"Pledging My Love" is a blues ballad. It was written by Ferdinand Washington and Don Robey and published in 1954. Background The song's theme is captured in the title and the opening lines: Forever my darling, my love will be true, Always and forever, I'll love only you, Johnny Ace recording The most popular recording of the song was done by Johnny Ace. It was released by Duke Records as catalog number 136 in December 1954, soon after Ace's death by an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. Ace's version peaked on the Billboard chart at number 17 and spent 10 weeks at number 1 on the R&B chart. The recording was produced by Johnny Otis, who also played the vibraphone on the track and featured the Johnny Otis band, who were credited as Johnny Board's Orchestra on the record label. In December 1958, it was reissued with additional background vocals, using the same label number. This issue was backed by his "Anymore", modified similarly. Other versions It was covered by Teresa Brewer (Coral Records, catalog number 61362) and The Four Lads (Columbia Records, catalog number 40436). Brewer's version also charted at number 17 on the pop chart in 1955. On Cash Box magazine's Best-Selling Record charts, where all versions are combined, the song peaked at number 11. Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955 for use on his radio show and it was subsequently issued on the CD So Rare: Treasures from the Crosby Archive, Vol. One (2010). Johnny Tillotson recorded the song as his B-side single in 1960. His version peaked at number 63 on US charts. Later cover versions Roy Hamilton (released by Epic Records as catalog number 9294, number 45 on Billboard and number 51 on Cash Box in 1958) Johnny Tillotson (released by Cadence Records as catalog number 1377, went to number 63 on Billboard's Hot 100, and number 73 on Cash Box in 1960). Vince Taylor And His Playboys covered it as the A-side of their second single in 1959 (B-side was Brand New Cadillac). Joe Hinton covered it as a b-side in 1965. Percy Sledge put out a single of Pledging My Love in 1967 in Germany and the UK. Jay and the Americans released a cover version of the song on their 1969 album, Sands of Time. LaVern Baker included in her 1970 Let Me Belong to You album. In 1971, Kitty Wells released