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.
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Tennessee Ernie Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesus, keep me from all wrong
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it, Jesus is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee
And when my feeble life is o'er
And time for me will be no more
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore
Just a closer (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Walk with Thee (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Grant it, Jesus (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Is my plea (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk)
Daily walking (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Close to Thee (Just a closer walk with Thee)
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
"Just a Closer Walk With Thee" is a spiritual hymn that was composed by an unknown author in the 19th century. The song was taken up by a number of gospel artists and church choirs during the 20th century. The song's simplicity and message of devotion to Jesus have cemented its place in the public's imagination. Tennessee Ernie Ford, one of the most celebrated gospel singers and performers of his time, recorded his version of this song in 1954, which immediately became a hit.
The first verse, "I am weak but Thou art strong, Jesus, keep me from all wrong," acknowledges the singer's human frailty but asks for strength and guidance from Jesus, the source of strength and power. The following line "I'll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to Thee," expresses a desire to remain faithful to God and to keep walking with Him. The second verse is a repetition of the chorus that expresses the singer's yearning for a closer walk with Jesus. The third verse, "And when my feeble life is o'er and time for me will be no more, guide me gently, safely o'er to Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore" speaks of the hope and assurance of eternal life with Jesus.
The song has been covered by many prominent artists, including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" has also been played at a number of funeral and memorial services, as well as occasions of worship.
Line by Line Meaning
I am weak but Thou art strong
I am feeble and lacking but you are all powerful
Jesus, keep me from all wrong
Lord, guide me away from evil
I'll be satisfied as long
I will be content as long as
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee
As I journey through life, let me remain near to you
Just a closer walk with Thee
All I ask for is a more intimate relationship with you
Grant it, Jesus is my plea
This is my heartfelt request to you, Jesus
Daily walking close to Thee
May our walk together be a daily occurrence
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
May this come to pass, my loving Lord
And when my feeble life is o'er
And when my limited existence has ended
And time for me will be no more
And there's no more time left for me
Guide me gently, safely o'er
Guide me tenderly and safely beyond
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore
To the shores of Your kingdom, heavenly Lord
Just a closer (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Simply wishing for closer walks with you
Walk with Thee (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Every step to be taken with you
Grant it, Jesus (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
On bended knees, asking for closeness with you
Is my plea (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk)
Asking fervently for this to come to pass, dear Lord
Daily walking (Just a closer walk, just a closer walk with Thee)
Asking for daily journeys with you
Close to Thee (Just a closer walk with Thee)
Asking for intimacy in our walks
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
Asking for acceptance, loving Lord
Writer(s): Thomas A. Dorsey
Contributed by Charlie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SilverliningSnowpaws
I love this man's voice. Wow.
@josiahrecords92
What a voice! No Autotune.
@Anonymousbzcheese
Absolutely mezmorizing voice
@reybensoulmates6498
Seek first the Kingdom of God, & His righteousness. A closer walk with Thee! Beautiful, simple, just lovely, the words, the music, the meaning, the voice.
@southbend3406
TEF rocked!
@darrellpryor1653
Christan music as it used to sound like!!!!!!
@boring247boring5
Allez le Monde world Everyone Everything in le universe. Rest dans Peace Liliane