ERNEST TUBB
Ernest Tubb was one of the most influential figures in country music, but his earliest recordings reveal a very different artist from the honky-tonk star he would later become. Strongly influenced by Jimmie Rodgers, Tubb began his recording career singing sentimental songs and cowboy ballads while accompanying himself on guitar. These pre-World War II recordings capture the formative years of a singer who would later help define the sound of modern country music.
THE RIGHT TRAIN TO HEAVEN
Recorded October 27, 1936 – San Antonio, Texas
Matrix 02957-1 - Bluebird B-6659
"The Right Train to Heaven" is a gospel song that draws on the familiar railroad metaphor of salvation. Performed with only voice and guitar, Tubb delivers the song with a quiet sincerity and an unaffected vocal style, emphasizing its message rather than dramatic expression. Recorded before his trademark electric-band sound emerged, it stands as an excellent example of his early, Rodgers-influenced recordings.
THERE'S GONNA BE SOME CHANGES MADE AROUND HERE
Recorded c. 1945 — Demo recording
"There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made Around Here" is a lively early Ernest Tubb composition performed in the stripped-down style of his publisher demos. Accompanying himself with a steady alternating bass, Tubb uses clean chord transitions and subtle bass movement to support his relaxed vocal delivery. Free from studio arrangements, the recording highlights the direct, unpretentious guitar style that became one of the defining features of his music. Like many honky-tonk songs of its era, the lyric reflects attitudes and gender roles that belong to another time and should be understood in their historical context.
DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT DAMES
Recorded c. 1945 — Demo recording
"Don't Talk To Me About Dames" is a humorous honky-tonk number performed in the intimate style of Ernest Tubb's publisher demos. His relaxed vocal is supported by a steady alternating-bass accompaniment, clean chord transitions, and subtle bass movement that keep the rhythm flowing naturally. As with many of Tubb's early demos, the stripped-down setting highlights the effectiveness of his uncomplicated, song-first guitar style. The song's playful treatment of relationships reflects the conventions of mid-1940s honky-tonk songwriting and is best understood within its historical context.
THE LAST THOUGHTS OF JIMMIE RODGERS
Recorded October 27, 1936 — San Antonio, Texas
Matrix: 02953-1 - Bluebird B-6731
“The Last Thoughts of Jimmie Rodgers” is Ernest Tubb’s tribute to the singer who had profoundly influenced his early musical career. Recorded only three years after Rodgers’ death, the song reflects the devotion of a young Tubb still closely identified with his hero, both vocally and musically. It is an especially revealing document of Tubb before he developed the honky-tonk style for which he would later become famous.
