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Abolishinist

(1,257 posts)
1. Good, not great. Other than the one made popular by Tennessee Ernie Ford, I still
Tue Jun 7, 2022, 12:16 AM
Jun 2022

have to go back to this version as my fave (which if I'm not mistaken I first heard about on DU).


lapfog_1

(29,166 posts)
3. as a young child I would listen to my dad play this song by Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tue Jun 7, 2022, 02:26 AM
Jun 2022

seems like he would play it on his home built stereo once or twice a week.

Chainfire

(17,305 posts)
5. That is also my "16 tons."
Tue Jun 7, 2022, 10:23 AM
Jun 2022

I was a young'un when the 1955 version was released.

It is said that that song led to Ford's death. It was an early huge success that he could never repeat and his son claims that it led to depression, alcoholism and death from liver failure.

Brother Buzz

(36,213 posts)
7. One could make the argument his destiny was set before he recorded '16 Tons'
Tue Jun 7, 2022, 01:25 PM
Jun 2022

Curiously, his professional career was launched in California, and like Buck Owens, he was setting trends in Country Music from California.

'A dinosaur Victrola listening to Buck Owens'. I'm guessing John Fogerty caught a bit of Tennessee Ernie Ford, too, like Shotgun Boogie

lark

(23,003 posts)
6. Beck is a guitar God, but TN Ernie Ford sang it better.
Tue Jun 7, 2022, 10:54 AM
Jun 2022

I grew up with my dad singing this song. He loved to sing and this was one of his faves, so of course we loved it too!

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