FARON YOUNG, TWENTY YEARS AGO: On Halloween night in 1986 Faron appeared on Ralph Emery’s TV show, “Nashville Now,” as a character named Spike Cruncher. He wore a prison uniform of black and white stripes, with a 5-inch black ball attached by a chain to his wrist. “I used to be a sheriff,” he said. […]
The University of Illinois Press will publish Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story in the fall of 2007. This marks the beginning of the second year of my newsletter. In that year I signed a publishing contract, revised and submitted the manuscript, and submitted all photos and permissions. Knowing there’s still at least […]
FARON YOUNG, THIRTY-NINE YEARS AGO:Â On October 21, 1967, Music City News magazine sponsored the first live broadcast of a country music awards ceremony. Making the show even more unusual, the fans themselves voted for their favorite performers. Faron hosted the Music City News Awards Spectacular Show during WSM Radio’s regular broadcast of Ernest Tubb’s […]
FARON YOUNG, FIFTY-FIVE YEARS AGO:Â Faron’s first solo performance on the Louisiana Hayride occurred October 13, 1951. His hair had been cut off as an initiation ritual at Centenary Methodist College in Shreveport, and he later said, “I was embarrassed, so Webb slapped that great big ten-gallon hat on me when I went on stage, […]
FARON YOUNG, FORTY-ONE YEARS AGO: Faron–an avid golfer–helped Charlie Walker organize Nashville’s Music City Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament, which began in October 1965 and lasted almost a decade. Walker’s idea was to have a golf tournament during the annual disc jockey convention, because a lot of the disc jockeys liked to play golf. Someone suggested he […]
My working title for the Marty Robbins biography is Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins. If he were still alive, Marty would have celebrated his 81st birthday yesterday. FARON YOUNG, FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO: Faron recorded his last Capitol session on September 27, 1962. His three singles from his three 1962 recording sessions reached […]
I sent off the photos for Faron’s biography and am now done (I think) until the galleys come back for proofreading. So I’m turning my focus to researching the life of Marty Robbins and trying to find his band members. And, yes, I will continue to publish this newsletter. FARON YOUNG, SIXTY-ONE YEARS AGO: Faron, […]
FARON YOUNG, FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: On September 16, 1961, Patsy Cline returned to the Opry after a serious car accident. She sang while leaning on a pair of crutches. Following a standing ovation and an encore, she hobbled off the stage. Faron teased, “Some people will do anything to get applause.” She told him, “No, […]
FARON YOUNG, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Faron performed at the Strand Theater in Shreveport on September 7, 1991. The show, called Glitz and Grits, was a fundraiser produced by Alton and Maggie Warwick to raise money for the Louisiana state museum in Shreveport. The plan was for Governor Jimmie Davis to open the show, Faron to […]
FARON YOUNG, ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Faron’s two driving-under-the-influence arrests in the summer of 1995 were adjudicated August 30. Society no longer tolerated drunk driving, and Faron’s numerous friends and political connections could no longer change his DUI arrests into reckless driving misdemeanors. Still, he received a lighter sentence than most–but he thought he was being […]