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Monday, June 26, 2017
Page #10
Texas History Minute driver, but he began building a famous later appearances was as Tubb died in Nashville in 1984 at name for himself in country music himself at the Grand Ole Opry in the age of 70, leaving behind as a performer and a songwriter. the 1980 Loretta Lynn biographical countless fans and the innumerable film Coal Miner’s Daughter. In artists he inspired. In 1999, he was By 1940, Tubb picked up a 1983, he sang with Hank Williams, inducted into the Texas Music Hall contract with Decca Records, Jr., and Waylon Jennings in the of Fame. And his Midnite Jamboree recording such popular singles as song “Leave Them Boys Alone,” still plays on from his record store “Blue Eyed Elaine” and “I’ll which became Tubb’s last Top Ten every Saturday night, now the Never Cry Over You.” In 1941, hit. second-longest running radio he recorded “Walking the Floor program in the country. Over You,” a nationwide hit that propelled him to stardom. He recorded several soundtracks to a Dr. Ken Bridges number of western films, and his Howe's Garrett Fulenchek is pitching in his fond memories of San Angelo fourth professional season and is with the Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, inspired him to write “Beautiful Hudson Valley Renegades, which is a Classwriter, and history professor. He San Angelo” during these years. A short-season team for the Tampa Bay Tubb and his band, The Texas can be reached at Troubadours, were hired as Rays in the New York-Penn League. drkenbridges@gmail.com. performers in Nashville in 1943 on WSM radio’s The Grand Ole Fulenchek has appeared in two games so far Musicians and songwriters paint a Opry, the most popular country as the season just started this past week. On picture of the world with their program on radio at the time. In the season, he has pitched five innings and sounds, telling stories of joy and the process, he became the first struck out seven, walking three. heartbreak and of beauty or performer to play an electric guitar sorrow. Country music is on the program. Tubb and the especially famous for sometimes Texas Troubadours performed in combining all of those elements four films in the 1940s, including into one song as it has evolved over Riding West (1944) and the decades. The ups and downs of Hollywood Barn Dance (1947). the lives of many artists can be told in just such a way, including that of In 1947, he opened his own record one of the pioneers of country store in Nashville, called simply music, Texas native Ernest Tubb. the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. Tubb’s career began in the 1930s The store’s reputation catapulted and won millions of fans over a when he invited performers from decades-long career that helped The Grand Ole Opry to sing at the shape country music. store on Saturday nights, broadcast on radio. Midnite Jamboree Ernest Dale Tubb was born in Ellis became another huge success for County, just south of Dallas, in WSM radio and Tubb personally, 1914. His father was a helping cement his reputation as a sharecropper, and the family mentor of sorts to up-and-coming struggled as his father moved them country acts. In 1960, he released across the state trying to make a an album titled Ernest Tubb living. He spent much of his youth Record Shop. working in those same cotton fields. The divorce of his parents In the 1960s, he partnered with made the ordeal even more Loretta Lynn on a number of hit difficult. Like many early stars, he songs, including “Mr. and Mrs. never had a formal music Used-to-Be” (1964). He would education. Inspired by early record four albums with her country and blues singer Jimmie through 1973. Rodgers, he taught himself to sing and play guitar as a teenager. He made a move to television in 1965 when he was given his own His first steady job as a musician half-hour program, The Ernest came in 1933 on San Antonio radio Tubb Show, which ran in station KOLO. The path to fame, syndication for three years. That however, was not easy. Tubb’s same year, he was inducted into singing was not enough to pay the the Country Music Hall of Fame bills, and by 1935, he had take on a and recorded one of his most second job digging ditches through famous singles, “Waltz Across local Works Progress Texas.” He continued to record, Administration work relief including the Top 40 albums projects. Tubb managed to pick up Saturday Satan Sunday Saint a recording contract with RCA in (1969), Say Something Nice to 1936 but the albums were poor Sarah (1972), and the self-titled sellers. He got a break in 1939 Ernest Tubb (1975). when San Angelo radio station KGKL hired him for his own 15He continued to make periodic minute program. Tubb still had to appearances in movies and on take a second job as a beer truck television. One of his most
Garrett Fulenchek update
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