Download Free Marty Robbins * Songs

Marty Robbins music biography continued...

As a child he relished listening to the songs his grandfather sang about cowboys, but he didn't pursue a career in music himself until after he served in the Navy during World War II. Back in Phoenix, Robbins formed a band called the K-Bar Cowboys, which performed in local clubs, eventually landing a job on a local radio show. Soon after, the station's television affiliate recruited Robbins to host his own musical variety show, Western Caravan. There, Robbins met guest artist Jimmy Dickens, who recommended Robbins to his record label, Columbia. Robbins was signed to the label in 1951, and had his first country #1 song in 1956 with "Singing the Blues." The following year, however, he became famous with pop fans nationwide when he released the smash "White Sport Coat." He followed up this success with the singles "She Was Only Seventeen" and "Stairway of Love," but it was not until 1959 that Robbins gave audiences his best-remembered, trademark hit, "El Paso," story song that garnered Robbins his first Grammy Award, the first Grammy ever awarded in the country and western category.



In the 1960s, Robbins continued to string together hits in the western storytelling and bluesy country love song traditions. He hit the charts with "Big Iron" in 1960, "Don't Worry" in 1961, the melodious "Devil Woman" in 1962, and "The Cowboy in the Continental Suit" in 1964. In the late 1960s Robbins suffered a massive heart attack, and underwent bypass surgery in 1970, a relatively new procedure at the time. He recovered quickly, though, and later that year came back with his second Grammy-winning single, the love ballad "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife." Robbins released another successful single in 1976 with "El Paso City," a sequel to "El Paso." Although "El Paso City" was Robbins's last real hit, he continued to be an active recording artist and performed at the Grand Ole Opry almost until his death from another massive heart attack on December 8, 1982.