Faron Young and Marty Robbins newsletter — 19 June 2013

FARON AND MARTY SIXTY YEARS AGO
In June 1953, Faron Young and Marty Robbins were beginning to make names for themselves. They’d both debuted on the Billboard charts earlier in the year with their own songs. Marty’s “I’ll Go On Alone” went to number one, and Faron’s “Goin’ Steady” reached number two. Their second singles had topped out at number five. Both were members of the Grand Ole Opry, although Faron was in the Army and had to come up from Fort McPherson, Georgia, for his Saturday performances. He appeared there twice in June. Faron still had two more years as a bachelor, while Marty was already married and the father of a pre-school son. Marty traveled to Dallas in June for a recording session. He took steel player Joe Vincent with him. He would lose Joe to Faron the following year when Faron was discharged from the Army and formed a band, which became the Country Deputies. Marty didn’t hire his own band until the Teardrops in 1956.

VIDEO OF BELMONT AWARD
Click on https://dianediekman.com/?page_id=7 to find the 7-minute YouTube video of Don Cusic presenting me with Belmont University’s “Country Music Book of the Year” award for Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins, in Nashville.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE FAIR
I’d like to invite my newsletter readers to join us at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron on Friday, August 30, 2013. I will be the guest of Sherwin Linton on the Centennial Stage at 11AM, 2PM, and 4PM. Sherwin has played the State Fair most years since 1973 and has been doing 3 shows each day on the Centennial Stage for nearly 20 years. He told me, “I would be honored to have you as a guest, where you could talk about your life and about your books.” And I will be honored to be his guest.

LETTERS
Sherwin Linton writes from Minneapolis, Minnesota, “We were just in your area last night in Hartford doing a show for the Sioux Valley Energy Coop.  We arrived back home today and read your news letter. I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ray Emmett. He was a long time friend and I had known him since his younger days in Duluth MN. He was a very good musician and a wonderful friend with a kind, professional and humble attitude. He will be missed by many. Congratulations on your Award and keep up your terrific work.”

Terry Counts says, “What a great sendoff for Ray…I’ve been bawling off and on all week and probably will do so for a while…one of my favourite stories is when we met…I had just gone to work for the Deacon and stepped next door for a moment…when I came back in this long tall drink of water was sitting at Billy’s desk going through papers….we stared at one another for a few minutes and then I said who the hell are you and what do you think you’re doing there…he started chuckling and said well who the hell are you and what are you even doing here. We’ve been best buddies ever since… Lord I shall miss him…. Keep up the good work!”

Richard Spooner writes from Great Britain, “Thank you so much for letting me know. Ray and I had corresponded by email for many years and we finally met in Nashville in April 2011 at The Station Inn. We chatted about Faron and met also his lovely wife Renee. He was a very sincere guy. We shared a common love of all things Faron but mostly his music. If you get the chance to pass on my thoughts to Renee  I would really appreciate that. It was via you before I went to Nashville we hooked up again as we had lost contact. I will always thank you for that. Our discussions about Faron will stay private and treasured. Ray Emmett you rest in peace my very good friend.”

Bill Yarbor says, “I just finished the Marty bio and loved it. I really found the real Marty Robbins to be interesting on so many levels. Your great research and writing really engage the reader. I told a friend in Texas about it and she bought a copy on Amazon this week. Both this and the Faron bio are valuable additions to my library.”

Moragh Carter in Great Britain writes, “Thanks, Diane, for the special offer on your book. I have just bought it and downloaded it.”

Alan Potter, also in Great Britain, says, “Congratulations on all the congratulations! you’ve deservedly received. Play yourself Faron Young singing Willie Nelson’s congratulations (ha ha) Seriously though, both books were in the couldn’t put ’em down category & I loved ’em.”

Andy Williford, Faron’s boyhood friend, writes, “Congrats Diane, my good friend would have been proud to be honored in your book. Thanks, we just had a reunion and Faron’s hero, Coach Clem Henderson, was there and he just turned 90.”

Forrest Posey sends this note: “Of course you won’t remember me, but I met you at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville when Faron’s son, Robin & a gang were there putting on a show & you had a book signing event. I bought your book & you signed it. . . . I really LOVED your book on Faron Young, he was such a wonderful singer, his voice, WOW! Keep on writing, you’re a natural.”

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