Everything about Marty Robbins totally explained
Marty Robbins (
September 26 1925 –
December 8,
1982) was one of the most popular and successful
American country and western singers of his era. For most of his nearly four decade career, Robbins was rarely far from the country music charts. Several of his songs also became pop hits.
Life
Robbins was born
Martin David Robinson in
Glendale, a
suburb of
Phoenix, in
Maricopa County,
Arizona. He was reared in a difficult family situation. His father took odd jobs to support the family of ten children. His father's drinking led to
divorce in
1937. Among his warmer memories of his childhood, Robbins recalled having listened to stories of the
American West told by his maternal grandfather, Texas Bob Heckle, a former
Texas Ranger and medicine show performer.
Robbins left the troubled home at the age of seventeen to serve in the
United States Navy as an
LCT coxswain during
World War II. He was stationed in the
Solomon Islands in the
Pacific. To pass the time during the war, he learned to play the
guitar, started writing songs, and came to love
Hawaiian music.
After his discharge from the military in
1945, he began to play at local venues in
Phoenix, then moved on to host his own
radio station show on
KTYL. He thereafter had his own
television (TV) show on
KPHO in Phoenix. After
Little Jimmy Dickens made a guest appearance on Robbins' TV show, Dickens got Robbins a record deal with
Columbia Records. Robbins became an immensely popular
singing star at the
Grand Ole Opry in
Nashville, Tennessee. He was especially known for his kindness toward his many fans.
In addition to his recordings and performances, Robbins was an avid
race car driver, competing in
NASCAR races, including the
Daytona 500. In
1967, Robbins played himself in the car racing film
Hell on Wheels.
(External Link
)
In
1948, Robbins married the former
Marizona Baldwin (
September 11,
1930 -
July 10,
2001) to whom he dedicated his song
My Woman, My Woman, My Wife. They had two children, a son, Ronny (born 1949), and a daughter,
Janet, (born
1959). (Janet Robbins would go on to become a singer herself.)
Robbins died of complications following
cardiac surgery. At the times of their deaths, Marty and Marizona lived in
Brentwood in
Williamson County, outside Nashville. They are interred in
Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.
Music
His musical accomplishments include the first
Grammy Award ever awarded for a
country song, for his
1959 hit and signature song "
El Paso", taken from his album
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. "El Paso" was also the first song to hit #1 on the pop chart in the
1960s. He won the Grammy Award for the Best Country & Western Recording
1961, for his follow-up album
More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, and was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in
1970, for "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife." Robbins was named
"Artist of the Decade" (1960-69) by the
Academy of Country Music, was elected to the
Country Music Hall of Fame in
1982, and was given a
Grammy Hall of Fame Award in
1998 for his song "El Paso".
Robbins was inducted into the
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in
1975. For his contribution to the recording industry, Robbins has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6666 Hollywood Blvd.
Trivia
Robbins was the first country artist to have simultaneous numbers 1, 2 and 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Chart with 'A White Sport Coat', 'El Paso' and 'Don't Worry.'
'Don't Worry' has what is recognized as the first popular song with electric guitar distortion effects, played as a unique sound on a malfunctioning tube amplifier.
The Who's 2006 album "Endless Wire" includes the song "God Speaks, of Marty Robbins." The song's composer, Pete Townshend, explains that the song is about God's deciding to create the universe just so he can hear some music, "and most of all, one of his best creations, Marty Robbins." (External Link)
The Beasts of Bourbon released a song called "The Day Marty Robbins Died" on their 1984 Debut LP "The Axeman's Jazz"
Elvis Presley performed "You Gave Me A Mountain" over 500 times between 1972 and 1977
Robbins portrayed a musician in the 1982 Clint Eastwood film "Honkytonk Man." Robbins died a few weeks before the film's release in December 1982.
The city of El Paso, Texas honored Robbins by naming a park and a recreational center after him.
The University of Texas at El Paso asked for and received permission from Robbins to use a fast-paced version of 'El Paso' as the university's fight song.
Selected discography
"Just a Little Sentimental" (1951)
"I'll Go On Alone" (1953)
"That's All Right Mama" (1954)
"Singing the Blues" (1956)
"Carl, Lefty, and Marty" (1956)
"Rock'n Roll'n Robbins" (1956)
"The Song of Robbins" (April 29, 1957)
"A White Sport Coat" (1957)
"The Story of My Life" (1957)
"Song Of the Islands" (December 30, 1957)
"Marty Robbins" (December 20, 1958)
"The Hanging Tree" (1959)
"El Paso" (1959)
"Big Iron" (1960)
"Ballad of the Alamo" (1960)
"Don't Worry" (1961)
"It's Your World" (1961)
"Devil Woman" (1962)
"Ruby Ann" (1962)
"Begging to You" (1964)
"Cowboy in the Continental Suit" (1964)
"Ribbon of Darkness" (1965)
"Tonight Carmen" (1967)
"I Walk Alone" (1968)
"You Gave Me a Mountain" (1969)
"My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" (1970)
"Walking Piece of Heaven" (1973)
"No Signs of Loneliness Here"*(1975) rare album of covers
"El Paso City" (1976)
"Among My Souvenirs" (1976)
"Return to Me" (1978)
"Some Memories Just Won't Die" (1982)
"The Strawberry Roan"
"A Hundred And Sixty Acres"
"They're Hanging Me Tonight"
"Cool Water"
"Billy The Kid"
"Utah Carol"
"The Master's Call"
"Running Gun"
"In The Valley"
"The Little Green Valley"
"The Hanging Tree"
"Saddle Tramp"
"I Hang My Head and Cry"Further Information
Get more info on 'Marty Robbins'.
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