Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 236 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl. 

 

We are going to have a ton of fun with this episode. Well 16 tons. Ah. That was too easy. 

 

This is the only album my dad has of this great singer. But, it’s obviously the most important one from his releases.

 

This artist was really a radio personality at heart, but when producers discovered that deep voice of his, well, the rest is history.

 

So get ready to hear one of the truly great voices of pop music from the mid 20th century in Volume 236: Tennessee Tons. 

 

 

[Music: Sixteen Tons]

 

 

Tennessee Ernie Ford with the title track of this album and his biggest hit, Sixteen Tons.

He was backed by Jack Fascinato And His Orchestra.

Written-By – Merle Travis who first released it in 1947.

 

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

 

The song you just heard is one of those that I will belt out whenever I hear it, especially when nobody else is around. Nobody would want to be around to hear that anyway.

 

It’s one of the tunes I played on a regular basis at the first radio station I worked for.

 

And as I listened to the rest of the music on this album, I came to really appreciate Tennessee Ernie’s voice. Yes, more than I already had.

 

However, I don’t remember my dad playing this much around the house.

 

This next tune is not one I’m familiar with. What I AM familiar with is being the title of this tune.

 

 

[Music: First Born]

 

 

What a touching song…First Born (Yes, I’m the oldest of four.)

Written-By – Johnny Lehman

 

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

 

Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons

Label: Pickwick/33 Records – SPC-3268

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Reissue, Stereo

I’m not sure what year this was released. Common for Pickwick Records.

But according to the liner notes I’ll be reading, it looks like the late 1960s.

Genre: Folk, World, & Country

Style: Country

 

This is an abridged reissue of Tennessee Ernie Ford – Favorites, which was released in 1957.

 

And when I say abridged, they only cut off one tune. Typical budget label strategy.

 

We will hear 6 of the 9 songs on this album.

 

The liner notes aren’t really long, but I am going to read all of them. I think they’re important to understand what kind of a song the title track really was. These were written by Robert Angus, the Editor of HiFi magazine.

 

When Merle Travis penned 16 tons back in 1955, he thought he had a winner.

 

But little did he guess that it would make a star of another singer, find its way into American folklore, become a best seller during the anti-communist McCarthy era and a favorite of the people McCarthy had been going after. For 16 tons was one of those rare things, a song of protest which didn’t really make anybody mad. In fact, because it struck such a responsive cord with so many people, a young singer named Tennessee Ernie Ford had very little trouble pushing it to the top of the best seller charts late in 1955 and early in 1956.

 

At the time, Travis, a native of Appalachia, who knew the poverty of the coal fields intimately was known as a country singer who had written a few songs for other people. Tennessee Ernie was virtually unknown. Both of them recorded 16 tons, Travis with all the company store and shortweighted at the coal company scales. But Ford took the same words and melody, leaving out the bitterness, and converted the tune into every man’s complaint against life in general.

 

 In these days of protest and songs dealing with pot and peace it’s difficult to recreate the atmosphere of 1955, a cross which 16 tons blew like a breath of fresh air. The late Joseph McCarthy and his  followers had purged Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley of anything which might be interpreted as controversial. Controversy was out on the radio and television networks. Yet what could be more controversial than this song with its pro-union sentiment? Against a Hit Parade which included Mitch Miller’s Yellow Rose of Texas and Roger Williams’s Autumn leaves, it stood out like a  sore thumb.

 

Somehow, Tennessee Ernie’s personality, his treatment of the song, his voice and musicianship turned away the Wrath of the critics. Somehow the tune found its way onto the morning disc jockey shows, and Tennessee Ernie was on his way to becoming a show business great. 

 

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

 

$23.53 High

$1.46 Low

 

$5.39 Average

$4.38 Median

 

Last sold on Feb 24, 2025 for three dollars.

 

My dad’s record is in fair condition. Definitely a big cue burn at the needle drop point on both sides. But other than that not much crackling between the tracks. 

 

The surface is in really good condition. Only a few marks that proved it was probably played regularly at one point.

 

The cover is in fair condition. Just some wear along the bottom seam.

 

There’s a green magic marker streak on the back and some penciled in time notations. There is NO address label on the front.

 

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at $2

 

This next song sounds a little like Sixteen Tons.

 

 

[Music: One Suit]

 

 

One Suit

Written-By – Charles Singleton and Larry Coleman

 

OK, let’s learn just a little about this great singer.

 

Tennessee Ernie Ford, born **Ernest Jennings Ford on February 13, 1919, in Bristol, Tennessee**, grew up surrounded by the sounds of country and western music. His early years were steeped in the rural traditions of East Tennessee, where he sang in his local Methodist church choir and played trombone in his school band. Ford’s fascination with radio began as a teenager, leading him to his first job as an announcer at WOPI in Bristol in 1937. In 1939, he left to study classical voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, but his path soon led him back to radio and, eventually, to a remarkable career in music and entertainment.

 

Ford’s musical upbringing was shaped by both **country roots and classical training**, but his influences expanded as he began performing on radio shows in California after World War II. To stand out, he created the persona of “Tennessee Ernie,” an exaggerated, comedic hillbilly character that quickly caught on with audiences. His big break came when **Cliffie Stone**, a talent scout for Capitol Records, discovered him and brought him onto the popular “Hometown Jamboree” TV show]. Ford’s early recordings, especially his energetic “country boogies” like “The Shotgun Boogie” and “Smokey Mountain Boogie,” showcased his deep bass-baritone and helped bridge country with emerging rock and roll styles. He was influenced by the musicians around him, including pedal steel guitarist Speedy West and pianist Moon Mullican, whose styles helped shape Ford’s sound.

 

Ford’s popularity soared in the 1950s, particularly after the release of “Sixteen Tons” in 1955, which became a massive crossover hit, topping both the country and pop charts for weeks. Over his career, he recorded **83 singles and more than 100 albums** spanning country, pop, and gospel genres. Beyond his music, Ford became a beloved television host, most notably with “The Ford Show,” and made memorable appearances on programs like “I Love Lucy”. He received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of America’s most versatile and influential entertainers.

 

He died: October 17, 1991. Tennessee Ernie Ford was 72 years old.

 

Now…this next song starts so softly and then ends powerfully.

 

 

[Music: Call Me Darling, Call Me Sweetheart, Call Me Dear]

 

 

Call Me Darling, Call Me Sweetheart, Call Me Dear

Written-By – Bert Reisfield, Dorothy Dick, Mart Fryberg, and Rolf Marbot

 

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with Ford’s radio career.

 

As a teenager in Bristol, Tennessee, young Ernie Ford was already drawn to the airwaves. In 1937, at just 19 years old, he landed a job as a radio announcer at WOPI, earning a modest ten dollars a week. A year later, Ford left to pursue classical music training at the Cincinnati Conservatory, refining his rich bass-baritone voice. But the pull of radio brought him back, and by 1939, he was once again behind the mic — this time in cities ranging from Atlanta to Knoxville. When World War II broke out, Ford served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He trained as a bombardier for a B-29 Superfortress, though the war ended before he saw combat. He spent the remainder of his service as a bombing instructor in Victorville, California.

 

After the war, Ford stayed in California and jumped back into broadcasting, hosting an early morning country music show called *Bar Nothin’ Ranch Time* on KFXM in San Bernardino. To stand out, he created the larger-than-life persona of “Tennessee Ernie” — a fast-talking, good-natured hillbilly character that quickly became a hit with local audiences. His popularity grew, and soon he was hired by Pasadena’s KXLA, where he not only kept his radio gig but joined *Dinner Bell Roundup*, a live country music show hosted by Cliffie Stone. Stone, who also scouted talent for Capitol Records, recognized Ford’s star potential and helped him land a record deal in 1949. Around that time, Ford also began touring, often with the Mayfield Brothers from Texas as his opening act.

 

By the early 1950s, Ford was becoming a household name. He starred in Cliffie Stone’s TV program *Hometown Jamboree* and even recorded a syndicated national radio show, *The Tennessee Ernie Show*, which aired on hundreds of stations. Then came his big break into mainstream pop culture: his unforgettable appearances on *I Love Lucy* as the lovable “Cousin Ernie.” His character featured in three fan-favorite episodes between 1954 and 1955, bringing his country charm to living rooms across America. That same year, he also stepped into the TV spotlight as host of *The College of Musical Knowledge*, taking over from big band leader Kay Kyser. By this point, Tennessee Ernie Ford wasn’t just a radio or country star — he was an American icon in the making.

 

Next up is a song about my favorite summer fruit, But hear me out. A seedless watermelon is not truly seedless.

 

 

[Music: The Watermelon Song]

 

 

The Watermelon Song 

Written-By – Bill (Roy) Eustrom

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

 

Not only do I always enjoy hearing this artist sing the title track of this album, but I learned more about him and some of the songs he sang on it.

 

I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

 

It’s easy to recognize. Staring from a square color photo with two and a half inch black margins all around is a smiling Tennessee Ernie Ford looking directly at the camera. In large white sans serif font above the photo is the singer’s name and below is the title of the album Sixteen Tons. In smaller font there’s a list of tunes in the bottom right corner.

 

The back is divided in two columns. The left column is a black and white photo of Ford leaning against the back of chair holding a pipe. He’s wearing a tweed jacket and a black collarless shirt.

 

The right column lists the titles of the songs along with the length and publishing company. Below that is the liner notes.

 

There is a short row along the bottom promoting Pickwick 33’s Commitment to Excellence.

 

And…now…to finish up, just remember, the only rule for life is “do unto others” and that’s all.

 

 

[Music: That’s All]

 

 

That’s All

Written-By – Merle Travis

 

And there you have selections from one of the deepest voices from the annals of music history.

 

So thanks for tuning into Volume 236: Tennessee Tons

 

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

 

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops 

 

FOR Volume 237: A TV Page

 

Until then,

Go with the flow my friends.