Ten Favorite Country State Names Songs: Roll Along, Kentucky Moon (#3)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86939)
United States
December 22, 2016 9:10pm CST
It's time to look at another one of my favorite songs with a state's name in it. I'll continue this with ten favorite rock songs with states' names in them (spoiler: no "Hotel California," but California will make an appearance). I'm staying close to home for the next song.
#3: Roll Along, Kentucky Moon - Eddy Arnold
This song was pretty much done by everyone and his brother in the 30s and 40s. Want proof? Homer Haynes, half of Homer & Jethro, did a perfectly straight recording of this song in 1949 (right before he and Jethro recorded "Baby It's Cold Outside" with June Carter). It originated with Jimmie Rodgers in 1932 (although Rodgers didn't write it [if he had it might be called "Blue Yodel #74" 
]). Gene Autry, who began his career more or less as a Jimmie Rodgers impersonator (listen to his version after Rodgers' for evidence), did the song the year Rodgers died.
But the version I first heard -- and the version that holds a dear place in my heart -- was the recording by Eddy Arnold (who, oddly enough, seemed to pattern his recording after the 1949 Homer Haynes version, omitting the second verse and just repeating the bridge).
Eddy Arnold was a treasure. He remains the #1 Billboard country singles artist of all-time (although George Strait is poised to catch him). He was the first country performer to with the CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award after being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (which is a feat that Strait later duplicated).
Although he became the poster child for what was wrong in the "Nashville Sound" era, his country songs from the 40s and 50s were -- and still are -- priceless.
I got to meet Mr. Arnold about a year before he died, and that is a moment I will always treasure.
Roll Along, Kentucky Moon
Written by Bill Halley (no, not Haley)
Recorded by Eddy Arnold, 1951
From Eddy's Songs, 1964
Worthless trivia: the backing band on this recording is Little Roy Wiggins (Arnold's legendary steel player) and the Willis Brothers (who later had their own career):
]). Gene Autry, who began his career more or less as a Jimmie Rodgers impersonator (listen to his version after Rodgers' for evidence), did the song the year Rodgers died.
But the version I first heard -- and the version that holds a dear place in my heart -- was the recording by Eddy Arnold (who, oddly enough, seemed to pattern his recording after the 1949 Homer Haynes version, omitting the second verse and just repeating the bridge).
Eddy Arnold was a treasure. He remains the #1 Billboard country singles artist of all-time (although George Strait is poised to catch him). He was the first country performer to with the CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award after being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (which is a feat that Strait later duplicated).
Although he became the poster child for what was wrong in the "Nashville Sound" era, his country songs from the 40s and 50s were -- and still are -- priceless.
I got to meet Mr. Arnold about a year before he died, and that is a moment I will always treasure.
Roll Along, Kentucky Moon
Written by Bill Halley (no, not Haley)
Recorded by Eddy Arnold, 1951
From Eddy's Songs, 1964
Worthless trivia: the backing band on this recording is Little Roy Wiggins (Arnold's legendary steel player) and the Willis Brothers (who later had their own career):
Eddy Arnold, nacido el 15 de mayo de 1918 en la localidad de Henderson, condado de Chester, Tennessee y fallecido el 8 de mayo de 2008 en Franklin, condado d...
3 people like this
2 responses
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Dec 16
Eddy Arnold seems a bit forgotten these days but he was huge, huge in the 60s.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86939)
• United States
23 Dec 16
He was also huge, huge in the 40s and 50s. For nearly two years in 1947-49 the only #1 song that was not an Eddy Arnold song was "Slippin' Around" by Jimmy Wakely. Think about that: even the Beatles couldn't accomplish that.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Dec 16
@FourWalls I was thinking signature song Make the World Go Away from 1965 as his peak. A monster cross over hit.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43685)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Dec 16
I used to listen to Eddy Arnold all the time with my grandpa. He was always on the country station back then.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86939)
• United States
23 Dec 16
His popularity pretty much continued unabated from the time he left Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys in 1945 until 1981....then he charted again by re-recording "Cattle Call" with LeAnn Rimes!
1 person likes this
