Born in the farming community of Niagara in Henderson County, Kentucky, Jones spent his teenage years in Akron, Ohio, where he began singing country music tunes on a radio show on WJW. In 1931, Jones joined the Pine Ridge String Band, which provided the musical accompaniment for the very popular Lum and Abner show. By 1935 his pursuit of a musical career took him to WBZ (AM) radio in Boston, Massachusetts where he met musician/songwriter Bradley Kincaid, who gave him the nickname "Grandpa" because of his off-stage grumpiness at early-morning radio shows. Jones liked the name and decided to create a stage persona based around it. Later in life, he lived in Mountain View, Arkansas.
Performing as Grandpa Jones, he played the guitar or banjo, yodeled, and sang mostly old-time ballads. By 1937, Jones had made his way to West Virginia, where Cousin Emmy taught Jones the art of the clawhammer style of banjo playing, which gave a rough backwoods flavor to his performances. In 1942, Jones joined WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was there that he met fellow Kentuckian Merle Travis. In 1943, they made their recording debuts together for Syd Nathan's upstart King Records. Jones was making records under his own name for King by 1944 and had his first hit with "It's Raining Here This Morning". His recording career was put on hold when he enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. Discharged in 1946, he recorded again for King. In March 1946, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee and started performing on the Grand Ole Opry and married Ramona Riggins on October 14, 1946. As an accomplished performer herself, she would take part in his performances. Jones' vaudeville humor was a bridge to television. His more famous songs include "T For Texas", "Are You From Dixie", "Night Train To Memphis" and "Mountain Dew". He also wrote "Eight More Miles To Louisville".
In 1969, Jones became a charter cast member on the long-running television show Hee Haw, often responding to the show's skits with his trademark phrase "Outrageous". He also played banjo, by himself or with banjo player David "Stringbean" Akeman. A musical segment featured in the early years had Jones and "his lovely wife Ramona" singing while ringing bells held in their hands and feet. A favorite skit had off-camera cast members ask, "Hey Grandpa, what's for supper?" He would describe a delicious, country-style meal ("Buttermilk biscuits smothered in chicken gravy, home-fried potatoes, collard greens and Grandmother's fresh-baked blueberry pie à la mode!" The cast would reply, "Yum, yum!"), though he sometimes would describe something not so good, ("Because you were bad, thawed out TV dinners!" The cast would scoff, "Yuck!") A running gag was a window that he pretended to polish had no glass. Jones would slip his fingers through the empty frame. He also joined Buck Owens, Roy Clark and Kenny Price in a gospel segment at the end of some shows.
A resident of rural Ridgetop, Tennessee outside of Nashville, he was a neighbor and friend of fellow musician David "Stringbean" Akeman. On the morning of November 11, 1973, Jones discovered the bodies of Akeman and his wife, who had been murdered during the night by robbers. Jones testified at the trial of the killers, his testimony helping to secure a conviction. He identified a firearm found in their possession as one he had given to Akeman.
In 1978, Jones was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His autobiography, Everybody's Grandpa: Fifty Years Behind The Mike was published in 1984 (written with assistance from Charles K. Wolfe).
In early January 1998, Jones suffered two strokes after his second show performance at the Grand Ole Opry. He died at 7:00 p.m. Central Time on February 19, 1998 at the McKendree village Home Health Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, at age 84. He was buried in the Luton Memorial Methodist Church cemetery in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.
Discography
Grandpa Jones Sings His Greatest Hits (1954)
Country Music Hall of Fame Series (1992) MCA
Grandpa Jones & The Brown's Ferry Four 16 Sacred Gospel Songs, King Records
Grandpa Jones Yodeling Hits (1963) Monument
Grandpa Jones Remembers The Brown's Ferry Four (1966) Monument
Singles
1944 "It's Raining Here This Morning"
1946 "Eight More Miles To Louisville"
1947 "Mountain Dew"
1947 "Old Rattler"
1959 "The All-American Boy"
1962 "T for Texas"
1963 "Night Train To Memphis"
Old Mountain Dew
Grandpa Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you lay down a dollar or two
Well you go round the bend and when you come back again
There's a jug full of good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that ole mountain dew
And them that refuse it are few
I'll shut up my mug if you fill up my jug
Now my uncle Nort, he's sawed off and short
He measures about four foot two
But he thinks he's a giant when you give him a pint
Of that good ole mountain dew
Well my ole aunt Jill bought some brand new perfume
It had such a sweet smellin' pew
But to her surprise when she had it analyzed
It was nothin' but good ole mountain dew
Well the preacher rolled by with his head heisted high
Said his wife had been down with the flu
And he thought that I ought just to sell him a quart
Of that good ole mountain dew
Well my brother Bill's got a still on the hill
Where he runs of a gallon or two
Now the buzzards in the sky get so drunk, they can't fly
From smellin' the good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that ole mountain dew
And them that refuse it are few
I'll shut up my mug if you fill up my jug
With some good ole mountain dew
The song Mountain Dew by Grandpa Jones is an enthusiastic celebration of a popular alcoholic beverage. The singer describes a big holler tree down the road from them where people can exchange a dollar or two for a jug full of good ole mountain dew. The beverage is so beloved that anyone who refuses it is rare. The singer relates several anecdotes about people who have encountered and enjoyed mountain dew, including their sawed-off uncle Nort who believes he is a giant after a pint, their aunt Jill who unknowingly bought a fragrance made from the beverage, the preacher who stops by to buy a quart for his sick wife, and the singer's own brother Bill who makes his own gallon or two of mountain dew on a hill. The song is full of humor and lightheartedness, with the lyrics painting a picture of a close-knit community who love their mountain dew.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a big holler tree down the road here from me
Where you lay down a dollar or two
Well you go round the bend and when you come back again
There's a jug full of good ole mountain dew
In this area of the mountains, there's a particular tree where you can pay a small amount and, when you return, you'll find a jug filled with deliciously refreshing mountain dew.
Oh they call it that ole mountain dew
And them that refuse it are few
I'll shut up my mug if you fill up my jug
With some good ole mountain dew
The locals affectionately refer to their drink as 'mountain dew', and few people turn down the opportunity to drink it – I'll happily stop talking and drink some more if you give me some!
Now my uncle Nort, he's sawed off and short
He measures about four foot two
But he thinks he's a giant when you give him a pint
Of that good ole mountain dew
Although my uncle Nort is a small man, he feels like a towering giant after drinking even a small amount of mountain dew.
Well my ole aunt Jill bought some brand new perfume
It had such a sweet smellin' pew
But to her surprise when she had it analyzed
It was nothin' but good ole mountain dew
My aunt Jill thought she purchased some fancy new perfume, but it turned out to just be the sweet smell of mountain dew – which she still enjoyed all the same.
Well the preacher rolled by with his head heisted high
Said his wife had been down with the flu
And he thought that I ought just to sell him a quart
Of that good ole mountain dew
Even the preacher in town couldn't resist the allure of mountain dew and tried to purchase a whole quart for his ailing wife.
Well my brother Bill's got a still on the hill
Where he runs of a gallon or two
Now the buzzards in the sky get so drunk, they can't fly
From smellin' the good ole mountain dew
My brother makes his own mountain dew and often produces large amounts of this alcoholic beverage – so much so, even the buzzards start to act drunk from the fumes.
Oh they call it that ole mountain dew
And them that refuse it are few
I'll shut up my mug if you fill up my jug
With some good ole mountain dew
Once again, the locals can't get enough of their beloved mountain dew and will gladly drink more if offered to them.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William York
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hunternunally9029
This was one of my Great Grandpas favorite songs he used to sang it all the time this song hits home!!
@derickfeigum9878
We need more music like this today maybe there wouldn't be so much pain and sorrow
@domeniccarson9232
The joy in this music was born of poverty, pain and sorrow.
Keep your head up and have a great day.
@BigSteveWV
Yeah they wouldn't be feeling any pain if they drink some of that stuff
@williamhardway6436
Have you heard music these days? Its bad. European folk music is also cool and its even older and better
@craigkopcho7394
If you consume real mountain dew, you won't feel anything!
@TheBrooklynbodine
@@craigkopcho7394 True that! Reminds me of something Granny said on "Beverly Hillbillies." She said her "rheumatiz medicine" wouldn't cure the affliction, but would make you glad you had it.
@kennethbrownjr.636
Reminds me of the good ol days, being at my Grandparents and watching HEE HAW!
@daveweed2765
Yore grandpa prolly never told you the half of it LOL.
@ryansteeby251
Why doesn’t this have more views