Ernest Tubb is country music personified. He was among the first of the honky tonk singers, and the first to achieve national recognition.
Over the years, Tubb toured widely with his Texas Troubadors, pressing the flesh with fans after shows that featured his many hits, including "Slippin' Around," "Two Glasses Joe," "Tomorrow Never Comes," "Drivin' Nails in My Coffin," "Rainbow at Midnight," "Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello," and "Driftwood on the River."
Tubb was one of the first country artists to record in Nashville.
In 1947, he opened the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville, which he promoted through the Midnight Jamboree, a radio program he designed to fill the post-Opry slot on the radio. That year, he became the first country star to play Carnegie Hall in New York, signaling how much he had done to increase country music's popularity across the United States.
In 1965, he became the sixth member to be inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
He was also one of the first artists inducted to the Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame.
In 1966, Tubb was diagnosed with emphysema and in spite of the doctors' warnings, he continued to tour and record actively into the early '70s.
In late 1982 Ernest was forced to retire due to his health. During the last days of his final tours, he had to take oxygen and rest on a cot between shows.
Ernest Tubb succumbed to emphysema on September 6, 1984, leaving behind an enormous legacy that helped shape the face of contemporary country music.
Today, his great-nephew, Lucky Tubb carries on the family's honky tonkin' legacy.
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