FARON YOUNG, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: When I checked to see what Faron was doing on the last birthday of Marty Robbins, I was surprised to find the similarities in their schedules. Both concluded a tour on Saturday, the 25th, the day before Marty’s birthday, and started another on Wednesday. The surprising thing was that they both performed at the county fair in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Faron on Saturday (ending his tour) and Marty on Wednesday (beginning a tour). So I would guess Marty celebrated his 57^th birthday at home. Today would have been his 82nd birthday. (more…)

FARON YOUNG, THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO: Faron was in England when he did an interview with Bob Powel on September 19, 1969, for “Country Music People.” He listed the Deputies at the time as Dave Hall on bass, Ernie Reed on fiddle, Doug Jernigan on steel, Cootie Hunley on drums, Charlie Murphy on lead, and “myself playing like Chet Atkins on my guitar.” Bob said, “A few years ago your recordings were more modern than now. Why have you reverted to your old style?” Faron explained that he’d gone through a period of trying to repeat the pop success of “Hello Walls,” but “I wasn’t selling country records or pop records either. I thought what the hell am I doing? I’m a country singer; I’d better get back over there where I belong. So I picked up a couple of fiddles and started doing country music again.” (more…)

If you’d like to publicly share your comments about Faron’s biography, here’s the location on Amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/3dsu2a. We’re celebrating publication with a reunion of the Country Deputies on the Midnite Jamboree, Saturday, November 10, 2007, at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville. See http://etrecordshop.com/mj.htm for more info–or to order the book.

FARON YOUNG, TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO: On September 14, 1985, Faron played a show with Cal Smith and Jack Greene at a “little ranch” in Kerrville, Texas. Faron said, “When you turn off the main highway, you get ten miles down a gravel road to this great huge compound. It was so much money around there, the place actually smelled like a billfold.  They had every kind of food conceivable.” (more…)

FARON YOUNG, FIFTY YEARS AGO: As the rock ‘n’ roll craze took over the music business in 1957, Faron worried about his future as an entertainer. “Hell, a hillbilly couldn’t get a job,” he said later. With his earnings cut in half, he told himself, “Oh, my God! I’m going to be poor!” On September 6, 1957, he became a father for the second time, with the birth of Robin Farrell. Hilda and Faron liked unique names. Hilda recalls watching the movie “Robin Hood” about that time, and her dad came up with Farrell–to sound like Faron but still be different. Baby Robin (who later changed his name to Robyn and who will be appearing with the Deputies on the Midnite Jamboree) joined two-year-old Damion in the Youngs’ Brush Hill home. Happy birthday, Robyn!! (more…)

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 10, 2007, at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville. We’ll be celebrating publication of Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story with a reunion of the Country Deputies on the Midnite Jamboree. I will also be in Nashville for the Southern Festival of Books, October 12-14. We are working on events in the Washington DC/Baltimore area, Shreveport, and several locations in Texas.

If you’d like to publicly share your comments (favorable or otherwise) about the book, here’s the location on Amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/3dsu2a

FARON YOUNG, TWENTY YEARS AGO: On August 27, 1987, Faron guest-hosted Nashville Now. I wish the episode could be issued on DVD. It illustrates Faron’s ability as interviewer and host and shows his vulnerable side. He admits to being nervous on live TV but still comes across as confident and comfortable. And, of course, the humor. (more…)

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 10, 2007, at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville. We’ll be celebrating publication of Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story. The day will end with a reunion of the Country Deputies on the Midnite Jamboree. Darrell McCall will host the show. I am so excited!!!

FARON YOUNG, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO:  On Saturday, August 22, 1992, Faron and Jean Shepard worked a show in Brooklyn, Michigan. Jean remembers it as “of the most wonderful days I have ever had in my life. . . . Faron was completely cold sober, and we talked about old times, and he didn’t–usually he was pretty loud, cussing and everything–but he wasn’t this day. He was just very mild mannered, and we sat and talked.” When they said goodbye, Jean hugged and kissed him and said, “Faron, this day has just been wonderful. What a blessing. It was so wonderful to sit in that little ol’ trailer and talk about our old times, 20-30 years ago.” He hugged her and said, “Aw, well, hell, Shep, you know I love you.”  She told me when I interviewed her, “Oh, it was just so good. I’ve carried that memory with me.” (more…)

FARON YOUNG, FIFTY YEARS AGO: On August 13, 1957, Faron recorded two sides of a single that attempted to catch the teen market, “Vacation’s Over” and “Honey Stop!” He sang both songs when he hosted the Army recruiting television show, Country Style, U.S.A. Dressed in suit and tie, he looked like a businessman with a guitar. The ba-boom background vocals of the Southlander Quartet almost drowned out his voice. Neither song charted on Billboard. He tried again with “Snowball” and “The Locket.” Those didn’t chart either. Faron once told Ralph Emery, “Back in the rock ‘n roll days, when they first came in, and Elvis hit, and they had Fabian and all these guys come along, we were tryin’ to sing, do anything to get a hit record. Boy, I cut some of the worst-soundin’ stuff.” His career would be rejuvenated a few months later with “Alone With You.” (more…)

I’ve been invited to be one of the authors at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville the week of 12-14 October. Here’s a link to the article in the Tennessean: http://tinyurl.com/2827zy. It hasn’t quite soaked in yet that I’m attending a book festival as an author instead of as a reader.

FARON YOUNG, FIFTY-ONE YEARS AGO: On August 8, 1956, Faron and Hilda closed on a house at 4001 Brush Hill Road. They could now afford a home substantially larger than the small Bel Air residence with its three tiny bedrooms. This house was in Hubert Long’s quiet neighborhood in northern Nashville, close to Gallatin Road and one block from the Cumberland River. Spacious tree-filled lots separated the large one-story brick house from its neighbors. (more…)

This weekly newsletter will keep you posted on progress toward the Sept/Oct publication of Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story by the University of Illinois Press. The book has been printed and is now in the distribution process. I received my hardcover copy in the mail this week. It’s a real book!!! Please go to your local bookstore if you wish to order a copy. You should have it in 7-8 weeks.

FARON YOUNG, NINETEEN YEARS AGO: Faron hosted Nashville Now on August 10, 1988, and sang “Stop and Take the Time,” which he said was Billboard’s pick hit of the week. (But it stalled at number 100.) It came from his new album, Here’s To You, which was his first on Step One Records and turned out to be his last ever of new songs. The title song became his 89th and last Billboard-charted song, peaking at number 87. He also previewed the album on the New Country television show in February 1989. (more…)

There won’t be a newsletter next week because I’ll be away from my computer.

FARON YOUNG, FORTY-SIX YEARS AGO: On July 19, 1961, Faron recorded “Backtrack” (which has always been one of my favorite Faron Young songs). When Faron had done a show in Flora, Illinois, mutual friends introduced him to a classical singer and oil field engineer named Alex Zanetis. Their relationship began by Faron insulting Alex, and then they quickly became friends. Their common interest in piloting small planes may have had something to do with their friendship. (more…)