Marty Robbins

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Marty Robbins
Robbins in 1966
Born
Martin David Robinson

(1925-09-26)September 26, 1925
DiedDecember 8, 1982(1982-12-08) (aged 57)
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • NASCAR driver
Years active1948–1982
Spouse
Mari Baldwin
(m. 1948)
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
LabelsColumbia, Decca
Websitemartyrobbins.com
Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta
)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 6 0
NASCAR Grand National East Series career
1 race run over 1 year
First race1972 Gamecock 200 (Columbia)
Last race1972 Gamecock 200 (Columbia)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
ARCA Menards Series career
Best finish72nd (1981)
First race1981 Talladega ARCA 200 (Talladega)
Last race1981 Talladega ARCA 200 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of June 12, 2022.
Signature

Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and

racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and successful country and western singers for most of his nearly four-decade career,[2][3][4] which spanned from the late 1940s to the early 1980s. He was also an early outlaw country pioneer.[5]

Born in Glendale, Arizona, Robbins taught himself guitar while serving in the United States Navy during World War II, and subsequently drew fame performing in clubs in and around his hometown. In 1952, he released his first No. 1 country song, "I'll Go On Alone". Four years later, he released his second No.1 hit “Singing the Blues”, and one year later, released two more No. 1 hits, "A White Sport Coat" and "The Story of My Life". In 1959, Robbins released his signature song, "El Paso", for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. The song began Robbins' association with western balladry, a style which would become a staple of his career. Later releases that drew critical acclaim include "Don't Worry", "Big Iron", “Devil Woman” and "Honkytonk Man", the last for which the 1982 Clint Eastwood film is named, and in which Robbins made his final appearance before his death.

Over the course of his career, Robbins recorded more than

Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was named the 1960s Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music. His songs "El Paso" and "Big Iron" were ranked by the Western Writers of America among the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Robbins was a commercial success in both the country and pop genres, and his songs were covered by many other famous artists, including Johnny Cash, the Grateful Dead and Elvis Presley. Johnny Cash noted, "there's no greater country singer than Marty Robbins."[6]
His music continues to have an influence in pop culture today, featuring prominently in several films, television shows and video games.

Early life

Billboard advertisement, April 20, 1957
The F.M. Staggs/ Marty Robbins House in Glendale, Arizona

Robbins was born Martin David Robinson on September 26, 1925, in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix in Maricopa County.[7][8] His parents divorced in 1937.[7]

Among the warmer memories of his childhood, Robbins recalled having listened to stories of the

American West told by his maternal grandfather, 'Texas Bob' Heckle, who was a traveling salesman, raconteur and local medicine man.[9]
Robbins later recalled: "He had two little books of poetry he would sell. I used to sing him church songs and he would tell me stories. A lot of the songs I've written were brought about because of stories he told me. Like 'Big Iron' I wrote because he was a Texas Ranger. At least he told me he was."[7]

Robbins dropped out of high school in Glendale, Arizona, before his time in the Navy. Robbins would work as an amateur boxer, dig ditches, drive trucks, deliver ice, and serve as a mechanics helper.[10]

At 17, Robbins left home to serve in the

Hawaiian music
.

After his

record deal with Columbia Records
.

Career

Robbins became known for his appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Music journalist Mary Harron wrote the following about him in The Guardian:[12]

Robbins was a symbol of the Nashville establishment that younger country fans abandoned in the Seventies for the bleached-denim "outlaw school" of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Robbins belonged to the Jim Reeves era and wore his embroidered cowboy suits proudly. Best known for the western ballad, El Paso, his career also touched the rock 'n' roll side of country in songs like White Sport Coat And A Pink Carnation, and he kept a touch of the dude about him to the end.

In 1980, Robbins appeared on the

Atlanta Journal 500
on November 7, 1982, a month before his death.

Filmography

Death

Robbins developed

St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. He was 57 years old.[19]

Music and honors

Although by 1960 Robbins' output was largely western (and some country) music, his initial hits like "Singing the Blues", "Knee Deep in the Blues", "The Story of My Life", "She Was Only Seventeen", and "

His musical accomplishments include the
El Paso City". Also in 1961, Robbins wrote the words and music and recorded "I Told the Brook",[21] a ballad later recorded by Billy Thorpe
.

He won the

Grammy Hall of Fame Award
in 1998 for his song "El Paso".

When Robbins was recording his 1961 hit "Don't Worry" at the Quonset Hut Studio in Nashville, session guitarist Grady Martin accidentally created the electric guitar "fuzz" effect – his six-string bass was run through a faulty channel in the studio's mixing console. Robbins decided to keep it in the final version.[22] The song reached No. 1 on the country chart, and No. 3 on the pop chart.[23] 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 Boulevard.

Robbins has been honored by many bands, including the

his network TV show. "Big Iron" was also covered by Mike Ness on his album Under the Influences, on which he paid homage to country music artists. The song, originally released on Robbins' 1959 album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, gained renewed popularity following its use in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas
.

His song "El Paso" was featured in the series finale of the AMC TV series Breaking Bad. 'El Paso' was also featured in the Only Fools and Horses prequel made by the BBC.

Robbins was awarded an honorary degree by Northern Arizona University.

In 2001, singer-songwriter Don McLean released his album, Sings Marty Robbins, which features a collection of songs recorded by Robbins in his career.

In 2016, a portion of Glendale Avenue in Robbins' hometown of Glendale, Arizona, was renamed "Marty Robbins Boulevard".[25]

Before Robbins died, he held a performance at the White House, alongside famous American singer Frank Sinatra.[26]

He was named Man of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music in 1970.

Political views

Robbins' political views remained firmly right-wing during his lifetime. During the 1960s as the

segregationist message as well.[30] After Columbia Records refused to publish his more politically charged songs, Robbins' band member Bobby Sykes recorded the songs for Sims Records under the name Johnny Freedom.[31]

Racing career

Robbins loved

Motor State 360 in Michigan.[32]

Robbins' cars were built and maintained by Cotton Owens. They were painted two-toned magenta and chartreuse, usually carrying car number 42 (though 6, 22, and 777 were also used). Over the years, he ran a few makes and models (Plymouths, Dodges or Fords) before buying a 1972-bodied Dodge Charger from Owens. Robbins had a few major wrecks during the 1970s, and he had Owens rebuild the car to update the sheet metal to the 1973–1974 Charger specifications, and then finally 1978 Dodge Magnum sheet metal, which he raced until the end of 1980. Robbins' final NASCAR race car was a 1981 Buick Regal that he rented and drove in a few races in 1981 and 1982.

In 1972, at the Winston 500, Robbins stunned the competition by turning laps that were 15 mph faster than his qualifying time. After the race, NASCAR tried to bestow the Rookie of the Race award, but he would not accept it. He had knocked the NASCAR-mandated restrictors out of his carburetor and admitted he "just wanted to see what it was like to run up front for once."[33]

Robbins is credited with possibly saving Richard Childress' life at the 1974 Charlotte 500 by deliberately crashing into a wall rather than t-bone (broadside) Childress's car that was stopped across the track.

In 1983, one year after Robbins' death, NASCAR honored him by naming the annual race at

Fairgrounds Speedway the Marty Robbins 420
.

Robbins' Dodge Magnum was restored by Owens and donated to the Talladega Museum by his family, and was displayed there from 1983 to 2008. The car is now in private hands in Southern California and raced on the Vintage NASCAR club circuit.

In 2014, Robbins' 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was featured on an episode of Discovery Channels TV show Fat and Furious: Rolling Thunder. In that same year, an episode of Velocity's AmeriCarna featured ex-race team owner Ray Evernham spearheading the restoration of another of Robbins' NASCAR racers, a 1964 Plymouth Belvedere.

For the 2016

Nascar Cup car carries Robbins' signature magenta and chartreuse livery. For the 2022 running, Corey LaJoie’s Spire Motorsports
#7 ran a throwback to Robbins’ infamous 777 car that he ran in his career.

Discography

Robbins' discography consists of 52 studio albums, 13 compilation albums, and 100 singles. In his career, Robbins charted 17 Number One singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, as well as 82 Top 40 singles.

Robbins' highest-charting album is 1959's Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. It charted to #6 on the all-genre Billboard 200, and was also certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's first single, "El Paso", became a hit on both the country and pop charts, charting to Number One on the Hot Country Songs as well as the Billboard Hot 100. While that would be his only pop Number One, in 1957, "A White Sport Coat" charted to #2, and in 1961, "Don't Worry" charted to #3.

His final Top 10 single was "Honkytonk Man" from the 1982 eponymous film in which Robbins had a role. He died shortly before its release. Since his death, four posthumous studio albums have been released, but they made no impact on the charts.

Motorsports career results

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 NGNC Pts
1966 David Warren 53 Ford AUG
RSD
DAY
DAY
DAY
CAR
BRI
ATL
HCY CLB
GPS
BGS
NWS
MAR
DAR
LGY MGR MON
RCH
CLT
DTS ASH PIF SMR
AWS
BLV
GPS
DAY
ODS
BRR
OXF FON ISP
BRI
SMR NSV
25
ATL
CLB
AWS
BLV
BGS DAR HCY
RCH
HBO
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR 122nd 20
1968
Dick Behling
32 Dodge MGR
MGY
RSD
DAY BRI
RCH
ATL
HCY
GPS
CLB
NWS
MAR
AUG AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR
CAR
GPS
DAY
ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV
ATL
CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR
HCY
RCH
BLV
HBO
MAR
NWS
AUG CLT
12
CAR JFC 78th 0
1970 Robbins Enterprises 42 Dodge RSD
DAY
DAY
DAY
RCH
CAR
SVH
ATL
BRI
TAL
NWS
CLB
DAR BLV LGY
CLT
SMR
MAR
MCH
RSD
HCY KPT GPS
DAY
AST TPN
TRN
BRI
SMR
NSV
ATL
CLB ONA
MCH
TAL
BGS SBO DAR HCY
RCH
DOV
NCF
NWS
CLT
32
MAR
MGR CAR LGY 94th 57
1971 RSD
DAY
DAY
DAY ONT
RCH
CAR
HCY
BRI
ATL
CLB
GPS
SMR
NWS
MAR
DAR
SBO
TAL
ASH KPT CLT
15
DOV
MCH
RSD
HOU
GPS
DAY
BRI
AST ISP TRN
NSV
ATL

13
BGS ONA MCH
TAL
CLB HCY DAR
7
MAR
CLT

37
DOV
CAR
MGR
RCH
NWS
TWS

25
69th 120

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series
results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts
1972 Robbins Racing 42 Dodge RSD DAY
RCH
ONT
8
CAR
ATL
BRI
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL
50
CLT
DOV
MCH
RSD
TWS

40
DAY
BRI
TRN
ATL
TAL
MCH
NSV
DAR
9
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
26
TWS 54th 860.8
1973 RSD DAY
34
RCH
CAR
BRI
ATL NWS DAR
MAR
TAL
NSV
CLT
DOV
TWS
29
RSD
MCH
DAY
8
BRI
ATL
TAL

36
NSV
DAR
RCH
DOV
NWS
MAR
CLT CAR 83rd 828.80
1974 RSD DAY
RCH
CAR
BRI
ATL
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL

15
NSV
DOV
CLT
RSD
MCH

5
DAY
BRI
NSV
ATL
POC
TAL

9
MCH
DAR
RCH
DOV
NWS
MAR CLT
42
CAR ONT 48th 23.78
1975 RSD DAY
39
RCH
CAR
BRI
ATL
NWS
DAR
MAR
TAL
31
NSV
DOV
CLT
RSD
MCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH DAR
DOV
NWS
MAR
CLT
RCH
CAR
BRI
ATL
ONT 81st 121
1976 RSD DAY
CAR
RCH
BRI
ATL
NWS
DAR
MAR
TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
CLT CAR ATL ONT
DNQ
NA
1977 RSD DAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
NWS
DAR
BRI
MAR
TAL NSV
DOV
CLT
RSD
MCH
13
DAY NSV
POC
TAL
38
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR NWS CLT
CAR
ATL
ONT 77th 173
1978 RSD DAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
BRI
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL
DOV
CLT
NSV
RSD
MCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
18
MCH
BRI
DAR RCH DOV MAR
NWS
CLT CAR
ATL
ONT 85th 109
1979 RSD DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
NWS BRI
DAR
MAR
TAL
NSV
DOV
CLT TWS
RSD
MCH
35
DAY
NSV
POC 70th 207
36 TAL
32
6 MCH
27
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
CLT
NWS
CAR
ATL
ONT
1980 RSD DAY RCH
CAR
ATL
BRI
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL

33
NSV
DOV
CLT
TWS
RSD
MCH
TAL
13
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV NWS
MAR
71st 204
Warren Racing 79 DAY
30
NSV
POC
M.C. Anderson Racing 6 Chevrolet
CLT

32
CAR
ATL
ONT
1982 Robbins Racing 22 Buick DAY
RCH
BRI
ATL
CAR
DAR
NWS
MAR TAL
NSV
DOV
CLT
POC
RSD
MCH
DAY

37
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
DNQ
BRI DAR
RCH
DOV
NWS
CLT
MAR
CAR
ATL

33
RSD 79th 116

Daytona 500

Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1973 Robbins Racing Dodge 37 34
1975 Robbins Racing Dodge 28 39

References

  1. ^ Richard S. Ginell. "Ruby Ann: Rockin' Rollin' Robbins, Vol. 3 – Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "Marty Robbins Biography". AllMusic, RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  3. ^ "Marty Robbins Biography". A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "About Marty Robbins". Country Music Television, Inc., a division of Viacom International Inc. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  5. S2CID 149612754
    .
  6. .
  7. ^ a b c "Marty Robbins". Biography. August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  8. . Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  9. ^ " Heckle, "Texas Bob (1929). Rhymes of the Frontier. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "Marty Robbins Obituary" December 8th 1982. The New York Times.
  11. ^ a b c Marty Robbins interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  12. ^ "Marty Robbins: Country Dude of Nashville. By Mary Harron : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". Retrieved June 25, 2018 – via Rock's Backpages.
  13. ^ "Career Statistics". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  14. ^ "1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400". Racing-Reference.info. July 4, 1973. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  15. ^ "Hell on Wheels". IMDb.com. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barbara J. Pruett, Marty Robbins: Fast Cars and Country Music, page 352-354, Scarecrow Press, 2007
  17. ^ a b c TCM Marty Robbins Films
  18. ^ Sean Wilentz & Greil Marcus, The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, page 270, W.W. Norton, 2005
  19. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 10, 1982). "Marty Robbins, Singer, 57; Won a Grammy for 'El Paso'". New York Times. New York, NY. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  20. .
  21. ^ I told the brook [music] / [by] Marty Robbins; arr. by Alec Baynes | National Library of Australia. Catalogue.nla.gov.au. 1961. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  22. . Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  23. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Country Singles 1944–2001
  24. ^ [1] Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ "Portion of Glendale Avenue renamed for legendary country singer". KTAR-FM, September 27, 2016.
  26. ^ "Marty Robbins Obituary" December 10th 1982 The New York Times
  27. ^ Meir, Kenneth (2019). "Looking for Meaning in All the Wrong Places: Country Music and the Politics of Identity". Social Science Quarterly 100 (February 2019), 89-108.
  28. ^ "Marty Robbins and the Case for PC | ColumbusFreePress.com". columbusfreepress.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  29. ^ "Ain't I Right?". lyricfind.com. lyricfind. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  30. ^ "Marty Robbins and the Case for PC | ColumbusFreePress.com". columbusfreepress.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  31. .
  32. ^ "1974 Motor State 360". racing-reference.info. June 16, 1974. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  33. ^ "Cotton Owens Garage – Drivers". Cotton Owens Garage and Stratatomic LLC. Retrieved August 17, 2015.

Sources

External links