Tennessee Ernie Ford!

Once again Stinky feels he must scold his imaginary friends. Over a year ago, Bear Family Records released Portrait of an American Singer, a comprehensive 5-CD collection of Tennessee Ernie Ford's 1949-1960 studio recordings, and no one bothered to inform Stinky. Must Stinky do everything for himself? Is not it enough he has to make his own potted meat sandwiches for school? Now he has gotta keep track of what is coming out when?

At the time of this release, most reviewers, some more gleefully than others, remarked how largely forgotten Tennessee Ernie Ford is these days. True, but who is not? Walk down any street and ask any passing stranger to name his favorite Tennessee Ernie Ford song or to name his favorite Dick Powell movie, and one is likely rewarded with only a blank stare. Stinky gets depressed just thinking about it.

But Stinky is an eternal optimist; the glass of strawberry milk is always half-full. He is grateful for the attention Ernie has received on shows like Terri Gross' Fresh Air, even if it is a review by someone named Ken Tucker, "critic at large for Yahoo TV". Whatever that is. Stinky imagines Mr. Tucker surreptitiously released from his cage, with Cameron Mitchell and Lee J. Cobb in hot 3-D pursuit. Mr. Tucker says,

         As a sizable percentage of the 154 tracks on this collection reveals, his pursuit of hits,  done  primarily at Capitol Records in Hollywood not in Nashville, led him to squander his marvelously deep, resonant voice on a lot of silly, mediocre material.

Several points: are we certain that it was his pursuit  of hits, and not, say, his producer's, who probably had more influence on his recording material? Was his recording in Hollywood a factor in recording "a lot of silly, mediocre material"? Stinky would contend that there was plenty of silly, mediocre material being recorded in Nashville too, and if Stinky had a choice, Stinky would rather be produced in Hollywood by Lee Gillette and hobnob with Nat King Cole and Dean Martin than be produced in Nashville by Chet Atkins and hang out with Carl Butler and Red Sovine. But perhaps Stinky quibbles.

And one more quibble: Mr. Tucker sums up by referring to Ernie Ford as "moderately remarkable". Does this even make sense? It's like saying, "perceptive critic at large for Yahoo TV".

On the other paw, Joe Marchese, editor at the Second disc, writes an outstanding review. He even appears to have listened to the collection and to have appreciated Ernie's contribution to popular music. And he finishes with an unequivocal opinion: "The many sides of Tennessee Ernie Ford reveal an artist whose best work transcended genre and period." Took the words right out of Stinky's hoecake-hole.

There are other reviews out there, including ones that mention influences and admirers: John Lennon and Bob Dylan are two moderately remarkable ones. Peruse these reviews at your leisure. Stinky needs to rest up. Those potted meat sandwiches ain't gonna make themselves.

Sing it, Ern!