ET

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I guess everyone out there probably knows old ET,
He’s been around a long time for everyone to see.
I’m not talking about that little dude from out in space,
It’s Ernest Tubb who sang honky tonk with a straight face.

ET on his horse, Pal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ET

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I first met ET on the Grand Ole Opry country radio show,
On many Saturday nights along about 1950 or so.
Sitting in front of my Granddad Kendrick’s RCA radio.
I heard “Walking The Floor Over You” a lot as I did grow.

“I’m walking the floor over you, I can’t sleep a wink, that is true.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A little later in life, when we got a TV to watch the Opry,
I first saw ET sing “Waltz Across Texas”, a sight to see,
With that big white hat of his and the Texas Troubadours.
Putting their heart and soul into playing on that stage floor.

“Waltz across Texas with me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I continued to follow ET on TV until I was 18 years old,
Then I got a fake ID and to the Borger bars I did go.
ET was on all the jukeboxes in those honky tonks there,
And he sounded so good as we did drink that beer.

We wore out lots of ET 45 rpm records in the honky tonks back then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I think ET music with his special sound and style,
Was embedded in my brain to stay there a long while.
When I hear ET now, it still makes me want to drink beer,
There’s something in that deep country voice, I fear.

From my collection, signed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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He always had some of the best guitar men in his band,
And his trademark guitar stroke was the best in the land,
In most of his songs, that famous stroke was often heard.
He often called out names in songs like “ah Billy Byrd.”

ET with Billy Byrd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Several Texas Troubadours from ET’s band back then,
Became famous country singers with top hits for them.
There was Cal Smith with “Country Bumpkin” so fine,
And Jack Greene with “There Goes My Everything” in time.

I really loved both of these great hit songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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For a long while, ET and his boys were considered to be,
The very best country band in of all in the land, you see.
Even when he got older, he still had that honky tonk sound,
And I loved his fine music until he put his guitar down.

Another signed ET Photo from my collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When Pam and I went on our two stepping rampage,
In late 1990s, the bands still played ET songs from that age,
That we always danced to with that old time feeling,
Of true honky tonk music that would set us to reeling.

The last signed ET photo from my collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One of my favorite ET songs from over the years,
Has been “Pass The Booze”, a dandy for drinking beer.
It has the honky tonk sound and that guitar stroke too,
Give it a hard listen, it might even sound good to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When young people that like that new country rock sound,
Hear ET, they often say “my gosh, that’s awful” and frown.
But it is the roots of country music, so I think it’s much better,
Than that new country rock sound that strayed from its father.

ET and the Texas Troubadours playing Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Down in my basement where country music I dub,
Hang full sized pictures of Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb.
These two guys did a lot for country music in their day.
It’s too bad bands now don’t play music their way.

Kindly keep it country.

 

 

 

 

 

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By Bill

 

 

 

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Thanks for reading ET,
Bill