In 1937, he joined the Golden West Cowboys band headed by Pee Wee King with lead singer Eddy Arnold.

[2] He appeared in several movies with Pee Wee King, including Gold Mine in the Sky (1938), Ridin' the Outlaw Trail (1951) and The Rough, Tough West (1952), the last two starring Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid.

"Tennessee Waltz" went on to be a hit for Patti Page and was also covered by Roy Acuff, the Louvin Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and many others.

On August 2, 2003, Stewart died at 80 at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, from complications of injuries due to a fall in the early 1990s.

(equivalent to 17.1 years of continuous playing), an honor shared with Barry Manilow's "I Write the Songs", Frank Sinatra's "My Way", Hank Williams's "Your Cheatin' Heart", Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" and Roger Miller's "King of the Road".