About the Author

Ronnie Pugh is Head of Reference at the Country Music Foundation, Nashville, Tennessee. He is the author of numerous articles on country music and has written the liner notes for dozens of country music recordings.

Reviews

"Ernest Tubb ... he was always bigger than life to me. Every time I sang with him, it was always the same ... he is immortal. His life and helping hand touched mine and many more in a special way. Ronnie Pugh captured the heart and soul of Ernest Tubb in Ernest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour. This book should be a part of every country music fan's library." - Loretta Lynn "Ronnie Pugh has spent years studying and researching the life and career of my father, Ernest Tubb ... and the picture he has painted is right on the money! It's all here, the good and the bad. Reading the book was like having my dad back for a little while." - Justin Tubb "The first phonograph record I ever purchased was by Ernest Tubb. He was my hero long before he became my friend. Country music has never produced a kinder, gentler, more caring humanitarian than the Texas Troubadour. Ronnie Pugh's book is a vivid and touching portrayal of a gifted entertainer and a marvelous human being." - Bill Anderson "In many ways, Tubb is the father of modern country music, and this book is the definitive account of his career. It chronicles an age of country music that has too often been ignored by earlier writers in the field, a terra incognita in which are found the wellsprings of modern country music and the methods of presenting it. This is the best biography of any modern country music artist I have read. It will become a definitive book on American culture." - Charles Wolfe, author of Kentucky Country, Tennessee Strings and co-author of The Life and Legend of Leadbelly "This book takes its place as a standard in country music studies. Ronnie Pugh's outstanding scholarship goes very far beyond much that remains tawdry in pop culture hype. He stands with Bill Malone, Bob Pinson, Joe Dan Boyd, Dave Whisnant, and fellow 'natives' who loved 'their' music in childhood and, as adults, paid it the dues of critical respect." - Archie Green, author of Only a Miner and Wobblies, Pile Butts, and Other Heroes

"Ernest Tubb ... he was always bigger than life to me. Every time I sang with him, it was always the same ... he is immortal. His life and helping hand touched mine and many more in a special way. Ronnie Pugh captured the heart and soul of Ernest Tubb in Ernest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour. This book should be a part of every country music fan's library." - Loretta Lynn "Ronnie Pugh has spent years studying and researching the life and career of my father, Ernest Tubb ... and the picture he has painted is right on the money! It's all here, the good and the bad. Reading the book was like having my dad back for a little while." - Justin Tubb "The first phonograph record I ever purchased was by Ernest Tubb. He was my hero long before he became my friend. Country music has never produced a kinder, gentler, more caring humanitarian than the Texas Troubadour. Ronnie Pugh's book is a vivid and touching portrayal of a gifted entertainer and a marvelous human being." - Bill Anderson "In many ways, Tubb is the father of modern country music, and this book is the definitive account of his career. It chronicles an age of country music that has too often been ignored by earlier writers in the field, a terra incognita in which are found the wellsprings of modern country music and the methods of presenting it. This is the best biography of any modern country music artist I have read. It will become a definitive book on American culture." - Charles Wolfe, author of Kentucky Country, Tennessee Strings and co-author of The Life and Legend of Leadbelly "This book takes its place as a standard in country music studies. Ronnie Pugh's outstanding scholarship goes very far beyond much that remains tawdry in pop culture hype. He stands with Bill Malone, Bob Pinson, Joe Dan Boyd, Dave Whisnant, and fellow 'natives' who loved 'their' music in childhood and, as adults, paid it the dues of critical respect." - Archie Green, author of Only a Miner and Wobblies, Pile Butts, and Other Heroes

Tubb (1914-84) came from a humble background in Crisp, Texas, where his father was an overseer of a cotton farm. Growing up, Tubb was exposed to the music of Jimmie Rodgers. When Rodgers died, Tubb, a dedicated fan who had just started his own music career, felt he should carry on the Rodgers legacy. Even though he was heavily influenced by Rodgers, Tubb eventually became a legend himself, influencing the direction and growth of country music. Through Tubb's persuasion, the name "hillbilly" was dropped by the music industry in favor of "country music." Through Tubb's insistence a separate category of country music appeared on the charts in some of the trade magazines. Likewise, it was Tubb who paved the way for acceptance of country through his successful 1947 appearance at New York City's Carnegie Hall. Pugh, head of reference at the Country Music Foundation in Nashville, has produced an excellent biography of Tubb. Recommended for libraries with American music collections.‘Kathleen Sparkman, Baylor Univ., Waco, Tex.