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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Gabrielle Fitzpatrick to Christopher Fulford
Tennessee Ernie Ford Biography (1919-1991)
Full name, Ernest Jennings Ford; born February 13, 1919, in Bristol, TN; diedof liver failure, October 17, 1991, in Reston, VA; son of Clarence T. (a postal worker and fiddle player) and Maude (Long) Ford; married Betty Jean Heminger, September 18, 1942 (died, February, 1989); married Beverly Wood-Smith, June, 1989; children: (first marriage) Jeffrey Bucknew (Buck), Brion Leonard;(second marriage) Stevie (stepdaughter).
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- actor, singer
- Birth Details
- February 13, 1919
- Bristol, Tennessee, United States
- Death Details
- October 17, 1991
- Reston, Virginia, United States
Famous Works
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Credits; Television Appearances; Series
- Host, Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge (quiz show), NBC, 1954.
- Host, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, NBC, 1955-57 and 1958-60, ABC, 1962-65.
- Appeared on Old American Barn Dance, 1953.
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Credits; Television Appearances; Specials
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Tennessee Ernie Ford Meets King Arthur, NBC, 1960.
- Sir Joseph Porter, H.M.S. Pinafore, NBC, 1960.
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Friends and Nabors, CBS, 1966.
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Andy Griffith's Uptown-Downtown Show, CBS, 1967.
- Host, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special, CBS, 1967.
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The Wonderful World of Burlesque III, NBC, 1967.
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One More Time, ABC, 1968.
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Looking Back, CBS, 1969.
- Host, The Peapicker in Piccadilly, NBC, 1969.
- Cohost, City vs. Country, ABC, 1971.
- Host, The Fabulous Fordies, NBC, 1972.
- Host, Tennessee Ernie Ford's White Christmas, NBC, 1972.
- Host, Country Music Hit Parade, NBC, 1973.
- Host, The Stars and Stripes Show, NBC, 1973.
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Opryland U.S.A., NBC, 1973.
- Host, Tennessee Ernie's Nashville-Moscow Express, NBC, 1975.
- Cohost, The Stars and Stripes Show, NBC, 1976.
- Cohost, Country Night of the Stars, NBC, 1978.
- Host, Tennessee Ernie Ford's America, PBS, 1985.
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Tennessee Ernie Ford: Fifty Golden Years, TNN, 1990.
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Dinah Shore: A Special Conversation with Tennessee Ernie Ford, TNN, 1991.
- Also appeared on Country Comes Home, 1984.
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Credits; Television Appearances; Episodic
- Appeared on I Love Lucy, 1954, and on episodes of The Red Skelton Show,
The Perry Como Show,
The George Gobel Show,
LuxMusic Hall,
The Danny Thomas Show,
The Lucy Show, and Here's Lucy.
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Credits; Radio Appearances
- Soloist, Hometown Jamboree, 1948.
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Credits; Stage Appearances
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Festival at Ford's, Circle in the Square/Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1971.
- Performed at the Palladium Theatre, London, 1953. Nightclub performer, beginning in 1950.
- Author of the autobiography This Is My Song, This Is My Story, 1963. Songwriter.
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Credits; Recordings; Albums
- Spiritual, Capitol, 1958.
- Nearer the Cross, Capitol, 1958.
- Gather 'Round, Capitol, 1959.
- Sixteen Tons, Capitol, 1960.
- Sing a Hymn, Capitol, 1960.
- Civil War Songs of the North, Capitol, 1961.
- Civil War Songs of the South, Capitol, 1961.
- Hymns at Home, Capitol, 1961.
- I Love to Tell the Story, Capitol, 1962.
- Favorite Hymns, Capitol, 1962.
- Sing a Hymn with Me, Capitol, 1962.
- Sing a Spiritual Hymn with Me, Capitol, 1962.
- This Lusty Land, Capitol, 1963.
- Hymns, Capitol, 1963.
- Tennessee Ernie Ford, Capitol, 1963.
- We Gather Together, Capitol, 1964.
- Long, Long Ago, Capitol, 1963.
- Great Gospel Songs, Capitol, 1964.
- Tennessee Ernie Ford's Country Hits, Capitol, 1964.
- The World's Best Loved Hymns, Capitol, 1965.
- Favorite Hymns, Ranwood, 1987.
- Other recordings include Christmas Special, Capitol; Amazing Grace, Pickwick; Jesus Loves Me, Pickwick; Make a Joyful Noise, Capitol; The Need for Prayer, Pickwick; Rock of Ages, Pickwick; America the Beautiful, Capitol; Faithof Our Fathers, Capitol; For the 83rd Time, Capitol; Tennessee Ernie Ford Sings His Great Love, Capitol; 25th Anniversary, Capitol; The Story of Christmas, Capitol; The STar Carol, Capitol; The Very Best of Tennessee Ernie Ford, Capitol; (with Glen Campbell) Ernie Sings and Glen Picks, Capitol; Precious Memories, Capitol; He Touched Me, Capitol; Tennessee Ernie Ford Sings 22 Favorite Hymns, Ranwood; Swing Wide Your Golden Gate, Word; Tell Me the Old Story, Word; and There's a Song in My Heart, Word.
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Writings
- Author of the autobiography This Is My Song, This Is My Story, 1963. Songwriter.
Further Reference
Obituaries and Other Sources: Periodicals
- Detroit News and Free Press, October 18, 1991, p. 3B.
- Variety, October 21, 1991, p. 86.
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