Born in Bristol, Tennessee, to Clarence Thomas Ford and Maud Long, Ford began his radio career as an announcer at station WOPI in Bristol, leaving in 1939 to study classical music and voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. 1st Lieut. Ford served in World War II as the bombardier on a B-29 Superfortress flying missions over Japan. After the war, Ford worked at radio stations in San Bernardino and Pasadena, Calif. In San Bernardino, hired as a radio announcer, Ernest J. Ford did the news and general announcing. He was assigned the job of hosting an early morning country music disc jockey programme titled "Bar Nothin' Ranch." To differentiate himself, he created the personality of "Tennessee Ernie," a wild, madcap exaggerated hillbilly. He became popular in the area and was soon hired away by Pasadena's KXLA radio.
At KXLA he continued doing the same show and also joined the cast of Cliffie Stone's popular live KXLA country show "Dinner Bell Roundup" as a vocalist while still doing the early morning broadcast. Stone, a part-time talent scout for Capitol Records, brought him to the attention of the label. In 1949, while still doing his morning show, he signed a contract with Capitol. He also became a local television star as the star of Stone's popular Southern California "Hometown Jamboree" television show. He released almost fifty country singles through the early 1950s, several of which made the charts. Many of his early records, including "The Shot Gun Boogie", "Blackberry Boogie", and so on were exciting, driving boogie-woogie records featuring exciting accompaniment by the Hometown Jamboree band which included Jimmy Bryant on lead guitar and pioneer pedal steel guitarist Speedy West. "I'll Never Be Free", a duet pairing Ford with Capitol Records pop singer Kay Starr, became a huge country and pop crossover hit in 1950.
Ford eventually ended his KXLA morning show and in the early 1950s, moved on from Hometown Jamboree. He took over from bandleader Kay Kyser as host of the television version of the NBC quiz show "College of Musical Knowledge" when it returned briefly in 1954 after a four-year break. He also portrayed the country bumpkin Cousin Ernie on I Love Lucy.
Ford scored an unexpected hit on the pop charts in 1955 with his rendition of Merle Travis' "Sixteen Tons", a sparsely arranged coal-miner's lament that Travis wrote in 1946, based on his own family's experience in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. With a unique clarinet-driven pop arrangement by Ford's Musical Director, Jack Fascinato, "Sixteen Tons" spent ten weeks at number one on the country charts and eight weeks at number one on the pop charts, and made Ford a crossover star. It became Ford's signature song.
Ford subsequently helmed his own primetime variety programme, The Ford Show, which ran on NBC from 1956 to 1961. Ford's programme was notable for the inclusion of a religious song at the end of every show; Ford insisted on this despite objections from network officials who feared it might provoke controversy. It quickly became the most popular segment of the show. He earned the nickname "The Ol' Pea-Picker" becafter his catch-phrase, "Bless your pea-pickin' heart!"
In 1956 he released Hymns, his first gospel album, which remained on Billboard's "Top Album" charts for a remarkable 277 consecutive weeks; his album Great Gospel Songs won a Grammy Award in 1964. After the NBC show ended, Ford moved his family to Northern California and from 1962 to 1965, hosted a daytime talk show The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show from San Francisco, broadcast over the ABC TV network.
Over the years, Ford has been awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for radio, records, and television. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
Ford, who offstage contended with a serious alcohol problem that never affected his professional work, began suffering increasing liver problems in the 1980s that worsened in 1990, the year he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He fell ill in 1991 after leaving a state dinner at the White House hosted by President George Bush, and died in a Virginia hospital on 17th October, exactly thirty-six years after "Sixteen Tons" was released and one day shy of the first anniversary of his induction into the Hall of Fame.
Ford was posthumously recognized for his gospel music contributions by being added to the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1994.
John Henry
Tennessee Ernie Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No bigger than the palm of your hand
His mommy looked down at little Johnny and said
"My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin′ man"
Yes, Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man
John Henry was a steel drivin′ man
Drove steel all over the land
I'm a-gonna die with my hammer in my hand"
Die with my hammer in my hand
John Henry went to the tunnel to drive
Steam hammer by his side
He beat the steam hammer to the top of the hill
He laid down his hammer and he cried, "Lord!"
Laid down his hammer and he cried
John Henry had a lovin' little wife
Her name was Polly Ann
Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed
Polly drove steel like a man
Yes, Polly drove steel like a man
They buried John Henry in the graveyard
They laid him down in the sand
Every time a freight train come puffin′ by
They say, "Yonder lies a steel drivin′ man"
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
The lyrics to Tennessee Ernie Ford's song "John Henry" tell the story of a legendary figure in American folklore: a man who was born to be a steel drivin' man. John Henry is depicted as a baby who is destined for greatness as a worker who drives steel all over the land. His mother recognizes his potential and tells him that he will be a steel drivin' man from a very young age. Despite facing a new machine, the steam hammer, that threatens to take the jobs of many workers like him, John Henry refuses to let it beat him down. Instead, he declares that he would rather die with his hammer in his hand, showing his resolve and determination to persevere.
As the song continues, John Henry takes on the steam hammer in a tunnel with his trusted hammer by his side. He races the steam hammer to the top of the hill and ultimately emerges victorious, but he is unable to celebrate his triumph. John Henry is struck by an illness that forces him to bed, and his wife Polly Ann takes up his mantle as a steel drivin' man. The song concludes with the news of John Henry's passing, and the legacy that he leaves behind as a true steel drivin' man.
Line by Line Meaning
When John Henry was a little baby
From infancy, John Henry was destined for greatness as a steel worker.
No bigger than the palm of your hand
Despite his size, John Henry possessed immense strength and resilience.
His mommy looked down at little Johnny and said
John Henry's mother recognized his potential and knew he would become a great steel worker.
"My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin′ man"
John Henry's mother prophesized that he would become a legendary steel driver.
Yes, Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man
John Henry had the talent and determination to become a successful steel worker.
John Henry was a steel drivin′ man
John Henry was a celebrated worker known for his strength and skill in driving steel into rock.
Drove steel all over the land
John Henry worked on numerous projects and drove steel in various locations throughout the country.
"Before I let the steam hammer get me down
John Henry refused to let technology take over his job and would rather die than give up his work.
I'm a-gonna die with my hammer in my hand"
John Henry was determined to work until his very last breath and would not give up his hammer, even in death.
John Henry went to the tunnel to drive
John Henry took on challenging tasks like working in tunnels, where his strength was highly valued.
Steam hammer by his side
The steam hammer was no match for John Henry's strength and skill as a steel worker.
He beat the steam hammer to the top of the hill
John Henry outworked the steam hammer, proving that his manual labor was still more effective than technology.
He laid down his hammer and he cried, "Lord!"
After a hard day's work, John Henry was exhausted and would cry out to God for strength and guidance.
John Henry had a lovin' little wife
Despite his reputation as a strong and tough worker, John Henry had a loving and supportive wife named Polly Ann.
Her name was Polly Ann
John Henry's wife was an essential part of his life and helped him through difficult times.
Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed
Even the strongest man gets sick, and John Henry was no exception.
Polly drove steel like a man
When John Henry got sick, his wife stepped up and took on his work, proving herself to be just as skilled as he was.
They buried John Henry in the graveyard
John Henry passed away, leaving behind a legacy as a great and hardworking steel driver.
They laid him down in the sand
John Henry was buried in the earth, where his strength and hard work were recognized and honored.
Every time a freight train come puffin′ by
Even after John Henry's death, his legacy and legend lived on.
They say, "Yonder lies a steel drivin′ man"
People still spoke of John Henry's strength and dedication, even as trains chugged by his final resting place.
Writer(s): Merle Travis
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Yoosef62
When John Henry was a little baby
No bigger than the palm of your hand
His mommy looked down at little Johnny and said
"My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man"
Yes, Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man
John Henry was a steel drivin' man
Drove steel all over the land
"Before I let the steam hammer get me down
I'm a-gonna die with my hammer in my hand"
Die with my hammer in my hand
John Henry went to the tunnel to drive
Steam hammer by his side
He beat the steam hammer to the top of the hill
He laid down his hammer and he cried, "Lord!"
Laid down his hammer and he cried
John Henry had a lovin' little wife
Her name was Polly Ann
Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed
Polly drove steel like a man
Yes, Polly drove steel like a man
They buried John Henry in the graveyard
They laid him down in the sand
Every time a freight train come puffin' by
They say, "Yonder lies a steel drivin' man"
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
@VoxGothica
Surely one of the finest male voices in the history of recorded music. There are a few that could claim the title - Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins - but Ernie Ford is right up there.
@skipandslide
i think alot of the crooners are up there too, but yeah, youre right
@raymondturner1478
I'd give it to Elvis only because during his career he had about 4 different amazing voices. Ernie Ford is exceptional though.
@sananton2821
Thomas L. Thomas, Nelson Eddy, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Roselli, Jussi Bjorling, John McCormack, Fritz Wunderlich, Sergei Lemeshev, Mattia Battistini, Titta Ruffo, Riccardo Stracciari, Lawrence Tibbett, Eddie Fisher, Mickey Newbury, Oscar Natzka, Norman Treigle, Alexander Pirogov, Juste Nivette...
@bluemonto8187
You should be ashamed to put Elvis next to those men, he barely innovated music comparatively to these. Replace this list with hank Williams senior
@davidlangdon9956
Elvis and the rest couldn’t hold TEF’s shorts
@JoBlo321
This man has the most amazing vocals! We just moved to TN from CT. Never heard of him even though I'm in my 60s. Popped up on my feed the other day and I've been down a rabbit hole ever since! His vocals are so soothing to me.
@black84camaro
Good lord that man could sing. Love that voice.
@cherylann9781
Chevy7ky Yes, he could. My mom loved him. I grew listening to my mom's Gospel Albums by Mr. Ford. Better than going to church.
@joeplante136
I grew up listening to my father sing 16 tons, I didn’t remember until the day We celebrated his life. My brother sang it and and all the memories came flooding back.