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.
Remember Me
Roy Acuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sweetest days are the days that used to be
The saddest words I ever heard were words of parting
When you said sweetheart remember me
Remember me when the candle lights are gleaming
Remember me at the close of a long long day
It would be so sweet when all alone I'm dreaming
Just to know you still remember me
You told me once that you were mine alone forever
And I was yours till the end of eternity
But all our vows are broken now and we will never
Be the same except in memory
[ dobro ]
A brighter face may take my place when we're apart dear
A sweeter smile and a love more bold and free
But in the end fearweather friends may break your heart dear
If they do sweetheart remember me
Remember me when the candle lights...
Just to know you still remember me
In Roy Acuff's song "Remember Me," the lyrics focus on the sadness and longing of two lovers who are parting ways. The opening lyrics describe how the sweetest moments in life belong to those who are in love, particularly during the twilight hours when the sun is setting. However, the sweetest days that they shared together are now in the past, and the saddest words the singer has ever heard are when they were told to "remember me" by their departing lover.
The chorus of the song repeats the plea to remember, specifically when the candle lights are shining and at the end of a long day. The singer desires that simply knowing that their lover still remembers them would make their moments of solitude much sweeter. The second verse continues with the theme of broken promises, as the lover reflects on the vows they made to one another about being together forever. However, those promises have been shattered, and despite the possibility of finding new love or companionship, the singer still hopes that their departing lover will remember them and the love they once shared.
"Remember Me" is a poignant and emotional ballad that speaks to the universal human experience of love, loss, and longing. The melancholic melody and lyrics resonate with anyone who has experienced the pain of saying goodbye to someone they deeply cared about. Roy Acuff's soulful delivery of the song only adds to its emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
The sweetest songs belong to lovers in the gloaming
The nicest melodies are reserved for couples in the evening
The sweetest days are the days that used to be
The most pleasant moments are the times we’ve already passed by
The saddest words I ever heard were words of parting
The most heartbreaking expression is the act of leaving each other behind
When you said sweetheart remember me
When you begged me to recall our moments together
Remember me when the candle lights are gleaming
Think of me when the fiery lights flicker
Remember me at the close of a long long day
Recall me when the day ends its journey
It would be so sweet when all alone I'm dreaming
It would be pleasant to find out that I'm still a part of your dreams
Just to know you still remember me
To learn that you still hold memories of our union would be satisfying
You told me once that you were mine alone forever
Previously, you mentioned that you would always belong to me
And I was yours till the end of eternity
As for me, I belonged to you until infinite time
But all our vows are broken now and we will never
Unfortunately, we've departed from our promise, and there's no turning back
Be the same except in memory
We'll only be the same in memories that we share
A brighter face may take my place when we're apart dear
Somebody with a radiant personality might come into your life when we're not together
A sweeter smile and a love more bold and free
Perhaps whoever comes next might offer a more confident and unconditional love
But in the end fearweather friends may break your heart dear
However, in the end, those who are merely acquaintances will deceive and disappoint you
If they do sweetheart remember me
If they end up causing you pain, remember to think of me
Contributed by Alexander O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.