An American country musician known around the world as the King of Country Music.

He was born in Tennessee, the third of 5 children. He played semi-professional baseball, but a sunstroke in 1929 and a nervous breakdown in 1930 ended his aspirations to play for the New York Yankees.

He then turned his attention to his father's fiddle and began playing in a travelling medicine show, often performing in blackface. He toured the Southern USA and eventually formed a band called the Crazy Tennesseans.

In 1936, he recorded his two most enduring songs, the traditional The Great Speckled Bird and The Wabash Cannonball. He debuted at the Grand Ole Opry 2 years later. He became a regular on the Opry, forming a backing band called the Smoky Mountain Boys, led by friend and dobro player Bashful Brother Oswald. By 1940 he was the star of the show.

Acuff's recording of The House of the Rising Sun in 1938 is the first known commercial recording of the song. He released several singles in the 1940s and also appeared in 8 movies.

In 1942, he formed a music publishing venture with Chicago songwriter Fred Rose. Acuff-Rose Music became a country music phenomenon, owning huge numbers of copyrights including those by Marty Robbins and all of the songs of Hank Williams.

As his record sales declined in the late 1940s and 1950s, Acuff spent most of his time on the road, becoming one of the hottest artists in country music. In 1962, he was the first living musician elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. By the 1970s, Acuff performed almost exclusively with the Grand Ole Opry, helping to make it the top institution in country music.