Thanks for the info.

Quite a talent

@@MrJohnnyDistortion And cute too!

Thanks for the info

Thanks for this. For a minute i thought that was kaitlin denver. Thats eve baxter from last man standing

And I believe the song was written by the great guitarist Merle Travis!

It was a favorite in our house growing up.

Uh...THAT'S NOT ZZ TOP!

Merle Travis, who wrote the song, released it in 1947. Tennessee Ernie's great cover was released in 1955!

@@longtallsambo Yes, first written and released by Merle Travis in 1947, Tennessee Ford did not cover it till 1955.

Hell yeah!

100%

Just keep on keeping on, people!!!! Fuck Covid Screw Putin Just live your life by the sermon on the mount... Be kind And love your Mom

The instrumentals fit ZZ Top. The tune and the tempo of the vocals stay pretty true to the original. I was on a bit of 'Sixteen Tons kick and came across this. I'm impressed. I also like the inclusion of Tennessee Ernie on the big screen.

Agree 100%!

Try the Eric Burden version in the movie Joe vs the Volcano. Good stuff too.

I could not disagree more.

@@adameckard4591 very cool, thanks for the tip

It's ZZ Top, you know it's going to be legendary!!!

I wonder what they could do with 'Big John'...

One of my earliest and saddest memories is of watching my own grandfather die of black lung as well. He worked the mines from the time he was twelve years old right up until a few years before he died. He earned his living with a shovel in his hands and managed to support his family the only way he knew how. He passed on about sixty years ago but needless to say he will be with me until we meet again.

My grandfather was a coal miner. Never knew him. Died (black lung) before i was born.

James, I am very sorry you lost your father to that terrible disease. Thank you for your short tribute to him. My father was not a miner & he lived a full life. The 2 ways I honor him are through my dedication to baseball & my gratitude for our military. He served 22 years in the Army.

He was just a miner ,thousands of them died hacking up a lung . 🫁

Sorry for your loss, I lost my grandpa to black lung in 1998 We found a Bronze Star hidden in his drawer after he passed. He never mentioned it or the war. What a Generation

Tony2581 No, I live in So. Calif. where I was born, and where Merle lived when he was married to my mom, June Hayden, &was recording for Captiol records back in 1952. Thanks for the compliments on my Dad's music.

foda-se

cindy travis - Cindy, my dad always said that your dad was the best one-man band ever. My dad was a great guitar player but he always marveled at Merle's guitar work. Dad's been gone close to 40 years now but I still enjoy listening to the great songs from Merle Travis.

He's credited with the fingerstyle Travis picking. He played banjo too, didn't he? He's a Legend of Rock Country Pop and he influenced TONS of us. everyday.

cindy travis Much Love and Respect !!

Do you like Johnny Cashes version?

It was written and originally performed by Merle Travis. Ford covered it.

@@noahleek9696 I didn't know Johnny did a version now I'm going to have to look for that thanks for the info

I've got a 45 of Ernie's version.

@@stevendallman8938What it meant was the most important.

great music never dies

Magnificent 😎🏇✌️ giddy up

MANY of them , EARNED BLOOD, SWEAT, SORO, TEARS-

Along with ROCK AND ROLL will never die

Minneapolis band "thw=e April Fools" cover it. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oqmGjLpnqrbNpqs.html

Tal is beautiful.

Tal is great

Huh ? Tal looks better in nothing.

I didnt think Tennessee had a beard. Wow, there are a lot of prerecorded midi tracks sneaking through the console. I thought Billy was out of that stuff in the 80's with Sharp dressed man and fake drums and keyboards in the studio. I think the vocals are prerecorded too, but its hard to tell singing through a distortion box. Very cool song.

+DucksDeLucks Before I was born I was listening to CW with Buck Owens Ernie & laughin' my butt off at Minnie Pearl's antics *in Beautiful black and white.*

Brilliant! CAHG.

Me too

Nothing odd about it. Greatness works. I Liked Tennessee Ernie myself unashamedly.

Me, too. On both counts.

Yeah. I had my doubts but I clicked on it anyway. Mighty glad I did!

Yes it does I was amazed

the working man's song...Rush did a good one too....

100% agree ❤

Why are so many of you leaving out Tal in your compliments?

Welcome proud immigrants who want to assimilate and prreserve their heritage. You're in short supply these days especially the last three.

​@@davidanderson8469😂🇨🇦🇺🇸🌐🎶

Ernie would be applauding the interpretation. This is brilliant.

Ernie would have bowed before Billy and thanked him!

Considering it wasn't Ernie's song to begin with, he would've enthusiastically agreed.

“Tennessee” Ernie would have LOVED that cover, trust me! 👍😁

OH YES HE WOULD !!!✌

Tennesee Ernie Ford's room mate in college was our neighbor, Dr George Waters of Mt Vernon IL. Ford came for a visit. No bologna here... :0

His college room mate was my next door neighbor, Dr Geo Waters, DDS. Doctor Waters arranged a meet and greet and admonished one and all to not ask him to sing. Naturally, my Mom said "sing 16 Tons" and he very graciously started patting his thigh ala Buck Owens and sang the chorus for us. So there you have "the rest of the story"... PS: He drove an Eldorado with steer horns that mooed, and passed out silver dollars to us kids. :)

Ernie didn't make it to McLeansboro where I lived in 64/65 but, Jimmy Dean did and we were fans of the two. On a side note ,our family doctor was the infamous Dr. Cavaness and my grandmother worked at the Methodist Children's Home with Rev. Paul Motzer in Mount Vernon.

Moved to my. Vernon in 88. Didn't know Tennessee did that. What an Awesome memory. Way COOOL

someone poured a bottle of washer fluid on the snowman in my yard and he started singing I'll have a blue christmas. ☃️

Well done, and thanks for your comment. Few people appreciate the Reverend Willy G’s greatness.

if you see me comin' better step aside...

Keith is

Cool, yes. Cooler than Jeff (or Keef)?

Agreed

Earth?

This version is top-notch folk rock but as for the song itself there's no way to "make it even greater." The thumbnail notwithstanding, it's Merle Travis's song not Tennessee Ernie's - and it's an awesome song whether it's performed by Ford, Travis, Doc Watson or ZZ Top & Beck. EDIT: I think I heard a terrific rendition of it by Big Bill Broonzy too.

bouncer71cp Their beards are older than that bass player.

@@mwm48 hahahahahahahaha!! 😂

@@mwm48 Now you made me laugh. LoL. Good shot.

The song is older than Billy Gibbons too.

@@Guitarplayer724 I was going to say that this song maybe be older than him and Beck.

Not to mention Tal Wilkenfeld and I forget the drummers name.

Just saw them in Dallas on 9/24/22. JB was one of the opening acts, and came out and played a couple of songs with ZZTop at the end of the show. it was just magical!

@@dmeachy Vinnie Colauita

Also works as a metaphor for postmodern capitalism.

Unions

Do you have the t-shirts to prove it?

@@jamesbenedict7206 we don’t need no stinking t-shirts. We got grey hair and wrinkles. 😘

@@jamesbenedict7206 They didn't do t-shirts back then.

@@DLRyoung I was completely gray at 20. I was 17 in the photo by my name. It was taken over 50 years ago.

@@DLRyoung Amén. Preach it, brother.

Agreed! 💯

don harrisson

Along with Bid Bad John

@@kenhoyer8601 also the legend of John henry

@Phillip Walker I very well remember the version they used to play on the American Forces Network radio in what should have been the year 1956. Of course, I did not get the meaning of lines such as "... another day older and deeper in debt" although I could translate the words. Only many years later did I learn what the company store system was all about. Nonetheless unforgotten song, perhaps exactly because its lyrics were so mysterious back then.

It is still played on WSM once in a while.

I remember Tennessee E Ford everybody in the mines zzz top too coool

Amarrillo by morning

Really? You didn't think 2 of the finest guitar players in the world could pull off a simple 3 chord song?

J.Mark.... RoadRunner 69 Minneapolis, Minnesota

AH.......actually i think its a four chord song..........just sayin'

Only 3 or is that a typo? I used to move 8 tons of shoes in an 8 hour shift.(distribution) Hell when I was 14 I'd shovel 3 tons of dirt, gravel, or firewood per day as a mix of my usual home chores and paid landscaping, and I was pretty average size.

@@mytech6779 While I shoveled, it fell down the shoot. You had to walk away to breath.

Indeed it is.

Tal is amazing.

Laurence Tenenbaum you got that right...saw her with Beck at Crossroads...amazing player and even more amazing looking...

Think you answered my question. Who is she? Nailed the open. As did the drummer. My ears are ringing.

Laurence Tenenbaum I hear that she's a fine piece of realastate green is my new favorite color.

Look up the KZfaq video with Glen Campbell and Roy Clark.

Tal on bass is quite the guitar player too

p Engle This version is hands down better!

Wow

Old enough to have grown up with Tennessee Ernie Ford....he'd be proud as hell!

Its supposed to be a durge.. and frankly was no closer to death before this performance than after.. However if you look up dirge you might understand the irony of your statement, and mine..

There are only a few that can remake these old songs and make them GOOD. George Thorogood did it with "Six Days on the road" The Stray Cats with "Lookin' out my back door" just to name a couple.

Not ZZ Top. Just Billy Gibbons playing with Jeff Beck's band.

well, there is an opening in the band now.....too soon?

I'm thinking that Jeff and Billy r looking at the future. O, and the drummer is awesome

@@DannyD714 yes!!I'm very happy to see respect for the greats!!!

Billy you are my hero.

Tal Wilkenfeld is a much sought after musician in her own right and is no lightweight. She often gigs with Jeff.

Fords version is not the original. Merle Travis wrote and sang it .. Ford had a hit with it.

Man that was amazing. I have never heard ZZ Top do anything bad

Fan as I am about Billy. Was this not a Beck production? And possibly best pick up ever? Who is the bass player? Not to mention the drummer? This was next level.

Yes, this is Billy doing a guest spot with Jeff Beck's band (Tal Wilkenfeld on bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums) A bunch of musical monsters together on that stage.

Who is the bass player in the green top . Talented musician

@@randybeeman7823: Tal somebody. Scroll up to see discussion about her hotness.

I had to look up the definition of 'canebrake' and it is a great line.

Millwright , actually, isnt it supposed to be "cane break", but frequently mispelled? I'll have to look it up...

Now do Big Bad John!

@@goodun2974 It is spelled with one word. According to Webster's dictionary,

+dsfeltman468134 This an anthem to everyone who works like a dog for a living.

+dsfeltman468134 FORM A UNION DUMMY!!!!

+The Infinity Frisbee You're screaming that he's a dummy merely because he has a job at Walmart. Try organizing a union yourself; its easier said than done, particularly at a giant corporation like Walmart. For all you know, the person you called a "DUMMY" might have been working on organizing for years; one doesn't just hold one meeting with a few friends and come out with an instant successful union for a huge anti-union employer. In other words, for making your stupid assumption and screaming out an insult of a hard working employee based on it, you're the dummy.

The AMV TOP 50 Yes form a union, so they can take your money and "invest" it for you by paying their bloated administration, and get you no benefits that the law hasn't already got you

"Dummies" don't talk, and yous guys are just jabbering' away. If one makes too many assumptions, though, they could be "stupid" or perhaps "careless." I'm gonna send "Mother" (Mary Harris) Jones out to set you two straight.