Roy Acuff was born in Maynardville, Tennessee, to Ida Carr and Simon E. Neil Acuff (a Baptist preacher, judge and tenant farmer), the third of their five children. Originally, Acuff didn't plan to be a singer. Acuff sang in the church choir as a schoolboy, but he was more interested in sports, particularly baseball. Not only was he attracted to the sport, he had a wild streak — after his family moved to Knoxville, he was frequently arrested for fighting. Acuff continued to concentrate on playing ball, eventually becoming strong enough to earn a tryout for the major leagues. However, that tryout never took place. Before he had a chance to play, he was struck by a severe sunstroke while he was on a fishing trip; after the sunstroke, Acuff suffered a nervous breakdown. While he was recovering, he decided that a career in baseball was no longer possible, so he decided to become an entertainer. He began to learn the fiddle and became an apprentice of Doc Hauer, a local medicine show man.
While traveling with the medicine show, Acuff learned how to be a performer -- he learned how to sing, how to imitate, how to entertain, how to put on a show. Soon, Acuff joined the Tennessee Crackerjacks, who had a regular slot on Knoxville radio station WROL. Although he was performing frequently, he wasn't making any significant headway, failing to become a star in Tennessee. One song changed that situation -- "The Great Speckled Bird," an old gospel tune that had become popular with the Church of God sect. After another radio entertainer wrote the words out to the song, Acuff began performing it in his shows. Quickly, he became popular throughout the eastern part of Tennessee and was asked to record the song by ARC, a record label with national distribution. Acuff headed north to Chicago for a recording session, which resulted in 20 different songs. In addition to "The Great Speckled Bird," he recorded "Steamboat Whistle Blues" and "The Wabash Cannonball," another Tennessee standard that featured the singer imitating the sound of a train whistle; he also made a handful of risqué numbers during these sessions, which were released under the name the Bang Boys.
Music career
He then turned his attention to his father's fiddle and began playing in a traveling medicine show, often performing in blackface. He toured the Southern United States and eventually formed a band called "The Crazy Tennesseans".
In 1936, he recorded his two most enduring songs, the traditional The Great Speckled Bird and The Wabash Cannonball. He debuted at the Grand Ole Opry two years later. He was booked as a fiddler, and he should have played the Turkey Buzzard for a square dancing segment, but he decided to try and sing The Great Speckled Bird. His decision was not well received, however. Acuff became a regular on the Opry, forming a backing band called the Smoky Mountain Boys, led by friend and Dobro player Bashful Brother Oswald. By 1940 he was the star of the show.
The Great Roy Acuff LP (1964)Acuff's recording of The House of the Rising Sun on November 3, 1938 is the first known commercial recording of the song. He released several singles in the 1940s such as The Wreck on the Highway, Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay and The Precious Jewel. During the 1940s he also appeared in eight movies.
In 1942, a man of many talents, he formed a music publishing venture with Chicago songwriter Fred Rose. Acuff-Rose Music became a country music phenomenon, owning huge numbers of copyrights including those by Marty Robbins, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and all of the songs of Hank Williams.
As his record sales declined in the late 1940s and 1950s, Acuff spent most of his time on the road, becoming one of the hottest tickets in country music. In 1962 he was the first living musician elected to The Country Music Hall of Fame. By the 1970s Acuff performed almost exclusively with the Grand Ole Opry, at Opryland USA, greatly legitimizing it as the top institution in country music. He made one rare appearance at Carlton Haney's Camp Spring Bluegrass Festival in 1971.
For his contribution to the recording industry, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located on 1541 Vine St. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1991.
Political career
Acuff had a brief affair with politics, losing campaigns for the governor of Tennessee as a Republican in 1944 and 1948. In 1970, he campaigned for his friend Tex Ritter in his bid for the GOP nomination for a U.S. Senate seat from Tennessee.
Trivia
A popular legend is that Japanese troops during World War II would enter battle yelling, "To hell with Roosevelt! To hell with Babe Ruth! To hell with Roy Acuff!"
Acuff was initiated as an Entered Apprentice at the East Nashville Freemasonry Lodge in 1943, and raised to Master Mason in 1944. He was made a 33rd Degree Mason on 21 October 1985.
Acuff is thought to be one inspiration for Henry Gibson's character Haven Hamilton in Robert Altman's film Nashville. The fictionalized character was reportedly a composite of several well-known musicians, including Acuff and Hank Snow.
Acuff on recording: "A little secret of my policy in the studio ... whenever you once decide that you are going to record a number, put everything you've got into it. Don't say, 'Oh, we'll take it over and do it again' because every time you go through it you lose just a little something ... [l]et's do it the first time and to hell with the rest of them" - on the classic album Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
U.S. Olympian high jumper Amy Acuff is his distant cousin. Some sources erroneously list her as his daughter.
Hey
Roy Acuff Lyrics
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How's about cookin' something up with me
Hey sweet baby, don't you think maybe
We could find us a brand new recipe
I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill
And I know a spot right over the hill
There's soda pop and the dancin's free
Hey good lookin', whatcha got cookin'
How's about cookin' something up with me
I'm free and ready, so we can go steady
How's about saving and all your time for me
No more lookin', I know I've been tooken
How's about keeping steady company
I'm gonna throw my date book over the fence
And find me one for five or ten cents
I'll keep it till it's covered with age
I'm writing your name down on every page
Hey good lookin', whatcha got cookin'
How's about cookin' something up with me
The lyrics to Roy Acuff's "Hey Good Lookin" describe a man who is trying to charm a woman into spending time with him. He opens by complimenting her looks and asking her to cook something up with him. He goes on to suggest that they ride in his hot rod Ford to a spot over the hill where they can enjoy soda pop and free dancing. The man then reveals that he is ready to commit to her, and suggests that they spend all their time together. He goes so far as to throw away his date book and write her name on every page.
These lyrics are a classic example of the courtship theme that is prevalent in country music. The man is using his charm, wit, and sense of adventure to win the heart of the woman he desires. The lyrics are playful, and suggest a lighthearted approach to love and romance. Overall, this song can be seen as a representation of the traditional gender roles that prevailed in the 1950s, with the man playing the role of the pursuer and the woman being pursued.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, hey good lookin', whatcha got cookin'
Addressing an attractive person and inquiring about their cooking skills
How's about cookin' something up with me
Suggesting a collaborative cooking session
Hey sweet baby, don't you think maybe
Addressing a love interest and inquiring about the possibility of a romantic relationship
We could find us a brand new recipe
Proposing to explore new experiences together
I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill
Boasting possessions (car and money)
And I know a spot right over the hill
Knowing a location to go to
There's soda pop and the dancin's free
Describing the offerings at the location
So if you wanna have fun come along with me
Inviting the love interest to join in the fun
I'm free and ready, so we can go steady
Expressing availability for a committed relationship
How's about saving and all your time for me
Requesting the love interest's time and attention
No more lookin', I know I've been tooken
No longer searching for love as the singer has found it
How's about keeping steady company
Proposing to be in a committed relationship
I'm gonna throw my date book over the fence
Getting rid of old dating prospects
And find me one for five or ten cents
Will replace old contacts with new, cheaper ones
I'll keep it till it's covered with age
Will cherish the new relationship for a long time
'Cause I'm writing your name down on every page
Dedication to the love interest and commitment to the relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Sr. Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind