Tennessee

Found while looking for something else:
Tennessee Ernie Ford 16 Tons.

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul."

You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.

Jazz, blues, country, whatever; it's a wonderful song.

They don't allow embedding (WTF is up with that?) so you'll have to click through to YouTube for this two-and-half minute video.

When I hear him I get this squirmy tinge of inadvertent racism: "That guy can't possibly be white" that I'm ashamed to say out loud. But so be it.

A link for you youngsters: who is Tennessee Ernie Ford?