Twentieth century drifter
Subtitle: the life of Marty Robbins
By: Diane Diekman
Series: Music in American life; Music in American life
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Urbana
Language: eng
Number of pages: 280
ISBN-13: 9780252036323
Subjects: Country musicians; Automobile racing drivers; Biography
Description: Drawing from personal interviews and in-depth research, biographer Diane Diekman explains how Robbins saw himself as a drifter, a man always searching for self-fulfilment and inner peace. Born Martin David Robinson to a hardworking mother and abusive alcoholic father, he never fully escaped from the insecurities burned into him by a poverty-stricken nomadic childhood in the Arizona desert. In 1947 he got his first gig as a singer and guitar player. Too nervous to talk, the shy young man walked onstage singing. Soon he changed his name to Marty Robbins, cultivated his magnetic stage presence, and established himself as an entertainer, songwriter, and successful NASCAR driver.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.