   ernest jennings ford (february 13, 1919 â october 17, 1991), known professionally as tennessee ernie ford, was an american recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. noted for his rich bass-baritone voice and down-home humor, today, he is best remembered for his hit recordings of "the shotgun boogie" and "sixteen tons". ==biography== ===early years=== born in bristol, tennessee to maud long and clarence thomas ford, ford began his radio career as an announcer at wopi-am in bristol, tennessee. in 1939, the young bass-baritone left the station to study classical singing at the cincinnati conservatory of music in ohio. first lieutenant 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, california. in san bernardino, ford was hired as a radio announcer. he was assigned to host an early morning country music disc jockey program titled bar nothin' ranch time. 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. ford also did musical tours. the mayfield brothers of west texas, including smokey mayfield, thomas edd mayfield, and herbert mayfield, were among ford's warmup bands, having played for him in concerts in amarillo and lubbock, texas, during the late 1940s. at kxla, ford 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. cliffie 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 tv sta
1919_births 1991_deaths American_Methodists American_country_singers American_gospel_singers American_male_singers American_television_personalities Capitol_Records_artists Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame_inductees Gospel_Music_Hall_of_Fame_inductees Grammy_Award-winning_artists People_from_Bristol,_Tennessee Southern_gospel_performers Tennessee_Republicans United_States_Air_Force_airmen