Today,forty seven yearsafter his now-legendary 1954 national debut onI Love Lucy,Cousin Ernieremains one of classic television's most enduring characters. After Betty committed suicide in 1989 because of prescription drug abuse, Ernie's liver problems, diagnosed years earlier, became more apparent, but he refused to reduce his drinking despite repeated doctors' warnings. His marriage to Mildred A. Schoepe ended in divorce. "I'll Never Be Free", a duet pairing Ford with Capitol Records pop singer Kay Starr,[7] became a huge country and pop crossover hit in 1950. "It's great music," Mr. Ford said in a 1990 interview with the Associated Press. Her marriage to James Hill ended in divorce. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Weve updated the security on the site. 01 Stand By Me When God Dips His Love In My Heart He Knows What I Need Others What A Friend We Have In Jesus . [20], American singer and TV personality (19191991), "Everybody's Got a Girl But Me" peaked at No. This account has been disabled. Brion must have been about 8 or 9. He moved around the country in the year leading up to America's entry into World War II, holding announcer jobs in Atlanta, Georgia, and Knoxville, TN. His most enduring album of the decade, however, was Ernie Sings & Glen Picks, released in 1975; cut with Glen Campbell, it was similar to Country Hits - Feelin' Blue from 12 years before as a stripped-down country effort, and it not only sold well at the time but found a new audience as a CD in the 1990s. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. A resonant-voiced baritone, he signed with Capitol Records in 1948 singing everything from country & western, pop, rock & roll to gospel and most of his recordings made it to the Top Ten. It was there that he first took on the name "Tennessee Ernie," which became the focus of his comedic on-air persona, a kind of good-hearted bumpkin who was smarter than he let on and funnier (and more eccentric) than he seemingly knew; in some respects, "Tennessee Ernie" was a bit like some of the more benign rural characters that had been essayed in the movies by Walter Brennan. From 'River of No Return" 2009 by Jeffrey Buckner Ford, his oldest son. Family members linked to this person will appear here. That year he became the first country-music entertainer to perform at the Palladium in London. It was a catchy, soft-rock arrangement of a song about the hardships of life in the coal mines, written by Merle Travis in 1947. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Portrait of An America FORD TENNESSEE ERNIE. Jesus welcomed Ramona Chapman into his arms Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Another day older and deeper in debt. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He served in the Army Air Forces in the South Pacific during World War II. Mr. Doney was born in Chinook, Mont. Ford, who died Thursday at age 72, was given a military. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com. She later became a legal secretary, and she worked for the Washington law firm of Cushman Darby & Cushman in the late 1960s, when she moved to San Diego. Drag images here or select from your computer for Ernie Tennessee Ernie Ford memorial. "Tennessee Ernie Ford"Beloved Husband of Beverly, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. The next year Mr. Ford had his first country hits, "Mule Train" and "Smokey Mountain Boogie," and in 1950 he recorded a duet with Kay Starr, "I'll Never Be Free," that soared on both the country and pop charts. Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 - October 17, 1991) known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American country and gospel singer and radio and television host. He also made numerous guest appearances on I Love Lucy and other TV shows and became a fixture on television. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Growing up in Bristol, Ford also pursued his radio personality from the same place. In 1937 he worked as an announcer for WOPI-AM in Bristol which he left to attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. cemeteries found in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? But one simple element separated it from all othersErnie closed virtually every show with a hymn, a spiritual or a song of faith. He returned for the announcing job in 1939 and did it from 1939 to 1941 in stations from Atlanta to Knoxville. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. American Country Musician Tennessee Ernie Ford was born Ernest Jennings Ford on 13th February, 1919 in Bristol, Tennessee, USA and passed away on 17th Oct 1991 Reston, Virginia, USA aged 72. But the next year he joined ABC television, where his daytime show ran another three years. He recorded more than 80 albums during his singing career and sold more than 24 million albums of his gospel music. Tennessee Ernie Ford, as he came to be known, was an ordinary man but his overwhelming success later led to his downfall. Hey, Good Lookin' 2. Husband of Betty Jean Ford and Beverly Ford ", His biggest hit, "16 Tons," sold two million copies within nine weeks, and ultimately sold more than 20 million records worldwide. To differentiate himself, he created the personality of "Tennessee Ernie", a wild, madcap, exaggerated hillbilly. Known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, he began his rise to fame in1948 with Capital Records. Mini Bio (1) Tennessee Ernie Ford s lifetime: Thursday, February 13th, 1919 to Thursday, October 17th, 1991, was 26,544 days, equaling 3,792 weeks exactly. In 1947 he also made the acquaintance of Cliffie Stone, a musician, announcer, and producer who was rapidly becoming one of the most influential figures in country music on the West Coast. He also became the spokesman for Martha White brand flour in 1972. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Love is not easily put into words, and she was the "Love" of our lives! On many of these programs, he was billed simply as "Tennessee Ernie," owing to the fact that producers felt that using his last name would promote a car company that wasn't necessarily a sponsor. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 85 on the. In the years after his variety show ended, Mr. Ford appeared occasionally on television specials and toured as a country-music performer. Mr. Moore taught high school chemistry in Savannah early in his career and was a chemist with the Food and Drug Administration in Buffalo for eight years before moving here. We wish we could extend a happy birthday wish to him, but it's been more than 20 years since he died at age 72. ", His rich bass-baritone, personable drawl, ingratiating smile and unhurried manner made him a popular network television star in the 1950's and 60's. He also did musical tours. Mr. Ford took the song that Merle Travis had written and recorded in 1947 and sang it over what he called "a semi-rock-and-roll background." On October 17, 1991-36 years to the day after the release ofSixteen Tons- the world lost this legendary star. Son of Clarence Thomas Ford and Maud Lee Ford He is survived by his second wife, Beverly; two sons from his first marriage, Jeffrey and Brian, and a stepdaughter, Stevie. From 1962 to 1965, Ford hosted a daytime talk/variety show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (later known as Hello, Peapickers) from KGO-TV in San Francisco, broadcast over the ABC television network. Beverly Wood and Tennessee Ernie Ford were married for 2 years before Tennessee Ernie Ford died aged 72.. About. Tennessee Ernie Ford Remembered for 'Homespun Humor,' Patriotism October 22, 1991 PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) _ Friends, musicians and Air Force buddies of Tennessee Ernie Ford packed a church to pay final tribute to the performer. After that, his work consisted primarily of recordings, touring and occasional television specials and guest appearances. For all of his occasionally risqu lyrics and humor, Ford also had a seriously religious side to his work and persona, and his voice was ideally suited to big arrangements of traditional hymns. This is a carousel with slides. However, he moved to a different location in 1939 to study music at the Cincinnati . Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses 18. God Bless The U.S.A. 17. English Ford eventually ended his KXLA morning show and in the early 1950s, moved on from Hometown Jamboree. Within nine weeks of its release, two million recordings of "Sixteen Tons," had been sold, and it topped the popularity charts throughout the spring of 1956. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Over the years, Ford was awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for radio, records, and television. A series of appearances on I Love Lucy (then one of the top-rated shows in the country) as "Cousin Ernie" in two 1954 episodes was so funny and so popular that he made a follow-up appearance the next year on the same series in the identical role, using his comedic rural country persona. Tennessee Ernie Ford. At the time of his birth, Tennessee Ernie Ford was given the name Ernest Jennings Ford. Ford has been awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for radio, records and television. 1955. As prime-time's # 1 half-hour variety showfor five years,The Ford Showfeatured all the ingredients of the top variety shows of the day; Hollywood's greatest guest stars, top-of-the-line production, and terrific music. Sites: ernieford.com, Wikipedia In Groups: (Did You Ever Get) That Feeling In The Moonlight? He took over from bandleader Kay Kyser as host of the TV version of NBC quiz show College of Musical Knowledge when it returned briefly in 1954 after a four-year hiatus. He served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II. Santa Claus Meets The Purple People Eater, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weeny Yellow Polkadot Bikini, Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own (feat. Brion Leonard Ford, youngest son of Bristol, Tenn., native and country music legend Tennessee Ernie Ford, died Friday at his home in White House, Tenn., of lung cancer at age 56. He had a daytime musical variety show on ABC television from 1962 to 1965, and he made guest appearances on several other television shows, including several episodes as "Cousin Ernie" on "I Love Lucy.". Tennessee Ernie Ford, a radio DJ turned country singer turned TV star, ended all his shows with a hymn. Mr. Ford recorded more than 80 albums during a career of more than 40 years. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. She came into this world as the first child of six August 28, 1929, to Bernard and Helen (Battles) Greene in Bluffton, but spent most of her childhood in Findlay. Mr. Ford also was host of a popular prime-time variety show on NBC television, "The Ford Show," which ran from 1956 to 1961 and featured the likes of Ronald Reagan, John Wayne and Gary Cooper as guests. Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford :: a biography Born Ernest Jennings Ford on February 13th, 1919 in Bristol, Tennessee, Tennessee Ernie Ford has made an indelible impact on America and the world through his unparalleled accomplishments in radio, records and television. A system error has occurred. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3806/ernie-ford. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 17 Oct 1991 (aged 72) Reston, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. First Lieutenant Ford served in World War II as the bombardier on a B-29 Superfortress flying missions over Japan. In the late 1970s, as a CAF colonel, Ford recorded the organization's theme song "Ballad of the Ghost Squadron". Composer, singer and author, educated at the Cincinnati Conservatory. But he was primarily known as a singer and recording artist, and his recording of "Sixteen Tons" has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide since its release just before Christmas in 1955. Open by Appointment through the Bristol Historical Society. 2 on the, "Colorado Country Morning" peaked at No. He received a Medal of Freedom Award from President Ronald Reagan. We Gather Together, a 1963 release made with the San Quentin Prison Choir, was the first recording ever made at the prison. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. As a television host, singer and comedian, Mr. Ford is best remembered for folksy phrases from his Tennessee upbringing, like "Bless your pea-pickin' hearts" and "Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rockin' chairs. Tennessee Ernie Ford, 72, the country and western singer who was best known for his recordings of gospel hymns and the coal mining ballad "Sixteen Tons," died of liver ailments Oct. 17 at Reston Hospital. After his discharge from the service in 1946 he went to live in San Bernardino, California and landed an announcer's job with KXLA in Pasadena. ", To place an order or for customer service, call toll-free. You have permission to edit this article. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. From 1956 to 1965 he was a primetime network television host, making "Bless your little pea-pickin' hearts" a household catch phrase and providing powerful exposure for Ford's increasingly middle-of-the-road music. Manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the button., exaggerated hillbilly 1991-36 years to the memorial is for and when they lived and died and they. 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