Faron Young and Marty Robbins newsletter — 25 January 2012

This periodic newsletter commemorates the lives of Faron Young and Marty Robbins. The University of Illinois Press is ready to publish Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins and to reissue Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story in soft cover. Both books are available for preorder:

Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/76csn8nh9780252036323.html

Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/68xan8qq9780252032486.html

MARTY ROBBINS BOOK RELEASE EVENT
The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville has confirmed Saturday, March 31st at 12:30 as the time and location to celebrate the release of Twentieth Century Drifter. No details yet on what we’ll actually be doing. I’ll keep everyone posted.

MARTY ROBBINS IN THE SEVENTH GRADE
Martin David Robinson and his twin sister, Mamie, attended Peoria Elementary School in Peoria, Arizona, from third grade until almost the end of seventh grade. Martin’s school transcript for that last year shows marks of 5 in arithmetic and spelling, 4 in English, writing, geography, history, art, and health, and 3 in music, science, and physical education. He was disenrolled on January 24, 1938. That would have been when his mother finally left his abusive father and moved with her children back to Glendale.

LETTERS
Alana Young sends her last update on Robert Macon (Jan 6): “Grandpa saw his surgeon today. The surgeon was amazed at how well he looked and how well his incisions were healing. He said that they caught his colon blockage just in time before it burst. So, it is the surgeon’s opinion that they got all of the cancer.  Hallelujah!  Grandpa is still progressing with his physical therapy at home.  As an ex military man, he has made his own charts as to when to take vitamins, medications, do his exercises, etc., and he follows it daily.  Hopefully, with his drive, we’ll have him around for a long time to come! I have to say – most of you also prayed for my Mom in 2010 when she got meningitis. You have proved to be one of the best collections of good luck charms I could know! God Bless All of You in 2012! This should do it for updates.  Thanks again to all of you who have reached out!  It means SO much!”

Wanda Anderson in  Nashville, Tennessee, says, “I am so happy to hear about Robert Macon, I worked with him as a volunteer at the CMHOF and he was great to work with. He is a GENUINE COUNTRY MUSIC LOVER and why not with his background of  Uncle Dave? In addition to being father-in-law to Faron Young. My family was from Cannon County and knew Uncle Dave well, long before I was ever born and they moved to Texas. I am so glad about his returning health.”

June Bourke writes from New Zealand, “Just thought I would catch up with you 2012, happy new year to you. I looked back and found that I have been recieving your newsy e mails since Jan 2010. I thoroughly enjoy reading the stories about Marty and Faron very much. It makes me wish we were doing another trip there this year, but I hope we will be looking at that again for 2013. Thank you so much for such an interesting look at these great enterainers, I am still hoping to purchase a book from you or even more in due course. I hope this year is kind to you and all who are linked with this great feat you are doing.”

Jon Logan says, “Thanks for the update and the photo of Stu, a major contributor to the world of steel guitar!”

Ralph Larson writes from San Antonio, Texas, “Thank you for sending the story and link to ‘Ain’t I Right.’ I remember those times and I understand why this song would not be released. But Merle Haggard had a similar song in ‘Muskogee’ released a few years later to great success, and I cannot but wonder if Marty would have had a hit with ‘Ain’t I Right’ had his producer been more courageous. Looking forward to reading Twentieth Century Drifter.”

Mike Johns in Ft. Worth, Texas, writes, “I have recently read your book The Faron Young Story, conducting research for a book I am currently writing. You have detailed Faron’s time in the army very well. My book is about my cousin, who travelled with Faron during the Circle A days. . . . I am very interested in reading your Marty Robbins book this year. I have been a fan of his for my entire life. He was my favorite race car driver.”

Ronny Robbins says, “Just thought you’d like to know, the reason that Bobby sounded like Marty was because it ‘was’ Marty. They only claimed it was Bobby to keep CBS off of Daddy’s back.”

SIDEMAN SIDEBAR
Steel guitarist Dicky Overbey “went to work for Faron by accident,” he says. He had travelled from Tulsa to Nashville, “taking a couple songs to George Jones to record. Darrell McCall helped me do the demos for the George Jones session, and I’d never played a 10-string steel guitar, so I was down at Sho-Bud playing a Sho-Bud. Of course, I was playing Faron’s songs, because he had more steel on his records than anybody at that time. I looked up and Faron was standing in front of me. Shot Jackson knew that Ben Keith had quit the week before, and he’d called Faron and said, ‘I don’t know if you found a steel player yet, but there’s one sitting down here playing all your songs.’ I just looked up and there he was.” Dicky stayed with Faron from 1963-66. He now lives in Texas and makes beautiful music with other artists on Heart of Texas Records. Here’s a sample: http://youtu.be/LRxuCR5gTqw

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