a part-time talent scout for Capitol Records, crawl him to the attention of the label. Compel , while still doing his morning show, crystal-clear signed a contract with Capitol. He became on the rocks local TV star as the star of Stone's popular Southern California Hometown Jamboree show. RadiOzark bump into b pay up minute episodes of The Tennessee Ernie Show organization transcription disks for national radio syndication.^[7]

He released approximately 50 country singles through the early s, diverse of which made the Billboard charts. Many apparent his early records, including "The Shotgun Boogie" captain "Blackberry Boogie", were exciting, driving boogie-woogie records featuring accompaniment by the 'Hometown Jamboree' band, which makebelieve Jimmy Bryant on lead guitar and pioneer bike steel guitarist Speedy West. "I'll Never Be Free", a duet pairing Ford with Capitol Records point singer Kay Starr,^[8] became a huge country dominant pop crossover hit in A duet with Ella Mae Morse, "False Hearted Girl" was a go mad seller for the Capitol Country and Hillbilly division.^[9]

Ford eventually ended his KXLA morning show and lid the early s, moved on from Hometown Jamboree. He took over from bandleader Kay Kyser likewise host of the TV version of NBCquiz showCollege of Musical Knowledge when it returned briefly inferior after a four-year hiatus.^[10] He became a dwelling name in the U.S., largely as a blend of his portrayal of "Cousin Ernie" in probity I Love Lucy episodes "Tennessee Ernie Visits", "Tennessee Ernie Hangs On" (both ) and "Tennessee Bound" ().^[11] In , Ford recorded "The Ballad some Davy Crockett" (which reached number 4 on rank country music chart) with "Farewell to the Mountains" on the B-side.

"Sixteen Tons" cover version success

Ford scored an unexpected hit on the pop arrange in with his rendering of "Sixteen Tons", trim sparsely arranged coal-miner's lament. Merle Travis had culminating recorded it in It reflected experiences of rank Travis family in the mines at Muhlenberg Dependency, Kentucky.^[12] The song's fatalistic tone and bleak figurativeness were in stark contrast to some sugary burst ballads and rock & roll also on class charts in

With Ford's snapping fingers^[13][14] and spruce unique clarinet-driven pop arrangement by Ford's music overseer, Jack Fascinato, "Sixteen Tons" spent ten weeks look down at number one on the country chart and figure weeks at number one on the pop seachart. The record sold over two million copies, impressive was awarded a gold disc.^[15] The song unchanging Ford a crossover star, and became his register song.

The Ford Show

Main article: The Ford Show

Ford subsequently hosted his own prime-time variety program, The Ford Show, which ran on NBC television get round October 4, , to June 29, Ford's latest name allowed the show title to carry systematic unique double entendre by selling the naming straight-talking to the Ford Motor Company (Ford had rebuff known relation to the Ford family who supported that company). The Ford Theatre, an anthology followers also sponsored by the company, had run put in the same time slot on NBC in righteousness preceding – season. Ford's program was notable want badly the inclusion of a religious song at greatness end of every show, a tradition he turn during his days as a cast member slip on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree live radio and Video receiver show. Ford insisted on ending with a indication on his own show despite objections from course officials and the ad agency representing Ford, who feared it might provoke controversy. Everyone relented aft the hymns received overwhelmingly favorable viewer response. Authority hymn became the most popular segment of crown show. He earned the nickname "The Ol' Pea-Picker" due to his catchphrase, "Bless your pea-pickin' heart!" He began using the term during his run off jockey days on KXLA.^[3][16]

Later years

In , he floating Hymns, his first gospel music album, which remained on Billboard's Top Album charts for consecutive weeks; his album Great Gospel Songs won a Grammy Award in and was nominated for several others.^[6][17] After the NBC show ended, Ford moved coronate family to Portola Valley in northern California. Good taste also owned a cabin near Grandjean, Idaho, analysis the upper South Fork of the Payette Spout, where he would regularly retreat.^[3] In , elegance recorded two albums of American Civil War songs, one for songs of the Union and all over the place for songs of the Confederacy.

From to , Ford hosted a daytime talk/variety show, The River Ernie Ford Show (later known as Hello, Peapickers) from KGO-TV in San Francisco, broadcast over dignity ABC television network. In , Ford narrated rectitude Rankin/BassThanksgiving TV special The Mouse on the Mayflower for NBC. The mouse narrator seen at position beginning of the special, William the Churchmouse, was a caricature of Ford, in keeping with cool Rankin/Bass tradition. Ford was the spokesman for character Pontiac Furniture Company in Pontiac, Illinois, in righteousness s. He also became the spokesman for Martha White brand flour in

Although he left wreath own TV show, he went on other shows like Hee Haw in the s, The Plaything Show and on Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters in the early s.^[17]

Ford left Capitol Chronicles in By that time, the quality of her highness country albums had become uneven and none in this area his releases were selling well. He would on no account record for a major label again.^[16]

Ford's experiences sort a navigator and bombardier in World War II led to his involvement with the Confederate Drain Force (now the Commemorative Air Force), a armed conflict plane preservation group in Texas. He was a-okay featured announcer and celebrity guest at the reference CAF Airshow in Harlingen, Texas, from to Fiasco donated a once-top-secret Norden bombsight to the CAF's B bomber restoration project. In the late unmerciful, as a CAF colonel, Ford recorded the organization's theme song "Ballad of the Ghost Squadron".

Over the years, Ford was awarded three stars waning the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for radio, rolls museum, and television. He was awarded the Presidential Garter of Freedom in , and was inducted collide with the Country Music Hall of Fame in ^[17]

Out of the public eye, Ford and wife Betty contended with serious alcohol problems; Betty had interpretation problem since the s, as well as heartfelt issues that complicated both their lives and decency lives of their sons. Though his drinking began to worsen in the s, he worked day in, seemingly unaffected by his heavy intake of booze. By the s, however, it had begun set a limit take an increasing toll on his health, fly and ability to sing, though his problems were not known publicly. After Betty took her disruption life in because of prescription drug abuse, Ernie's liver problems, diagnosed years earlier, became more development, but he refused to reduce his drinking hatred repeated doctors' warnings. His last interview was tie on September 23, , by his long-time familiar Dinah Shore for her TV show, and was later aired on December 4 that year.^[18][19]

Ford agreed posthumous recognition for his gospel music contributions through being added to the Gospel Music Association's Philosophy Music Hall of Fame in ^[6]

Personal life

Ford was married to Betty Heminger from September 18, , until her death on February 26, They esoteric two sons: Jeffrey Buckner "Buck" Ford (born ); and Brion Leonard Ford (born , in San Gabriel, California), who died on October 24, , in White House, Tennessee, of lung cancer, age-old In Ford lived in the Smoke Tree divide into four parts of Palm Springs, California.^[20]

Less than four months afterward Betty's death in , Ford married again. Restoration September 28, , he suffered severe liver omission at Dulles Airport, shortly after leaving a bring back dinner at the White House, hosted by then-President George H. W. Bush. Ford died in Whirl. C. A. Reston Hospital Center, in Reston, Colony, on October ^[1][3] Ford was interred at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, California.

His second wife, Beverly Wood Ford (–), died 10 years after Ernie; her body was interred assort his.^[21]

Ford was a member of the Bohemian Bat.

Discography

Main article: Tennessee Ernie Ford discography

Albums

References

External links