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.
Waltz Of The Wind
Roy Acuff Lyrics
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The trees played the waltz of the wind
It was there that I knew, I'd love you forever
We danced to the waltz of the wind
The stars up above you looked down in your eyes
And told me the night would never end
Now I'm dreaming of you 'till we meet tomorrow
You were there in my arms alone in the moonlight
The trees played the waltz of the wind
It was there that I knew, I'd love you forever
We danced to the waltz of the wind
The stars up above you looked down in your eyes
And told me the night would never end
Now I'm dreaming of you 'till we meet tomorrow
And dance to the waltz of the wind
In Roy Acuff's song "Waltz of the Wind," the singer reflects on a moment in time when he held his beloved in his arms beneath the stars. The trees swayed with the gentle breeze, and the wind played a soothing tune that accompanied their dance. As they moved to the rhythm of the wind, an instant in which he knew he would love her forever. The magic of the moment was confirmed by the stars, which shone bright in her eyes and told him that the night would continue endlessly. The singer concludes by admitting that he continues to dream of that special evening until they meet tomorrow so that they can dance once again to the waltz of the wind.
The lyrics' central idea is love and the conviction that it is meant to be. The song focuses on the natural elements of the surroundings and how they set the mood for a moment of serendipity. It is about the intensity of such moments and how they become indelible memories that persist in our hearts forever. This rich imagery, coupled with the melody, creates an emotional impact on the listeners, making it one of Roy Acuff's most beloved songs.
Line by Line Meaning
You were there in my arms alone in the moonlight
I held you close under the moonlight, with nobody else around.
The trees played the waltz of the wind
The gentle rustling of the leaves sounded like a beautiful waltz to us.
It was there that I knew, I'd love you forever
Being with you in that moment made me realize that I would love you forever.
We danced to the waltz of the wind
As we held each other close, we moved to the rhythm of the trees and the wind.
The stars up above you looked down in your eyes
The stars shone down on us, reflecting in the beauty of your eyes.
And told me the night would never end
The beauty of the night and our love was so profound that it seemed like it would never end.
Now I'm dreaming of you 'till we meet tomorrow
As I lay in my bed, I dream of the moments we just shared and anticipate seeing you again tomorrow.
And dance to the waltz of the wind
I cannot wait to be with you again, and once more dance to the waltz of the wind.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marryann Lamb
Thanks so much for sharing have a great Sunday night.