29 August 2007
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. When Tommy Cash said, “I got into real estate,” Faron responded, “My ex-wife got into real estate. She took my house. I love that old sayin’–they was talkin’ about Zsa Zsa Gabor bein’ a great housekeeper. Cuz every time she got a divorce, she kept the house. I always thought that was hilarious, ’til it happened to me. It isn’t too funny.” When two callers didn’t know the answer to the weekly trivia question, Faron told the third one, “Any thing else you want to ask the guests before I find out how dumb you are?” He concluded the show with, “Okay, folks, put the popcorn down, cuz I’m expectin’ all you folks out there to use both your hands right now with a big round of applause for all of our super guests.”
LETTERS
Tracy Pitcox writes from Texas, “I am almost finished with the book. It is great and loved all the ‘never told before stories.’Â It will forever be known as the ‘Faron Young Book.’ Enough said.”
Berna Woodard, “a big Faron & Marty fan” in Montrose, Colorado, says, “I just received this book on Faron and can hardly put it down. I ordered directly from the Publishing Company in hopes it would get here sooner than from the stores, and it did. It is everything I thought it would be. Congratulations, I am sure it will be a success! Can’t wait for the one on Marty Robbins.”
Frank Chilinski writes from Mansfield, Connecticut, “I bought your book at Barnes and Noble. . . . I was not able to put it down, and I have read the entire book from beginning to end. It is simply WONDERFUL…………….It reads great, and paints such a illustrative picture of a man who, I thought I knew a little about……..but after reading your book, I realize how little I really knew! . . . Thank you again so much for one of the best biographies I have EVER read!!!! (And I have read hundreds, maybe even thousands). . . . I was pleased and relieved that you didn’t do what too many music biographers do — that is, you did not waste time going on and on about every recording session, every song, etc……No more than was necessary. You spend just the right amount of time on the music, but more importantly, you spent it on Faron’s life.”
Maheen Wickramasinghe, country music piano player and musician in Canada, writes, “Wow! I can hardly wait to listen to this outstanding book on our hero, Faron! You can be sure I will be getting a copy of it and I will get somebody to scan it for me so that my talking screen reader will read it. Now, I would love to be subscribed to your newsletters about Marty Robbins just like with these unbelievable Faron newsletters. I’m curious, will this book talk about Marty being a shy person? I know that he was a pretty shy man but boy, what a talented singer song writer he was! . . . I am a 22 year old visually impaired male and I am starting to make a career in country music. . . . I am willing to send anybody a copy of an album I made back in 2005 in Sri Lanka shortly after the tragic Tsumani. . . . If you would like to contact me by email maheen5894@sympatico.ca I will tell you all about it! I included a Faron Young song, Hello Walls, and a Marty Robbins number A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation.”
Response: I will eventually change this from a Faron Young to Marty Robbins newsletter, probably in a year or so. Yes, I will talk about Marty’s shyness. Right now, I’d guess it was probably his biggest hurdle.
Ron Reagan writes, “I know we all love Faron and so it’s not hard to recommend anything of his, but I was totally blown away by a song of his I’ve never heard until recently. I know it was standard fare in Nashville for artists to do ‘cover’ versions of the big hits and Faron was no exception. I recently bought a huge lot of 8-track tapes and there were 3 Faron tapes in there. On one of the tapes was Faron’s version of Hello, Darlin’. I’ve heard other cover versions before, but this one was the best!!! Faron gave that song, even though it was a cover version, everything he had!!! For anyone interested, the title of the album (or in this case, 8-track) is Step Aside.”
Wayne L Kepner says, “WOW !!!!!!! THIS IS WAY COOL NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell me this will be available over the internet for those of us unable to travel! Congratulations on the book Diane, I can’t wait to get mine.”
Response: WSM Radio, 650 AM, broadcasts the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree every Saturday night, and it can be found on the Internet at http://www.wsmonline.com/.
Bill Lawrence writes from Bend, Oregon, “I still listen to his records along with Marty Robbins & my all time # 1 Eddy Arnold, who really changed hillbilly music into country & love songs. If I remember right Faron also was a fan of Eddy’s thank you Diane keep up the good work.”
Response: Yes, Faron was an Eddy Arnold fan. He told an interviewer in 1992, “When I got to listening to country, my very first introduction to country was Eddy Arnold. Eddy has always been one of my favorites; he still is one of my favorites. My sister even gave me albums of his one Christmas. I learned everything on ’em. I wore Eddy Arnold albums out.”
Barbie Corwin sends an update on her steel guitar player husband, Hank: “It’s been a really hectic month here. Hank was in the hospital in July & now again in Aug. I think all the meds they’re giving him for his heart are affecting his kidneys. The doctors just have to get his medications coordinated. . . . I don’t think we’ll be able to make it in Nov., but we’ll be thinking about everyone. Congratulations on the book publication.”
IN MEMORY
Gino King passed away in his sleep Wednesday night, August 8, 2007, fifteen days before his 70th birthday. Condolences may be sent to:
The Family of Gino King
c/o Bob Low
2913 Lakeshore Drive
LaCrosse WI 54603
Gino was Faron’s frontman and bass player in 1962-63. I talked to him several times on the telephone and had hoped to meet him someday.