The Marty Robbins Page

Sep. 26, 1925
Glendale, Arizona 		Martin David Robinson
Marty Robbins 		Dec. 8, 1982
Nashville, Tennesee

Marty was a legendary singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982, and won 2 Grammys ( El Paso,1960 and My Woman, My Woman, My Wife, 1971). In addition to inspiring numerous country singers, he also influenced the Beatles, The Gateful Dead, and many others . Although best known for his cowboy ballads, his musical career spans a broad range of styles. Apparently the only published book about Marty is the bibliography:

Marty Robbins: Fast Cars and Country Music

( The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Metuchen, New Jersey, 1990.)

by Barbara J. Pruett.

This book lists every known newspaper article, magazine story, or book that mentions Marty. It also includes a listing of musical and TV appearances, several interviews, and a complete racing history.

Kristy has a great on-line tribute page with lots of details.

The "Marty Robbins Memorial Showcase", is a museum and gift shop. It is located at:
2613 McGavock Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
615-885-1515

The business office for Maripose Music, managed by Ronny Robbins (Marty's son ), is located at:
Marty Robbin's, Inc.
713 18th Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37203
615-327-3752

Discography

Kristy's tribute has a good discography of his albums. Marty also was included on numerous country music compilations.

Hits

A list of his Country hits, as collected by the Hitdude

Films

His image as the Cowboy Singer was defined by his choice of songs, and complemented by his numerous film credits. (see also his IMDB entry.)

He wrote the music for the German film, "Der Tod der Maria Malibran" (The Death of Maria Malibran ) (1971).
( this list was compiled from a combinatin of E! and the Internet Movie Database

TV

The following information is from Pruett's bibiliography, which also lists the songs performed. Videos of many of these are available from Nashville collection

The early years: Marty had 2 television series in Phoenix. No known tapes exist.

Mid-1950's: "Stars of the Grand Ole Opry".
Later shown as "Country Caravan", and "Classic Country".
The Contry Music Foundation Library has a nearly complete set.

1965: 13 Episodes of "The Drifter", featuring Marty as a singing cowboy.

1969: 39 Episodes, 2 seasons of "The Marty Robbins Show".

1978-9 : "Marty Robbins' Spotlight".

Jan. 24 1983: Marty appeared on Austin City Limits, with Roger "dang me" Miller. His set list:

Quotes


Every day is a good day to be alive, whether the sun's shining or not.
I have so much fun on stage that I should have to pay to get in.
The great songs just come out. If it comes quick, just leave it that way.
I didn't choose a word or anything. I just wrote the song until it stopped.
Talent is being able to please people.


When I was little, that's what I wanted to be: Gene Autry.
[Frankie Starr] gave me $10 for three hours work! That was a lot of money to me. ... That was great, getting paid that much for doing something that I loved!
I wrote White Sport Coat in 11 miles in 1956. ... Where that idea came from, I have no idea.
I only drank for three years of my life, but I drank enough in those three years to last me the rest of my life. ... It's a religious thing.
I was wild, baaad. I was real bad. A real bad-ass.

Source .
"I'm in this business because I despise honest labor."
NY Times obit.

Miscellanea

Marty's Influence


Lothar in Germany has an extensive and user-friendly database called The Beatles Legacy Listing. Apparently the Beatles did a version of the Robbins' classic "A White Sport Coat" in some live performance. I would love to get a tape of that. Also, during the Get Back sessions, they played 2 Melvin Endsley tunes which were originally recorded by Marty: "Knee Deep in the Blues" (1957) and "Singin' the Blues" (1956).

Marty's "El Paso" was a standard for The Grateful Dead. It is on the live album Steal Your Face (1976), in addition to a gazillion bootlegs. Marty's version appears in The Music Never Stopped, a compilation of original recordings of songs covered by the Dead.
See also Roots of the Grateful Dead, which is just Trace Shelton's discussion of El Paso.

An annotated portion of Don Mclean's "American Pie", from the Mudcat Cafe

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
"A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)", was a hit for Marty Robbins in 1957. The pickup truck has endured as a symbol of sexual independence and potency, especially in a Texas context. (Also, Jimmy Buffet does a song about "a white sport coat and a pink crustacean". )

Random Marty Links

tunes.com
Search the Mudcat Cafe for marty info.
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