The Life of Marty Robbins
By Diane Diekman
Hardcover, 304 pages ($26.95)
The late Robbins had a passion for both country music and stock cars, often hustling on Saturday nights to make it from the Nashville fairgrounds racetrack to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. The author, who similarly profiled country star Faron Young in 2007, examines Robbins’ success in both fields, painting a well-researched, compelling narrative that traces the singing, songwriting, NASCAR-driving entertainer’s roots back to a nomadic Arizona childhood, an abusive and alcoholic father, a World War II stint in the U.S. Navy, and the confidence-boosting discovery of the natural musical gifts that eventually earned him 16 No. 1 hits and two Grammys.
Found in: Editor's Picks
