6 September 2006

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 be in the middle, and Miss Louisiana to close the show.   Alton told me that Faron wanted to be on early, to be able to hop on his bus and head to a show in Branson.  Governor Davis, who was 95, heard a rumor that Faron was saying Governor Davis was opening the show for Faron.  He sent a band member to tell Alton he refused to go on first. So Alton told Faron to open the show. Faron thought the change was made to fit his schedule, and both singers were happy. Governor Davis pulled his chair in the wings while Faron was on, and watched everything Faron did.

Happy birthday to Robyn Young, who was born on this date a few years back.

We’ve solved the mystery of the K-Tel recording at the Wheeling Jamboree in 1974. According to the Jamboree manager, the show did get taped, but the result was not a high enough quality to produce an album. Faron did, of course, record a studio album for K-Tel several years later.

INTERVIEW: My telephone interview with Alton Warwick was one of the first ones I did when I started researching Faron’s life. Both attended Warner Park grammar school in Shreveport, and Alton graduated from Fair Park High School several years before Faron did. Alton remembered seeing Faron driving an old car, and Faron hollered to say he was going to be on the Hayride. “Almost at the same corner, maybe a year or six months had passed,” Alton told me, “I saw him again and he was driving a brand new Pontiac. Catalina, it seems like, a convertible, and he was heading for the Grand Ole Opry.”

LETTERS:
Hazel Van Dyke is looking for a song title: “I was listening to a Radio station that only plays old songs and heard one by Faron Young. I loved the words because it reminded me of my son’s recent break-up from his marriage. It was about losing someone and regretting it, like losing the best that ever was and finding it out too late. Can’t remember the words but sure would like to know what it was. Always loved Faron. He had such a beautiful voice. I’m from the old school, so to speak. hope you can help me.”

Response: Could it be “(The Worst You Ever Gave Me Was) The Best I Ever Had”? The song appears on two Mercury albums, both from 1977, “The Best Of Faron Young, Volume 2” and “That Young Feelin’.” Perhaps other readers have better suggestions.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.