Tennessee ernie ford wife

American singer and TV personality (–)

Musical artist

Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, – October 17, ),^[1] 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".

Biography

Early years

Ford was born in Fordtown, Tennessee, United States, to Maud (née Long) and Clarence Thomas Ford.^[2] He spent much of his time in his early years listening to country or western musicians, in person or on the radio.^[3]

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 , being paid 10 dollars a week.

In , the young bass-baritone left the station and went to study classical musi