The New CD By Grand Ole Opry Member Ernie Ashworth "The Early Years"is a TRUE COLLECTOR CD. It has 30 Songs recorded by Ernie during the years of 1955 to 1965. The FIRST SONG on the CD "Drive These Blues Away" is The First song recorded by Ernie in 1955. It has his top 10 hits,"Each Moment", "You Can't Pick A Rose In December", "I Take The Chance", "Everybody But Me", "A Week In The Country", "I Love To Dance With Annie", "The DJ Cried" and the #1 Multi Million Selling Song "Talk Back Trembling Lips". Hope you will order this Collector CD and add this Great CD to your collection now. ERNIE ASHWORTH STAR OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY Born: December, 15...in Huntsville, Alabama and a Grand Ole Opry Member Since 1964 It's a long way from the cotton fields of Huntsville, Alabama to the stage of the world famous Grand Ole Opry, but Ernie Ashworth has proved that with enough determination, ambition and hard work, it can be done. Ernie became an Opry fan at an early age and dreamed that someday he could become a part of this great show. He came to Nashville in the early fifties and joined a band as their vocalist doing nightclub work in the Nashville area. He always had a talent for songwriting and admits that he could write songs before he could play music.Once he arrived in Nashville, he had the chance to play his material for several music publishing companies. His songs were later recorded by many top country artists including Carl Smith, Little Jimmy Dickens, Johnny Horton, Wilma Lee Cooper and others. During this time he met Wesley Rose, who took Ernie under his wing and signed him as an exclusive writer for Acuff-Rose Publishing Company and recorded him on MGM Records. But recording success was to evade him at this time so, in 1957, Ernie went back to his home town of Huntsville, Alabama and started work at Redstone Arsenal in guided missile work.In 1960 he was again contacted by Wesley Rose who told him Decca records wanted to record him and this time he was on his way. His first record, "Each Moment" went into the top 10 national charts. His next record, "You Can't Pick A Rose In December," was another top 10. He had two other top 20 records for Decca before changing to Hickory Records, a label owned by Acuff-Rose. His string of top 10 records continued including "Everybody But Me," and "I Take The Chance." In 1963 came the smash hit he had been waiting for, "Talk Back Trembling Lips," which went to #1 and stayed on the national charts for 36 weeks. It did quite well in the pop charts also. It was one of the nation's first crossover records.In March of 1964 Ernie saw his lifelong dream come true when he was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. After this came more top 10 records, "A Week In The Country," I Love to Dance With Annie," "The DJ Cried," "At Ease Heart" and more. From 1960 to 1970 every record recorded by Ernie hit the national charts. Twelve of these were top 10--quite an accomplishment for any artist.Ernie now owns country music radio station WSLV in Ardmore, Tennessee and is always looking to purchase other broadcast properties. When someone asked Ernie what drew him to the entertainment field, he just smiled and said, "It's more fun than the cotton field." {Country.com}In 1999 Ernie's career again took off like a rocket when he recorded his "35th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary" CD. One of the country songs in the CD, "She Don't Drink, She Don't Smoke But She Lies" hit the #4 spot in the European music charts. One of the gospel songs in the CD,"Far Side Banks of Jordan" hit the @35 spot in the gospel charts. He had a #1 song in the independent national charts, "lonely's Only Bar". In May of 1999 Ernie was voted the #1 most programmed independent artist in Europe. In October 1999 Ernie was voted the #1 most programmed artist in Europe. In October 1999 Ernie received the King Eagle Pioneer Award. Also in 1999, he received the Tracker Magazine Living Legend Award. In April 2000 at the Golden Music Award Show, Ernie was inducted into the Independent Country Music Hall of fame. Ernie is still an active member of the Grand Ole Opry and still plays road dates. Also in 2000 Ernie had 3 Top Ten songs in Europe from his "Ernie & Friends" CD and was voted one of the top ten most played country artists in Europe. He was also inducted into the Lone Star State Hall of Fame in October of 2000. For booking information contact: Kid Kody Management, Nashville, Tn: 615-365-1373