Marty Robbins(1925-1982)
- Music Artist
- Actor
- Music Department
He is known for many styles of music - pure honky-tonk, rockabilly,
gospel, straight-ahead pop, blues and Hawaiian. But fans remember Marty
Robbins best for his cowboy songs. Songs like "Big Iron", "Running
Gun", "The Hanging Tree" and of course "El Paso" established Robbins as
the master of the style of country music.
He and twin sister Mamie were born near Glendale, Ariz. As a child,
Robbins (born Martin David Robinson) was fascinated with El Paso, Texas
since childhood - both the name and the city itself. Marty's parents
divorced when he was 12 and his mother moved the family to Phoenix.
Robbins joined the Navy in 1943, where he learned to play guitar and
began singing and songwriting during the three-year stint. After his
discharge, he returned to Phoenix and held down a series of jobs.
Eventually, he began singing in nightclubs, filling in one night as
guitarist for a friend's band. Quite often, he performed under the
pseudonym Jack Robinson (because his mother objected to his performing
in nightclubs and he didn't want her to find out).
By 1950, he was performing regularly on Mesa, Ariz., station KTYL, and
starred in the local TV series "Western Caravan" on KPHO in Phoenix.
One night, country singer Little Jimmy Dickens appeared on the show and
was so impressed with Robbins that he urged his record label, Columbia
Records, to sign the young star. Robbins' first song, "Love Me or Leave
Me Alone", was recorded in 1951. Although the song failed to chart on
any of Billboard magazine's country singles chart (the magazine had
separate sales, radio airplay and jukebox to monitor the performance of
country songs at the time), Robbins was on his way to country stardom;
one of the follow-up singles, "I'll Go On Alone", went No. 1 in early
1953. Robbins became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in February 1953.
A steady string of hits followed, ranging in styles from rockabilly
("That's All Right" and "Singing the Blues"), teenage love songs ("A
White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)") and of course, cowboy songs.
He had already appeared in several B-westerns and had scored a country
hit with "The Hanging Tree" (the title track to the movie starring Gary
Cooper) when, in 1959, he began writing and recording songs for his
legendary album "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs"). The all-time
classic from the album of songs was "El Paso", the story of a
gunfighter who dies after being shot at the end of the song. The song
went No. 1 on Billboard magazine's country singles chart in December
1959, where it spent seven weeks; it also became his only No. 1 Hot 100
hit and became the first country song to win a Grammy. At just over
4:40, radio programmers were reluctant to play such a long song (most
songs were half as long), but demand won out, and it soon became one of
country music's all-time most popular songs on fan surveys. His 1976
No. 1 hit, "El Paso City", revisited the gunfighter's legend.
During the 1960s and 1970s, his career continued, with a second Grammy
coming in 1970 with his No. 1 ode to his wife, Marizona, "My Woman, My
Woman, My Wife." He also dabbled in television ("Marty Robbins'
Spotlight") and stock car racing. He left Columbia Records in 1972 to
begin a three-year stint at Decca (later MCA) Records; though he had
some success there, he returned to Columbia in late 1975.
During his 31-year recording career, Robbins had 94 songs make
Billboard's country charts, with 16 going to No. 1; 31 of his songs
also placed on the Hot 100. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame in 1982, just two months before suffering his third heart
attack (he had also suffered heart attacks in 1969 and 1981). He
underwent a quadruple bypass at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville,
Tenn., but died Dec. 8, 1982. His only posthumous country hit came in
1983, when he scored a No. 10 hit with "Honkytonk Man", the title track
to Clint Eastwood's film. While cowboy and western songs were his
trademark, it was Robbins' style, grace and dignity, plus his on-stage
ability to communicate with his audience and understated sense of humor
that made him one of country music's most beloved performers.
gospel, straight-ahead pop, blues and Hawaiian. But fans remember Marty
Robbins best for his cowboy songs. Songs like "Big Iron", "Running
Gun", "The Hanging Tree" and of course "El Paso" established Robbins as
the master of the style of country music.
He and twin sister Mamie were born near Glendale, Ariz. As a child,
Robbins (born Martin David Robinson) was fascinated with El Paso, Texas
since childhood - both the name and the city itself. Marty's parents
divorced when he was 12 and his mother moved the family to Phoenix.
Robbins joined the Navy in 1943, where he learned to play guitar and
began singing and songwriting during the three-year stint. After his
discharge, he returned to Phoenix and held down a series of jobs.
Eventually, he began singing in nightclubs, filling in one night as
guitarist for a friend's band. Quite often, he performed under the
pseudonym Jack Robinson (because his mother objected to his performing
in nightclubs and he didn't want her to find out).
By 1950, he was performing regularly on Mesa, Ariz., station KTYL, and
starred in the local TV series "Western Caravan" on KPHO in Phoenix.
One night, country singer Little Jimmy Dickens appeared on the show and
was so impressed with Robbins that he urged his record label, Columbia
Records, to sign the young star. Robbins' first song, "Love Me or Leave
Me Alone", was recorded in 1951. Although the song failed to chart on
any of Billboard magazine's country singles chart (the magazine had
separate sales, radio airplay and jukebox to monitor the performance of
country songs at the time), Robbins was on his way to country stardom;
one of the follow-up singles, "I'll Go On Alone", went No. 1 in early
1953. Robbins became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in February 1953.
A steady string of hits followed, ranging in styles from rockabilly
("That's All Right" and "Singing the Blues"), teenage love songs ("A
White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)") and of course, cowboy songs.
He had already appeared in several B-westerns and had scored a country
hit with "The Hanging Tree" (the title track to the movie starring Gary
Cooper) when, in 1959, he began writing and recording songs for his
legendary album "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs"). The all-time
classic from the album of songs was "El Paso", the story of a
gunfighter who dies after being shot at the end of the song. The song
went No. 1 on Billboard magazine's country singles chart in December
1959, where it spent seven weeks; it also became his only No. 1 Hot 100
hit and became the first country song to win a Grammy. At just over
4:40, radio programmers were reluctant to play such a long song (most
songs were half as long), but demand won out, and it soon became one of
country music's all-time most popular songs on fan surveys. His 1976
No. 1 hit, "El Paso City", revisited the gunfighter's legend.
During the 1960s and 1970s, his career continued, with a second Grammy
coming in 1970 with his No. 1 ode to his wife, Marizona, "My Woman, My
Woman, My Wife." He also dabbled in television ("Marty Robbins'
Spotlight") and stock car racing. He left Columbia Records in 1972 to
begin a three-year stint at Decca (later MCA) Records; though he had
some success there, he returned to Columbia in late 1975.
During his 31-year recording career, Robbins had 94 songs make
Billboard's country charts, with 16 going to No. 1; 31 of his songs
also placed on the Hot 100. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame in 1982, just two months before suffering his third heart
attack (he had also suffered heart attacks in 1969 and 1981). He
underwent a quadruple bypass at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville,
Tenn., but died Dec. 8, 1982. His only posthumous country hit came in
1983, when he scored a No. 10 hit with "Honkytonk Man", the title track
to Clint Eastwood's film. While cowboy and western songs were his
trademark, it was Robbins' style, grace and dignity, plus his on-stage
ability to communicate with his audience and understated sense of humor
that made him one of country music's most beloved performers.