Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Martin David Robinson September 26, 1925 Glendale, Arizona, U.S. | ||||||
Died | December 8, 1982 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | (aged 57)||||||
Occupations |
| ||||||
Years active | 1948–1982 | ||||||
Spouse |
Mari Baldwin (m. 1948) | ||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||
Musical career | |||||||
Genres | |||||||
Instrument(s) |
| ||||||
Labels | Columbia, Decca | ||||||
Website | martyrobbins | ||||||
Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta ) | |||||||
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NASCAR Grand National East Series career | |||||||
1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
First race | 1972 Gamecock 200 (Columbia) | ||||||
Last race | 1972 Gamecock 200 (Columbia) | ||||||
| |||||||
ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
Best finish | 72nd (1981) | ||||||
First race | 1981 Talladega ARCA 200 (Talladega) | ||||||
Last race | 1981 Talladega ARCA 200 (Talladega) | ||||||
| |||||||
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
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
Early life
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
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
After his
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
Filmography
- The Badge of Marshal Brennan (1957, 74 minutes) as Felipe, a Mexican outlaw[16][17]
- Raiders of Old California (1957, 72 minutes) as Timothy Voyle[16][17]
- Buffalo Gun (1958, released in 1961, 74 minutes) as Marty Robbins, a lawman[16]
- The Ballad of a Gunfighter (1963, 84 minutes) as Marty Robbins, an outlaw[18]
- Country Music Caravan (1964) as Himself, singing[16]
- Tennessee Jamboree (1964, 75 minutes) as Himself, singing[16]
- The Road to Nashville (1966, 109 minutes) as Himself, singing[16]
- Hell on Wheels (1967, 97 minutes) as Marty, a race car driver[16][17]
- From Nashville With Music (1969, 87 minutes) as Himself, singing[16]
- Country Music (1972, 93 minutes) as Himself, touring as singer, and as a race car driver[16]
- Guns of a Stranger (1973, 91 minutes) as Mathew Roberts[16]
- Honkytonk Man (1982, 122 minutes) as Smoky, a recording session singer[16]
Death
Robbins developed
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 "
He won the
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 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
Racing career
Robbins loved
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
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
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
- ^ Richard S. Ginell. "Ruby Ann: Rockin' Rollin' Robbins, Vol. 3 – Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ "Marty Robbins Biography". AllMusic, RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Marty Robbins Biography". A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "About Marty Robbins". Country Music Television, Inc., a division of Viacom International Inc. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- S2CID 149612754.
- ISBN 978-1-612-19893-4.
- ^ a b c "Marty Robbins". Biography. August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ISBN 9780810860360. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
- ^ " Heckle, "Texas Bob (1929). Rhymes of the Frontier. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
- ^ "Marty Robbins Obituary" December 8th 1982. The New York Times.
- ^ a b c Marty Robbins interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Career Statistics". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ "1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400". Racing-Reference.info. July 4, 1973. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ "Hell on Wheels". IMDb.com. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c TCM Marty Robbins Films
- ^ Sean Wilentz & Greil Marcus, The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, page 270, W.W. Norton, 2005
- ^ 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.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ 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.
- ISBN 9780252094200. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Country Singles 1944–2001
- ^ [1] Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Portion of Glendale Avenue renamed for legendary country singer". KTAR-FM, September 27, 2016.
- ^ "Marty Robbins Obituary" December 10th 1982 The New York Times
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Marty Robbins and the Case for PC | ColumbusFreePress.com". columbusfreepress.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ "Ain't I Right?". lyricfind.com. lyricfind. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- ^ "Marty Robbins and the Case for PC | ColumbusFreePress.com". columbusfreepress.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ISBN 978-0252081255.
- ^ "1974 Motor State 360". racing-reference.info. June 16, 1974. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Cotton Owens Garage – Drivers". Cotton Owens Garage and Stratatomic LLC. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
Sources
- Pruett, Barbara J. "Marty Robbins: Fast Cars and Country Music". Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. 2007. ISBN 0-8108-6036-8
- Diekman, Diane "Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins" (Music in American Life). 2012.
- "Fallout: New Vegas" Big Iron is used on Radio New Vegas, Mojave Music Radio, and Black Mountain Radio.
External links
- Official website
- Robbins page Archived May 17, 2019, at the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Robbins page at Western Music Association
- Robbins page at Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
- Robbins bio by Hank Davis at AllMusic
- Robbins page by Gaylen Duskey at NASCAR
- Marty Robbins driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Marty Robbins owner statistics at Racing-Reference
- The short film Country Style USA Recruitment: Episode 8 is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.
- The short film Country Style USA Recruitment: Episode 34 is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.