Faron Young and Marty Robbins newsletter — 27 August 2008

While home in South Dakota a few weeks ago, I attended the Sherwin Linton show at the county fair in Montevideo, Minnesota. I’d seen him and the Cotton Kings several times years ago, when I was an unknown in the audience. Now Faron’s biography has made me important enough to be introduced! Sherwin’s wife, Pam, gave him Live Fast, Love Hard for Christmas, and I autographed his copy for him. The first two shows got rained out. Sherwin said he’d never in 52 years seen rain come down so fast. He got soaked three times. He and Pam and the band did an acoustic show later in the afternoon, without microphones. The fair organizers said they didn’t have to do a show, but the Lintons are too professional to disappoint their audience. Sherwin sang songs by Faron, Marty, and Johnny Cash. He gave me a copy of an old photo of himself wearing a shirt stenciled with “Marty’s Army” and sergeant stripes on the sleeve. His autograph to me says, “I’m still in Marty’s Army. I look forward to reading your book.” He told me he prints my newsletters and keeps them in a file. So here’s one more for you, Sherwin!

LETTERS
Robert MacMillan writes from Inverness-shire, Scotland, “I’m delighted to learn that you are researching Marty Robbins with a view to publishing a book about him. I read about this via the UK publication ‘Country Music People’ where columnist David Allan talks of meeting Marty in his Nashville office. David Allan was the host of the BBC TV coverage of the Wembley Festivals over the years and met with Marty several times. . . . I met Marty when he played a concert in Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Scotland, way back in the early 70’s and I have a couple of photographs of him taken outside the theatre. . . . For the past fifteen years or so I have presented a country music show on our local radio station, Nevis Radio, and, of course, I play Marty every chance I get! . . . II feel Marty’s fans have been let down not only by the lack of fresh material but by the same songs being made available time after time. Why can’t we get songs like ‘The City’ – this is a great country song – have you heard it? ‘While You’re Dancing,’ ‘Private Wilson White,’ ‘Little Robin’ are others that never seem to be made available. . . .p.s The Glaser Bros could be your next project!!?”

Carol Blair says, “I am looking for an old movie with Faron and Ferlin Husky titled ‘Country Music Holiday.’ I had it but it is nowhere to be found. Would of course, pay for this and if someone has ‘Country Boy’ with Faron I’d like to have it as well. ‘Country Boy’ is a movie that Faron was in Before I lost my hearing in 1979 I had to do a write up for him and I just put the ??? and let him fill them in and he put that movie down. I remember when I first heard of him there was a movie on TV titled ‘How Green the Valley’ that he was in.” Carol can be contacted at Hummingbirdchick@aol.com.

Dominique “Imperial” Anglares sends these memories from his friend Dave Ric, an RCA recording artist in the 50’s, about “a guy by the name of Odell Martin from joining counties to Muhlenberg Logan Co. When I first needed a fiddle player and I chased him down in a little town about 30 miles from Central City (Ky). He played a little while with come to find out he was a powerful guitar player. Next thing I knew he was playing for Faron Young. Chet Atkins marveled at Odell’s playing on the guitar. . . . I’m trying to think of the little town where he was born, got it. Clifty (Ky), pop about 200. . . . I forget the exact date of Odell’s death. It happened very close to Clifty. He had been playing a gig and was spending some time with my niece after the show in Owensboro (Ky) around 50 miles from Clifty. He went to sleep at the wheel just a few miles from his home.”

Preston Coly, a Texan who is doing his part to keep western swing music alive in Nashville, sends a note to say he’s updated his MySpace page at myspace.com/prestoncoly. My sister and I saw him at the Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar when we were in Nashville, and we were impressed. I’m keeping his autographed CD, Southern Man, for when he becomes famous.

One Response to “Faron Young and Marty Robbins newsletter — 27 August 2008”

  1. O'Dell Martin Jr Says:

    I googled daddy’s name and came up with this…….get in touch with me at odiemartin@gmail.com

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