So many letters came in this past week that I’m sending another newsletter on “Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story” and “Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins.” LETTERS Chris Young, Faron’s grandson, has a request for my readers. His email address is cy******@*tk.edu and he says, “I am Robyn’s son and […]
Marty Robbins didn’t talk his World War II combat experience in the South Pacific. He seemed to put it behind him during his life as a country music entertainer, Nashville businessman, and NASCAR driver. Because he died in 1982 at age 57, Marty didn’t live long enough to willingly discuss that period of his life. […]
This is my periodic newsletter on “Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story,” published last year by the University of Illinois Press, and on progress toward writing “Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins.” I’m up to the second chapter.
Since age 28 or so, I had wanted to be a mother. I enjoyed my independence as an officer in the U.S. Navy and was not particularly interested in getting married, but I checked into adoption possibilities whenever I moved to a new state. Each time, I was told that only couples could get their […]
SOUTHERN KENTUCKY BOOK FEST I’ll be participating in the 10th annual Southern Kentucky Book Fest on Saturday, 19 April, at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green. I’m on the panel titled “Tradition, Legends, Troubadours: Music of the American South,” and will be reading an excerpt from Faron’s biography. There will also be autograph sessions […]
Faron Young died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1996, while I was stationed with the U.S. Navy in Japan. One of my favorite singers, he was also an acquaintance. After his death, he seemed to be almost forgotten, and I started thinking about writing his biography. I wanted to write books as a retirement […]
I’ve been working this past week on the first chapter of Marty’s biography. My three main sources for his childhood are sister Lillie’s unpublished manuscript, the Andrew Means book of Mamie’s memories, and transcripts of Marty visiting with Ralph Emery. I’d love to talk to anyone who knew the Robinson family in the 1920s through […]
NEW WEB SITE I’ve finished transferring the content from my old Web site to the new one at http://dianediekman.com. You can comment specifically on any blog entry or send an email to di***@**********an.com. Thanks to Jeniffer Thompson of Monkey C Media in San Diego for building the site for me. Suggestions from readers are welcome. […]
Reprinted from Naval History magazine, July/August 1997  “Corsairs from Heaven” by Captain Diane Diekman, U.S. Navy Corporal Berry Rhoden, U.S. Army, crossed his arms over his head in a futile attempt to soften blows from the North Korean rifle butts that knocked him to the ground. One of his captors kicked him in the stomach, […]
Originally printed in the Clear Lake Courier — May 31, 1995 It was Saturday evening, December 6, 1941. Most of the sailors at Naval Station Pearl Harbor were on liberty. The Bloch Recreation Center was filled to capacity for what was expected to be the first annual “Battle of Music.” Three 21-piece bands had made […]