Ernest Tubb was born in Crisp, Texas in February 1914. He was the last of five children, three older sisters and a brother. In 1921, the family relocated to Benjamin West Texas. In 1924 they moved again - to East Texas. Soon after that, Ernest's parents divorced. Ernest's mother played organ and piano and encouraged the boy's early interest in music, but his biggest musical influence was listening to records of Jimmie Rodgers. By late 1933 he had a guitar, and could play it with reasonable skill. Along with friends, he headed to San Antonio where his brother Calvin was living. The brothers found work with a government relief agency. Ernest's friends formed a western style group and Ernest was recruited as guitarist and singer. The group obtained an early morning radio slot and Ernest took over as the group's manager and quickly secured more airtime. In 1934 Ernest married Elaine Cook who, in August the following year, gave birth to their first child Justin.  Ernest continued to hold down a day job squeezed between radio slots and live appearances. However, he would soon meet Carrie Rodgers, Jimmie Rodger's widow.  Tubb had called at Carrie's house to ask for a photo of Jimmie.  A few months later Carrie phoned him to comment on his radio work and said she could help him through her RCA contacts. In October 1936, Ernest recorded for RCA's Bluebird subsidiary. In 1937, Tubb formed a duo with old buddy Merwyn Buffington and the pair landed a radio spot sponsored by Blatz Beer.  They were billed as Blatz's Western Melody Boys.  In July 1938 the Tubb's second child, Rodger, was born.  Seven weeks later the baby was killed in a car accident. Possibly the only positive thing that emerged from this devasting event was Ernest's poignant song "Our Baby's Book".