Faron Young and Marty Robbins newsletter — 17 August 2011

Publication Update: I finally have a publication date for Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins. The editor says, “Everything is comfortably on schedule for a 3/1/2012 pub date. The spring catalog comes out in November, and Marketing should be in touch with you in a month or so about jacket and catalog copy.”

FARON YOUNG IN 1970
Three months after almost getting his tongue severed in an auto accident, Faron Young was back on stage. He did a show in Canby, Minnesota, on September 3, 1970, and my sister and I were there. I don’t remember whether Faron had problems singing or if he even mentioned the injury. After the show, I introduced myself as the college student they’d delivered to the dorm six months earlier in Sioux Falls. Frontman Dave Hall and steel player Skip Jackson wanted to find somewhere to eat. Kayo and I were glad to offer them a ride, and Dave drove our 1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire as we went off in search of a restaurant.

Diane and Dave Hall                                      Diane and Faron Young

LETTERS
Jon Philibert in the U.K. asks, “A friend of mine is doing a country music dissertation and asked me if I knew why Ray Price was called the Cherokee Cowboy. Duncan has found reference made by Tommy Hill to an amalgam in 1954 between 2 bands, Ray’s Drifting Cowboys and a band that played with Lefty, the ‘Western Cowboys’. Would you be able to shed any light on this and Ray’s nickname?”
Response: The story I heard is that Ray combined the names of Hank Williams’s “Drifting Cowboys” and another band that had the word Cherokee in it. Perhaps a newsletter reader has the correct answer.

Jean Earle writes from the U.K., “I had a very pleasant surprise yesterday a CD arrived from Frank Jennings.  His name may ring a bell with you??? I believe he is on your mailing list. Frank was a great fan of Faron’s and his singing voice often sounded very like his hero. They sang together on stage in London when Faron was on tour over here. ‘Leaving and saying goodbye’ never sounded better. Frank’s CD is called Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. I don’t know what the situation would be for obtaining Frank’s C.D. in America, but I thought you might be interested to know this. Hope you are keeping well…thanks for the latest newsletter.”

Louise Morse writes, “I wanted to tell you how much I loved your book on Faron. I really do enjoy the book you did a wonderful job. I would like to be your Facebook friend.”

Jody Nix says, “How nice of you to mention that my Dad and I got to work with Marty, that was really great, I will never forget that. I can’t wait to read Marty’s book.”
Response: And I’d like to let everyone know about Jody’s Sunday Night Country radio show from 7-9 Central at www.kbygradio.com. It’s great classic country music and western swing.

SIDEMAN SIDEBAR
Country Deputy Dave Hall was Faron Young’s frontman and bass player from 1969-1972. Faron recorded Dave’s “It’s Not the Miles” and “Night Coach Out Of Dallas” on the album It’s Four In the Morning. Dave told me he gave co-writer credit to bus driver Lewis Redding.  “I wrote the songs while we were traveling, and happened to be up in the jump seat next to him,” Dave says. “He and I rode down the road a lot at night, me with a guitar in my hand.” Dave came to my first Deputy reunion, when I was just beginning my research in 2000. He also attended the book release party and Midnite Jamboree event in 2007. The last I heard, he still lives in Nashville.

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