Everything you need to know about Tennessee Ernie Ford Net Worth, featuring critical updates.
Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist 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, today, he is best remembered for his hit recordings of "The Shotgun Boogie" and "Sixteen Tons".
| Full Name | Tennessee Ernie Ford |
| Net Worth | $3 Million |
| Date Of Birth | February 13, 1919 |
| Died | October 17, 1991, Reston, Virginia, United States |
| Place Of Birth | Bristol, Tennessee, USA |
| Height | 5' 10" (1.78 m) |
| Profession | Actor, Singer, Author, Announcer, Military Officer |
| Education | Cincinnati Conservatory of Music |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Beverly Wood Ford, Betty Heminger |
| Children | Jeffrey Buckner Ford, Brion Leonard Ford |
| Parents | Maud Long, Clarence Thomas Ford |
| Nicknames | Ernie Ford, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Ford, Ernie |
| IMDB | |
| Awards | Grammy Hall of Fame, Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance, Academy of Country Music Awards Cliffie Stone Icon Award |
| Nominations | Primetime Emmy Award for Most Outstanding New Personality, NME Award for Favourite US Male Singer, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Male Personality Continuing Performance |
| Movies | Mouse on the Mayflower, The Lonely Man, Man in the Saddle |
| TV Shows | The Ford Show |
| Star Sign | Aquarius |
| # | Trademark |
|---|
| 1 | Deep south country accent & slang terminolgist |
| # | Quote |
|---|
| 1 | Bless your little pea-pickin' hearts. |
| # | Fact |
|---|
| 1 | He was awarded 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1600 Vine Street, for Recording at 6922 Hollywood Boulevard, and for Television at 6311 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. |
| 2 | While it never affected his professional work, nor was it ever publicized (for fear of how it would impact his career), Ford battled all his life with a drinking problem, something which ultimately undermined his health. In October, 1991, he collapsed after leaving a White House dinner and died at an area hospital a few days later, exactly one year to the day after being elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. |
| 3 | Father of Jeffrey Buckner Ford. |
| 4 | His biggest hit "Sixteen Tons" was credited as being the first Rock and Roll big hit and for kicking off the Rock and Roll era of the 1950s. |
| 5 | He also sang the title song in the movie River of No Return (1954) starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. It was released as a single and did well on the record charts. |
| 6 | His popular TV program "The Ford Show" was not named after him, although many assumed so, but after his sponsor, the Ford Motor Company. |
| 7 | His book "Tennessee Ernie Ford's Book of Favorite Hymns" was a best-seller in its fleid when it was published in 1962, and a companion record album on Capitol Records was released later that same year. |
| 8 | Made the first tour of the Soviet Union with a country-western stage show (including Roy Clark) in 1974. |
| 9 | The album "Hymns" (1956) was on the USA Billboard Album charts for 350 consecutive weeks. |
| 10 | Used his influence to give many young performers their first break in show business, including San Francisco-area disk jockey turned TV personality Jim Lange (later of "The Dating Game"), and most notably, the singing duo the Everly Brothers. |
| 11 | His many albums of hymns and sacred music for Capitol and Ranwood records were among the top-sellers in their field, with "Hymns" (1957) and "Sing a Hymn with Me" (1961) both achieving Gold Record status. |
| 12 | His remains are buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, California. |
| 13 | Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990. |
| 14 | Country singer. |
Soundtrack
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You | 2016 | Documentary performer: "Sixteen Tons" written by nm0871419 | |
| Beaver Trilogy Part IV | 2015 | Documentary performer: "The Cry of the Wild Goose" written by nm0318601 | |
| Carrie | 2013 | performer: "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning", "His Amazing Grace" | |
| The Unknown Known | 2013 | Documentary performer: "White Christmas" | |
| Chuck | 2011 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| Fringe | | TV Series performer - 1 episode, 2010 writer - 1 episode, 2010 | |
| The Laundromat | 2010 | Short performer: "Pennies from Heaven" | |
| W. | 2008/I | writer: "Shotgun Boogie" - as Ernest J. Ford | |
| Unaccompanied Minors | 2006 | performer: "Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus" | |
| Best of Country Live! | 2006 | Video performer: "Shotgun Boogie" / writer: "Shotgun Boogie" | |
| Wild Seven | 2006 | performer: "Sixteen Tons" | |
| Door to Door | 2002 | TV Movie performer: "Sixteen Tons" | |
| The Simpsons | 1994 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| Black Hearts Bleed Red | 1992 | Short writer: "Shotgun Boogie" - as Ernest J. Ford | |
| Ghosts of the Sky | 1989 | Video documentary short performer: "Ghost Squadron" | |
| Rising Storm | 1989 | performer: "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" | |
| Arena | 1984 | TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode | |
| DTV: Golden Oldies | 1984 | Video performer: "Sixteen Tons" | |
| Dolly | 1976 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Johnny Cash Show | 1970 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Dean Martin Show | 1966 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Danny Kaye Show | 1965 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Jack Benny Program | 1961 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | | TV Series performer - 186 episodes, 1956 - 1961 writer - 2 episodes, 1957 | |
| Make Room for Daddy | 1959 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
| The Lonely Man | 1957 | performer: "The Lonely Man" | |
| Corral Cuties | 1954 | Short performer: "Don't Start Courtin' in a Hotrod", "Bright Lights and Blond Haired Women" | |
| River of No Return | 1954 | performer: "River of No Return" - uncredited | |
| Man in the Saddle | 1951 | performer: "Man in the Saddle" - uncredited | |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Here's Lucy | 1969 | TV Series | Ernie Epperson |
| Mouse on the Mayflower | 1968 | TV Movie | Narrator (voice) |
| The Red Skelton Hour | 1967 | TV Series | Loser Lumpkin |
| The Lucy Show | 1967 | TV Series | Homer Higgins |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | 1962 | TV Series | |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | 1959-1960 | TV Series | Sir Joseph Porter
Koko
Narrator |
| Make Room for Daddy | 1959 | TV Series | Kentucky Cal |
| The Lonely Man | 1957 | | Singer (voice) |
| I Love Lucy | 1954-1955 | TV Series | Cousin Ernie |
| Corral Cuties | 1954 | Short | |
| Man in the Saddle | 1951 | | Wrangler / Singer of Title Song (uncredited) |
| The Best Years of Our Lives | 1946 | | Nightclub / Hillbilly Singer (uncredited) |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| The Peapicker in Piccadilly | 1969 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| The Joey Bishop Show | 1967-1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Dean Martin Show | 1966-1968 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special | 1968 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special | 1967 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| The Danny Thomas Hour | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Andy Williams Show | 1962-1966 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Danny Kaye Show | 1965 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Hollywood Palace | 1965 | TV Series | Himself - Host |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Hour | 1964 | TV Special | Himself |
| The Story of Christmas | 1963 | TV Movie | Himself |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | 1962 | TV Series | Himself - Host |
| The Jack Benny Program | 1961 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | 1956-1961 | TV Series | Himself - Host / Himself / Escamillio |
| Here's Hollywood | 1960 | TV Series | Himself |
| Startime | 1960 | TV Series | Himself |
| The George Gobel Show | 1955-1960 | TV Series | Himself |
| What's My Line? | 1958 | TV Series | Himself - Mystery Guest |
| This Is Your Life | 1956-1958 | TV Series | Himself / Himself - Guest of Honor |
| The Lux Show | 1957 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Rosemary Clooney Show | 1956-1957 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Steve Allen Plymouth Show | 1957 | TV Series | Himself - Singer / Himself |
| The Steve Allen Show | 1957 | TV Series | Himself |
| Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall | 1956 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Colgate Comedy Hour | 1955 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Red Skelton Hour | 1954 | TV Series | Himself |
| Old American Barn Dance | 1953 | TV Series | Regular performer (as Tennessee Ernie) |
| Songs for Sale | 1951 | TV Series | Himself |
| Screen Snapshots: Jimmy McHugh's Song Party | 1951 | Short | Himself |
| The Frank Sinatra Show | 1951 | TV Series | Himself |
| Hometown Jamboree | 1949 | TV Series | Himself (1949-1960) |
| A Ford Show Family Christmas | 1994 | Video | Himself |
| 24th Annual Country Music Association Awards | 1990 | TV Special | Himself - Hall-Of-Fame Inductee |
| An All Star Salute to Country Music | 1990 | TV Movie | Himself |
| Hee Haw | 1973-1983 | TV Series | Himself / Himself - Storyteller / Himself - Special Guest / ... |
| Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters | 1981 | TV Series | Himself |
| Dinah! | 1975-1980 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Merv Griffin Show | 1977 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Stars and Stripes Show | 1976 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| Dolly | 1976 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Hollywood Squares | 1974-1976 | TV Series | Himself |
| 9th Annual Country Music Association Awards | 1975 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1968-1975 | TV Series | Himself / Himself - Guest |
| The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour | 1973-1974 | TV Series | Himself |
| Opryland U.S.A. | 1973 | TV Special | Himself - Host |
| NBC Follies | 1973 | TV Series | Himself |
| Tennessee Ernie Ford's White Christmas | 1972 | TV Movie | Himself - Host / Singer |
| The Fabulous Fordies | 1972 | TV Special | Himself - Host |
| Dinah's Place | 1971 | TV Series | Himself |
| Sing America Beautiful | 1971 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| The Jim Nabors Hour | 1970-1971 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour | 1971 | TV Series | Himself - Guest Performer |
| The Johnny Cash Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself - Singer |
| The Kraft Music Hall | 1969-1970 | TV Series | Himself - Host |
| The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special | 1970 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| Laugh-In | 1969-1970 | TV Series | Himself |
Archive Footage
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|
| 1960 | Star on the Walk of Fame | Walk of Fame | Television | On 8 February 1960. At 6311 Hollywood Blvd. |
| 1960 | Star on the Walk of Fame | Walk of Fame | Recording | On 8 February 1960. At 6922 Hollywood Blvd. |
| 1960 | Star on the Walk of Fame | Walk of Fame | Radio | On 8 February 1960. At 1600 Vine Street. |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|
| 1957 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Best Male Personality - Continuing Performance | |
| 1955 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Most Outstanding New Personality | |
Known for movies