This song has been released many times, most famously by Engelbert Humperdinck, but the first person to sing it was Ernest Tubb, although then it was simply called Release Me.
Ernest Tubb was born February 9, 1914 and was nicknamed the Texas Troubadour. He has been credited with being one of the pioneers of country music and his biggest hit 'Walking the Floor Over You' in 1941 is considered to be the rise of honky tonk. He was the first singer to record a hit version of 'Blue Christmas' even though many people associate this song with Elvis Presley.
One of his most requested songs was 'Waltz Across Texas', which he released in 1965, and which was a very popular choice in dance halls across Texas during waltz lessons. Throughout the early 1960s, Tubb recorded duets with Loretta Lynn, including the hit 'Sweet Thang'.
Tubb's inspiration as he was growing up was Jimmie Rodgers. In his spare time working on farms throughout Texas as a youth, he practiced his singing, yodeling and learned how to play the guitar. When he was 19, he got a job as a singer on KONO-AM, a San Antonio radio station. This may have satisfied his desire to sing, but the wages were not enough to live on and Tubb also dug ditches and then worked as a clerk at a drug store.
In 1936, three years after Jimmie Rodgers died, Tubb wrote to Rodgers' widow to ask for a signed photo. They became friends and she was largely responsible for getting Tubb a contract with RCA. The first two songs that he released were not successful so he turned to songwriting instead. In 1940, Tubb signed with Decca for another attempt at singing and it was his sixth Decca release that brought him fame.
Ernest Tubb was born February 9, 1914 and was nicknamed the Texas Troubadour. He has been credited with being one of the pioneers of country music and his biggest hit 'Walking the Floor Over You' in 1941 is considered to be the rise of honky tonk. He was the first singer to record a hit version of 'Blue Christmas' even though many people associate this song with Elvis Presley.
One of his most requested songs was 'Waltz Across Texas', which he released in 1965, and which was a very popular choice in dance halls across Texas during waltz lessons. Throughout the early 1960s, Tubb recorded duets with Loretta Lynn, including the hit 'Sweet Thang'.
Tubb's inspiration as he was growing up was Jimmie Rodgers. In his spare time working on farms throughout Texas as a youth, he practiced his singing, yodeling and learned how to play the guitar. When he was 19, he got a job as a singer on KONO-AM, a San Antonio radio station. This may have satisfied his desire to sing, but the wages were not enough to live on and Tubb also dug ditches and then worked as a clerk at a drug store.
In 1936, three years after Jimmie Rodgers died, Tubb wrote to Rodgers' widow to ask for a signed photo. They became friends and she was largely responsible for getting Tubb a contract with RCA. The first two songs that he released were not successful so he turned to songwriting instead. In 1940, Tubb signed with Decca for another attempt at singing and it was his sixth Decca release that brought him fame.
