This periodic newsletter commemorates the lives of Faron Young and Marty Robbins. Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story was published in 2007 by the University of Illinois Press, and the publication goal for Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins is 2012. I’ve just finished writing chapter twelve and have reached the end […]
THE BIRTH OF MARTIN DAVID ROBINSON “Born in the heat of the desert….” Eighty-four years ago this past Saturday night, twins Martin and Mamie were born in a shack (erected by their father and pregnant mother) in the desert north of Glendale, Arizona. Their older sister, Lillie, told the story this way: “One morning Grandma […]
MORE ON “SINGING THE BLUES” Billboard once tracked three charts–store sales, jukebox plays, and radio plays–for each type of music. A compilation of January-February 1957 charts showed “Singing the Blues” at the top. “Top Country and Western Records” listed Marty’s record in two number one slots and one number two slot. “Top Popular Records” did […]
MARTY ROBBINS “SINGING THE BLUES” The biggest hit of Marty’s lifetime career, “Singing the Blues” would have been even bigger if not sabotaged by Columbia Records, his own record company. Mitch Miller, head of Artists and Repertory for Columbia in New York City, chose Guy Mitchell to record a cover version of the song. Instead of […]
MARTY ROBBINS ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY 53 YEARS AGO On August 11, 1956, Marty Robbins and Webb Pierce appeared with Carl Smith on the Grand Ole Opry. Dressed in western garb and gunbelts from their recent movie, they sang “Why Baby Why.” They were fulfilling a promise they had made to Charlie Lamb a […]
MARTY ROBBINS BAND REUNION Seven members of Marty’s inner circle attended the Marty Robbins band reunion in Nashville on 18 July. Joe Vincent played steel for Marty in 1953-54. Earl White (now an Opry staff musician) was one of the original Tear Drops, Marty’s first official band. Jack Pruett played lead guitar from 1956 until […]
DAYTONA FIRECRACKER 400 Thinking of Marty Robbins and the upcoming Independence Day holiday brings to mind the NASCAR FireCracker 400 at the Daytona Speedway. Marty was the grand marshal in 1970 (six months after his heart surgery) and then, according to the statistics I’ve found, he ran the race five times–in 1971, 1973, 1979, 1980, […]
FARON YOUNG RECEIVING IFCO “TEX RITTER AWARD” IN 1983 Loudilla Johnson announced, “The gentleman standing here beside us has devoted more than 30 years to the world of entertainment–to the complete joy of his fans around the world. Even through his stint in the U.S. Army, Faron Young could not abandon his love of performing. […]
MARTY ROBBINS 1930 HOME This is a 2008 photo of the same empty lot where the Jack Robinson family lived at the time of the 1930 census. East of downtown Phoenix, at the corner of 17th and East Madison Streets, Jack constructed a shelter consisting of one tent for sleeping quarters and another for the […]
Bonanza was our favorite television show in the early 1960s, and my sister and I decided to write a letter to the local TV station to ask for a photo of the Cartwrights–Ben, Hoss, Adam, and Little Joe. I don’t remember whether Kayo (age 10) or I (age 12) came up with the idea, but […]