Tennessee Ernie Ford - Tennessee Ernie Ford: Sixteen Tons - His 30 finest

Tennessee Ernie Ford (1919-1991) was one of the most successful Country artists to crossover and gain mainstream popularity. His deep, warm voice, humour and easy country-boy charm made him 'Mister Country Music', a huge star in the 50s. Sixteen Tons was both his biggest hit and Capitol's fastest selling single to that date, and is the title of Retrospective's generous 30-track programme packed with all his finest recordings from 1949-1957. It demonstrates that there was far more to him than just Sixteen Tons. There are fully 17 top ten smashes, headed by three more Number Ones: Mule Train, The Shotgun Boogie and his huge UK success Give Me Your Word. Also included are six duets, with Merle Travis, Helen O'Connell, Ella Mae Morse, Betty Hutton and Kay Starr � a great 1950 double of I'll Never Be Free and Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own.