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.
Midnight Train
Roy Acuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all alone I must remain
While far away through lonesome vallay
Comes a dying cry of the midnight train
How many tears how many sorrow
How many hearts are died in pain
Whose love today is gone tomorrow
[ fiddle - dobro ]
We shared our love in sweet surrender
With happy tears and hidden pain
For well we knew our dream was ending
And you must go on that midnight train
That heart burns low the song is dying
And only memories remain
The teardrops flow my heart keeps crying
When I hear the wail of the midnight train
How many tears how many sorrow...
The opening lines of Roy Acuff's song "Midnight Train" paint a very poignant picture of isolation, loneliness, and a sense of despair. The use of "lonesome valley" perfectly encapsulates the state of mind of the singer who is alone and cut off from the rest of the world. The imagery there is powerful and evokes a sense of a barren, desolate terrain with no sign of life or hope. The singer is acutely aware of their solitude and reflects on the irony that, while they are alone in lonesome valley, they can hear a dying cry of the midnight train coming from far away.
This melancholy mood is reinforced throughout the song as the singer speaks of heartbreak and lost love. The lines, "How many tears? How many sorrow? How many hearts are died in pain?" suggest that the singer is reflecting not just on their own lost love but on the universality of heartbreak and despair that affect so many. As the song progresses, the mood becomes even more somber as we learn that the singer shared a relationship with the subject of the song, but it was not meant to be forever. The imagery of the heartburn and the dying song further highlight the pain and sadness of saying goodbye.
Overall, "Midnight Train" is a powerful and emotional song about loss, loneliness, and unfulfilled love. The lyrics are rich in imagery, and the melody is haunting and evocative. The song speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the pain that we all feel when we must move on from someone we loved deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
The sunshine comes from lonesome valley
Even in a place of sadness and loneliness, there can still be rays of hope and light.
And all alone I must remain
Despite the sunshine, the singer is still isolated and without companionship.
While far away through lonesome vallay
The train is heard in the distance, emphasizing the distance between the singer and their loved one.
Comes a dying cry of the midnight train
The train's sound represents the painful departure of the singer's loved one, echoing the sadness of their separation.
How many tears how many sorrow
The singer expresses the universal sorrow of lost love and the pain it brings.
How many hearts are died in pain
The impact of lost love is felt by many and can leave a lasting mark.
Whose love today is gone tomorrow
Love can be fleeting and can disappear without warning, leaving behind heartache.
Carried away on that midnight train
The train is symbolic of the carrier of lost love, taking it away and leaving the singer alone.
[ fiddle - dobro ]
Instrumental break in the song.
We shared our love in sweet surrender
The singer and their loved one gave in to the passion of their relationship.
With happy tears and hidden pain
Even in moments of happiness, there can still be underlying sadness and hurt.
For well we knew our dream was ending
The couple was aware that their time together was limited, which only added to their heartache.
And you must go on that midnight train
The singer's loved one had to leave, and the train represents their departure.
That heart burns low the song is dying
The singer's heartache is intense and overwhelming, leading to a sense of despair.
And only memories remain
After love is lost, all that remains are memories which can bring both joy and pain.
The teardrops flow my heart keeps crying
The singer is still deeply affected by the loss of their loved one and their tears continue to fall.
When I hear the wail of the midnight train
The train's sound continues to evoke sadness and heartache, reminding the singer of their lost love.
Contributed by Tyler I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.