FARON FIFTY-FOUR YEARS AGO: Faron signed his first recording contract on January 2, 1952, with Capitol Records. At 19, he was still a minor. His parents both signed a letter that certified, “Faron Young is our natural son [and] we have legal custody of him.” Ken Nelson hadn’t met Faron yet, but he’d heard him […]
FARON FIFTY-ONE YEARS AGO: Christmas Day fell on a Saturday in 1954, and Faron appeared on the Grand Ole Opry that evening. Ernest Tubb hosted the Martha White portion, where Faron sang his latest release, “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’).” Faron hosted a 15-minute portion of the Opry later in the evening. There […]
FARON FIFTY-ONE YEARS AGO: When Faron returned to Nashville and started touring as a civilian again, Hubert Long booked him on shows with Marty Robbins and the Wilburn Brothers. Faron put together his own band in December 1954. The first member was Gordon Terry, who had been the military supervisor and fiddle player for PFC […]
I can’t type “December 7” without thinking of Pearl Harbor. It’s the day that brought the United States into World War II and changed the lives of everyone living at the time. No, that does not include me. This week marks the ninth anniversary of Faron’s death.
Instead of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my daughters, I took them to see “Walk the Line.” (We’d met Tommy Cash and visited Johnny & June’s empty house on Old Hickory Lake when we were last in Nashville.) I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, especially the music. Truly impressive acting and singing. As soon as we got […]
FARON FIFTY-ONE YEARS AGO: After Faron’s Army discharge, he and Hilda immediately headed to Nashville. That first weekend, November 19-20, 1954, Faron participated in the Grand Ole Opry anniversary party. The next day he left town with his manager, Hubert Long, for a two-week tour of one-nighters starting in Texas and continuing through Arizona, New […]
A university press is currently reviewing the book manuscript. Publication is still a year or so away.
FARON FIFTY-FOUR YEARS AGO: Faron dropped out of Centenary Methodist College in Shreveport on November 1, 1951, before completing his first term. He had enrolled as a business major and his classes included Spanish, physical education, algebra, and American history.
 This is a weekly newsletter about Faron Young and my progress toward publication of “Tell It Like It Is: A Biography of Faron Young.” A university press is currently reviewing the book manuscript. FARON FIFTY-THREE YEARS AGO: Faron recorded “Goin’ Steady” on October 12, 1952, a month before his induction into the Army. He’d written […]
To fans and friends and family of Faron Young: This is the first edition of a periodic newsletter on the status of publication of “Tell It Like It Is: A Biography of Faron Young.” Please let me know if you prefer not to be on my mailing list.