Origins & Early Life

Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer 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, he is remembered for his hit recordings of "The Shotgun Boogie" and "Sixteen Tons". Ford was born in Bristol, Tennessee, United States, to Maud (née Long) and Clarence Thomas Ford. He spent much of his time in his early years listening to country or western musicians, in person or on the radio.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Ford began wandering around Bristol, Tennessee, in his high school years, taking an interest in radio and began his radio career as an announcer at WOPI in 1937, being paid 10 dollars a week. In 1938, the young bass-baritone left the station and went to study classical music at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He returned for the announcing job in 1939 and did it from 1939 to 1941 in stations from Atlanta, Georgia, to Knoxville, Tennessee. A first lieutenant, he served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II as the bombardier on a B-29 Superfortress...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akashi Motojiro — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): General in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor-General of Taiwan.
• Alfred Werner — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): Pioneering Swiss chemist who established modern coordination chemistry.
• Andrew Carnegie — Contemporary (Died in 1919) (1919): Scottish-American industrialist who pioneered the American steel industry and became a major philanthropist.
• Abby Stein — Contemporary (Born in 1991) (1991): Israeli-American author, rabbi, and activist who speaks on faith and gender identity.
• Almaz Ayana — Contemporary (Born in 1991) (1991): Ethiopian long-distance runner known for Olympic and World Championship success.
• Amadou Hampâté Bâ — Contemporary (Died in 1991) (1991): Malian writer, historian, and ethnologist championing Africa's oral traditions.
• Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah — Shared historical date (02-13 · Died) (1021): Sixth Fatimid Caliph and 16th Ismaili Imam, known for a controversial reign.
• Alphonse Bertillon — Shared historical date (02-13 · Died) (1914): Pioneering biometrics researcher who developed anthropometry for criminal identification.
• Adam Michnik — Shared historical date (10-17 · Born) (1946): Prominent Polish intellectual, dissident, and journalist advocating for democracy.
• Al-Suyuti — Shared historical date (10-17 · Died) (1505): Egyptian Sunni polymath, renowned for authorship across nearly all Islamic sciences.
• 1919 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1919
• February 13 (02-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 13
• 1991 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1991
• October 17 (10-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 17