20 September 2006
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, the sixth and last child born into the Young family, was only ten months younger than Oscar Allen (who was named after their grandfather). Oscar was “Daddy’s favorite child,” according to older sister Dorothy. “Oscar could get by with a lot more stuff than the rest of us,” she said. On September 25, 1945, Oscar went with his buddies–and without his parents’ knowledge–to a football game across the state line in Gladewater, Texas. He rode in the open rumble seat of a friend’s car. Coming home late that Friday evening on Greenwood Road, they were playing along with a school bus filled with football players. Dorothy explained, “They would pull up ahead–now this is the story I got–and then slow down and let the bus pass them. Someone said he was leaning out, trying to get a cigarette from one of the boys on the bus. The way I understand it, the car sideswiped the bus, and that threw him out. It threw him up in the air and he landed on his head.” The death certificate said 14-year-old Oscar died of “traumatism by crushing.” Faron’s uncle identified Oscar’s body at the morgue and went with Dorothy and her husband to tell Faron’s parents. They thought Oscar was in bed–until they checked the bedroom and found 13-year-old Faron alone. With Harlan Young’s normal inability to express his feelings, coupled by the loss of his favorite son, perhaps he didn’t allow his family to talk about Oscar. Whatever reaction Faron had to his brother’s death he kept to himself. Few people, even in high school, knew he’d had a brother named Oscar.
LETTERS:
Dominique “Imperial” Anglares from the Brest R’n’R Appreciation Society in France writes, “Thanks a lot for your newsletter and all those interesting facts. I am always glad to read those reports and memories. Glad to read Floyd Gentry name as I was a contact few months ago. We lose contact maybe he had move his email address. He got fond memories of Jimmy Lee Fautheree and Country Johnny Mathis among others Louisiana Hayride celebrities. I have just from Jimmy Lee Fautheree family two Opry clips with Jimmy and Johnny. .. I’m still working on Jimmy Lee Fautheree biographie.”
Jo Hamrick writes, “Glad to hear that Ernie Reed is still around. We know him. He is great. Makes that fiddle sing. Also, Mayf Nutter is from where I live. Haven’t heard his name for a long time.”
Moragh Carter sends this note from the UK: “Just thought you might be interested to know that KHBW Country Music Radio is playing Faron Young’s – I Let It Slip Away (the classic years 1952-62) …. on its current playlist. KHBW Country Music Radio streams from Sheringham in Norfolk UK via Radio Live365. Their website home page is http://hometown.aol.co.uk/djkhbwradio/index.html. They have a great playlist which includes all the classics and also many artists from the UK and Ireland and elsewhere in the world. Best of all their playlist is largely made up from listeners’ requests….. the only radio station I have found so far that does this. The result is a playlist that is always fresh and varied. I hope all is well with you. Your newsletters are always interesting.”