In 1947, Ernest Tubb opened the “Ernest Tubb Record Shop” in Nashville. From there, he launched the Midnite Jamboree radio show, which aired right after the Grand Ole Opry. What made the program special was that it was always free and gave stage time to many young artists—including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Hank Williams. For countless singers, this “midnight stage” became the place where they first stepped into the spotlight.
Introduction In 1947, Ernest Tubb—a man already known as the “Texas Troubadour” and one of honky-tonk’s brightest stars—did something that…