DOUG DAVIS | 'Tennessee Border' became a hit despite disagreement in studio

This week in 1943: meats, fats and cheese were rationed in the U.S.; President Franklin Roosevelt froze prices, wages and salaries to control inflation; the Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington and a singer from Blue Lick, Kentucky, had his 15th hit record.

Some songs have become hit records in spite of a record producer or someone involved with the recording not liking the song or the arrangement or the recording.

Red Foley's 1949 hit "Tennessee Border" was just such a song.

In 1947 Owen Bradley was hired by Paul Cohen to lead the Nashville recording sessions for Decca Records.

According to Bradley, "Red Foley was a great singer but he had trouble keeping time. So I had to help him with that during his recording sessions. When I was asked to do a recording session with Red on a song titled "Tennessee Border," Paul Cohen knew I played organ and told me to play the organ on the recording. I didn't like the idea of using the organ on the recording because I thought it might damage Red's career, but Paul insisted. So we recorded the song with the organ and sent the tape to New York. After hearing the tape, the New York executives weren't satisfied and said the organ needed to be louder and to record it again. So we re-recorded the song with the organ louder and that was what Decca Records released."

Red Foley's Decca single "Tennessee Border" came on the country charts April 2, 1943 and peaked at No. 3. It was Foley's 15th charted song and was on the charts for 21 weeks. The song was the flipside of "Candy Kisses" which peaked at No. 4.

Clyde "Red" Foley placed 65 songs on the country music charts between 1944 and 1969 including 10 No. 1s. His 65 charted singles included duets with Ernest Tubb, Betty Foley and Kitty Wells.

Red joined The Grand Ole Opry in 1946 and was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1967.

Red Foley died in 1968. He was 58 years old.

Join Doug Davis weekends on KPIG-FM Radio 103.9 - for "Roots of Country" 6 a.m. to noon Saturdays and 6 a.m. to noon Sundays for "Sunday Country." You can also listen on the internet at Mypigradio.com

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