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. Thanks to Gary Presley for reviewing the manuscript; I’m now cutting words to get it ready to send to a publisher.

FIRED FROM THE GRAND OLE OPRY
Both Marty and Faron experienced being “let go” by the Opry. Marty hosted the Prince Albert portion of the Opry on March 1, 1958, and was told by W. D. Kilpatrick after the show that the Opry no longer needed him. (more…)

FIRST RECORDING SESSIONS FOR FARON YOUNG AND MARTY ROBBINS
Faron Young’s first Capitol recording session took place at the Castle Studio in Nashville’s Tulane Hotel on March 1, 1952. Faron hadn’t yet moved from Shreveport to Nashville. Sidemen included Floyd Cramer on piano and Jimmy Day on steel guitar, with Ken Nelson as producer. “Have I Waited Too Long” and “Tattletale Tears” were released April 7 as the two sides of his first single. Marty Robbins still lived in Phoenix, and his first Columbia session had been in Hollywood three months earlier. His second session, with Don Law as producer, would take place in Dallas at the Jim Beck studio in June. He would record “I’ll Go On Alone.” (more…)