Who wrote I owe my soul to the company store?

Merle Travis
Sixteen Tons/Lyricists

Why is it called 16 Tons?

According to Archie Green, author of Only A Miner: Studies in Recorded Coal-Mining Songs, the title refers to an old practice of initiating new miners by having them haul 16 tons, compared to the typical 8 to 10, on their first day. Ford’s version was used on the TV shows The Simpsons, Mad Men, and Chuck.

What year was 16 tons a hit?

1955
On October 17, 1991, Tennessee Ernie Ford passed away, leaving behind a wide-ranging and hugely significant musical legacy. It was also on October 17, this time in 1955, that one of Ford’s most important and well-known songs was released: “Sixteen Tons.”

Who Covered 16 tons?

Versions

Title	Performer	Release date
Sixteen Tons	Merle Travis	June 9, 1947
Sixteen Tons	“Tennessee” Ernie Ford with Orchestra conducted by Jack Fascinato	October 17, 1955
Sixteen Tons	Marvin & The Chirps	November 1955
Sixteen Tons	Red Sovine	November 1955

Who wrote 16 tons song?

Sixteen Tons/Lyricists
The first, written by Bob Merrill and Terry Shand, was “You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry,” a #10 country hit in 1950 for Ernest Tubb that had also been associated with Ford’s friend Moon Mullican; and the second was “16 Tons,” a 1946 coal mining song composed by Ford’s friend and fellow Capitol label-mate Merle …

How many records did 16 tons Sell?

Ford’s recording of “Sixteen Tons” sold more than 20 million copies and, in 2015, it was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

When did the platters release Sixteen Tons?

1960
Sixteen Tons/Released

Who wrote the song 16 tons?

Sixteen Tons/Composers

What was Tennessee Ernie Ford’s biggest hit?

‘Sixteen Tons’: How Tennessee Ernie Ford came to record his greatest hit

• David McGee.
• Feb 9, 2019.
• Feb 9, 2019 Updated Apr 17, 2019.

Who wrote the song 16 tons and what do you get?

Was Tennessee Ernie Ford a Confederate?

Ford’s experiences as a navigator and bombardier in World War II led to his involvement with the Confederate Air Force (now the Commemorative Air Force), a war plane preservation group in Texas. He was a featured announcer and celebrity guest at the annual CAF Airshow in Harlingen, Texas, from 1976 to 1988.

Is sixteen tons a blues song?

“Sixteen Tons” is a song written by Merle Travis about a coal miner, based on life in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky….Other versions.

“Sixteen Tons”
Song by Tennessee Ernie Ford
Released	October 1955
Recorded	1955
Genre	Country, traditional pop