Sunday Music: Acuff-Rose By Uncle Tupelo

Play me a songThat everybody knowsAnd I’ll bet you it belongs to Acuff-Rose

Roy Acuff and Fred Rose founded their music publishing firm, Acuff-Rose Music Inc., in 1942. Their goal was to give their writers an honest contract.

Sounds like an obvious business move, but at the time it wasn’t the norm. The results they achieved speak for themselves.

They found talent and scored hits through the 50s, 60s, and 70s. They got their writers paid and paid well. They even helped get American country to an overseas audience.

Years later Jeff Tweedy would sing this line in an Uncle Tupelo song and send me digging. “Acuff-Rose” is about finding familiarity. It’s a beautifully simple love song. It gets better when you know the business’ back story too.

Give it a listen, do some reading: