Faron Young

In failing health, he died by suicide at the age of 64 in 1996. Young is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

• Name — Faron Young • Birth Name — Faron Young • Alias — The Hillbilly Heartthrob The Singing Sheriff The Young Sheriff • Born — 25 February 1932 • Birthplace — Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. • Died — 10 December 1996 • Place of death — Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. • Instrument — Guitar • Genre — * Country • honky-tonk • Occupation — Musician, singer-songwriter, actor • Years Active — 1951–1994 • Label — Gotham, Capitol, Mercury, MCA, Step One

Young was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the youngest of six children of Harlan and Doris Young. He grew up on a dairy farm his family operated outside the city. Young began singing at an early age, imagining a career as a pop singer, but after he joined some friends watching Hank Williams perform with nine encores on the Louisiana Hayride, Young switched to country music, instead. He performed at the local Optimist Club and was discovered by Webb Pierce, who brought him to star on the Louisiana Hayride in 1951, then broadcast on KWKH-AM. He graduated from Fair Park High School that year and attended Centenary College of Louisiana.

Young recorded in Shreveport. His first releases were on Philadelphia's Gotham Records. By February 1952, he was signed to Capitol Records, where he recorded for the next 10 years. His first Capitol single appeared that spring. Young moved to Nashville and recorded his first chart hit, "Goin' Steady", in October 1952. His career was sidetracked when he was drafted into the United States Army the following month. "Goin' Steady" hit the Billboard country chart while Young was in basic training. It peaked at number two, and the US Army Band took Young to replace Eddie Fisher on tours—its first country music singer—just as "If You Ain't Lovin'" was hitting the chart. He was discharged in November 1954 and returned to Nashville. From 1954 to 1962, Young recorded many honky-tonk songs for Capitol, including the first hit version of Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams". Most famous was "Hello Walls", a Willie Nelson song Young turned into a crossover hit in 1961. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. • Illustration — Faron Young in Raiders of Old California (1957) During the mid-1950s, Young starred in four low-budget films: Hidden Guns, Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer, Raiders of Old California, and Country Music Holiday. He appeared as himself in cameo roles and performances in later country music films and was a frequent guest on television shows throughout his career, including ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee. His band, the Country Deputies, was one of country music's top bands who toured for many years. He invested in real estate along Nashville's Music Row in the 1960s, and in 1963, co-founded, with Preston Temple, the trade magazine, Music City News. The same year, Young switched to Mercury Records and drifted musically, but by the end of the decade, he had returned to his sound, including "Wine Me Up". Released in 1971, the waltz-time ballad "It's Four in the Morning", written by Jerry Chesnut, was one of Young's best records and his last number-one hit, also becoming his only major success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. By the mid-1970s, his records were becoming overshadowed by his behavior, making headlines in 1972, when he was charged with assault for spanking a girl in the audience at a concert in Clarksburg, West Virginia, whom he claimed spat on him, and for other later incidents. In the mid-1970s, Young was the spokesman for BC Powder. Young signed with MCA Records in 1979; the association lasted two years. Nashville independent label Step One Records signed him in 1988, where he recorded into the early 1990s (including a duet album with Ray Price), then withdrew from public view. Although country acts including BR549 were putting his music before audiences in the mid-1990s, Young apparently felt the music industry, which had undergone a revolution of sorts in 1991, had mostly rejected him. Faron Young's son Robyn followed him into the country music business starting in 1975. Robyn was the main headliner at his father's night club, Faron Young's Jailhouse. In the early 1980s, Robyn began touring with his father, performing as an opening act.

Young briefly dated Billie Jean Jones before she became the second wife of country music superstar Hank Williams. Jones met Williams through Young; they went on to wed in October 1952. In 1952, while Young was stationed at Fort McPherson, he met his future wife, Hilda Macon, the daughter of an Army master sergeant and the great-granddaughter of Uncle Dave Macon. The couple married two years later in November 1954 after Young was discharged from the Army. They had four children, sons Damion, Robyn, and Kevin, and a daughter Alana. Young's later life was plagued with bouts of depression and alcoholism. In 1972, Young was arrested and charged with assault for spanking a girl in the audience at a concert in Clarksburg, West Virginia, after claiming she spat on him. Young appeared before a Wood County, West Virginia, justice of the peace and was fined $24, plus $11 in court costs. On the night of December 4, 1984, Young fired a pistol into the kitchen ceiling of his Harbor Island home. When he refused to seek help for his drinking problem, Young and his wife Hilda separated, sold their home, and bought individual houses. When asked at the divorce trial if he feared hurting someone by shooting holes into the ceiling, Young answered "Not whatsoever." The couple divorced after 34 years of marriage in 1987. A combination of feeling he had been abandoned by country music, and despondency over his deteriorating health, were cited as possible reasons as to why Young shot himself on December 9, 1996, then died in Nashville the following day. He was later cremated. His ashes were spread by his family over Old Hickory Lake outside Nashville at Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash's home while the Cashes were away.

In 2012, the UK-based Jasmine Records released a budget-minded two-CD box set entitled Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young: The Early Album Collection. The set focused on Young's first four albums. Later in 2012, Real Gone Music released a similar compilation, which combined Young's first six albums with key singles. Two years before Young's death, German independent record label Bear Family Records released a box set entitled The Classic Years 1952–1962, which showcased Young's early recordings for Capitol. It did not include Young's recordings for Mercury or Step One. Young's final recordings were released on a CD entitled Are You Hungry? Eat Your Import by the record label Showboat Records, which was founded by fellow country music star Liz Anderson.

• Year — Album — US Country — Label • 1957 — Sweethearts or Strangers — — — Capitol T-778 • 1958 — The Object of My Affection — — — Capitol T-1004 • 1959 — This Is Faron Young! — — — Capitol T-1096 • My Garden of Prayer — — — Capitol T-1185 • Talk About Hits! — — — Capitol T-1245 • 1960 — Faron Young Sings the Best of Faron Young — — — Capitol ST-1450 • 1961 — Hello Walls — — — Capitol ST-1528 • The Young Approach — — — Capitol ST-1634 • 1963 — All Time Greatest Hits — — — Capitol DT-2037 • This Is Faron — — — Mercury SR-60785 • Aims at the West — 11 — Mercury SR-60840 • 1964 — Story Songs for Country Folks — 7 — Mercury SR-60896 • Country Dance Favorites — 7 — Mercury SR-60931 • Story Songs of Mountains and Valleys — — — Mercury SR-60931 • 1965 — Pen and Paper — — — Mercury SR-61007 • Greatest Hits — — — Mercury SR-61047 • 1966 — Sings the Songs of Jim Reeves — 18 — Mercury SR-61058 • 1967 — Unmitigated Gall — 18 — Mercury SR-61110 • 1968 — Greatest Hits Vol. 2 — 24 — Mercury SR-61143 • Here's Faron Young — 35 — Mercury SR-61174 • 1969 — I've Got Precious Memories — 38 — Mercury SR-61212 • Wine Me Up — 13 — Mercury SR-61241 • 1970 — The Best of Faron Young — 45 — Mercury SR-61267 • Occasional Wife — 31 — Mercury SR-61275 • 1971 — Step Aside — 19 — Mercury SR-61337 • Leavin' and Sayin' Goodbye — 23 — Mercury SR-61354 • 1972 — Its Four in the Morning — 11 — Mercury SR-61359 • This Little Girl of Mine — 17 — Mercury SR-61364 • 1973 — This Time the Hurtin's on Me — 19 — Mercury SR-61376 • Just What I Had in Mind — 26 — Mercury SRM1-674 • 1974 — Some Kind of a Woman — 25 — Mercury SRM1-698 • A Man and His Music — 45 — Mercury SRM1-1016 • 1976 — I'd Just Be Fool Enough — — — Mercury SRM1-1075 • 1977 — The Best of Faron Young Vol. 2 — 32 — Mercury SRM1-1130 • 1978 — That Young Feelin — — — Mercury SRM1-5005 • 1979 — Chapter Two — — — MCA 3092 • 1980 — Free and Easy — — — MCA 3212 • 1983 — Faron Young's Black Tie Country — — — 51 West Q 16296 • 1987 — Funny How Time Slips Away (with Willie Nelson) — — — Columbia FC 39484 • Here's to You — — — Step One SOR 0040 • Greatest Hits 1–3 — — — Step One SOR 43/44/45 • 1988 — Country Christmas — — — Step One SOP 0059 • 1990 — Memories That Last (with Ray Price) — — — Step One SOP 0068 • 1993 — Live in Branson — — — Laserlight 12137

• Year — Single — Chart positions — Album • US Country — US — AU — CAN Country • 1951 — "Hot Rod Shot Gun Boogie No 2" — — — — — — — — — singles only • 1952 — "You're Just Imagination" — — — — — — — — • "I Heard the Juke Box Playing" — — — — — — — — • "Tattle Tale Tears" — — — — — — — — — This Is Faron Young • "Foolish Pride" — — — — — — — — — singles only • "Saving My Tears for Tomorrow" — — — — — — — — • "Goin' Steady" — 2 — — — — — — — This Is Faron Young • 1953 — "I Can't Wait (For the Sun to Go Down)" — 5 — — — — — — — singles only • "That's What I'd Do for You" — — — — — — — — • "I'm Gonna Tell Santa Claus on You" — — — — — — — — • "Just Married" — — — — — — — — — This Is Faron Young • 1954 — "They Made Me Fall in Love with You" — — — — — — — — — singles only • "A Place for Girls Like You" — 8 — — — — — — • "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')" — 2 — — — — — — — This Is Faron Young • 1955 — "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young" — 1 — — — — — — • "God Bless God" — — — — — — — — — singles only • "Go Back, You Fool" — 11 — — — — — — • "It's a Great Life (If You Don't Weaken)" — 5 — — — — — — — This Is Faron Young • 1956 — "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night" — 4 — — — — — — • "Sweet Dreams" — 2 — — — — — — • "Turn Her Down" — 9 — — — — — — — singles only • "I Miss You Already (And You're Not Even Gone)" — 5 — — — — — — • 1957 — "The Shrine of St. Cecilia" — 15 — 96 — — — — • "Love Has Finally Come My Way" — 12 — — — — — — • "Vacation's Over" — — — — — — — — • "Locket" — — — — — — — — • 1958 — "I Can't Dance" — — — — — — — — • "Alone with You" — 1 — 51 — — — — — Sings the Best • "That's the Way I Feel" — 9 — — — — — — — singles only • "Last Night at a Party" — 20 — — — — — — • 1959 — "That's the Way It's Gotta Be" — 14 — — — — — — — Sings the Best • "Country Girl" — 1 — — — — — — • "Riverboat" — 4 — 83 — — — — • 1960 — "Your Old Used to Be" — 5 — — — — — — • "There's Not Any Like You Left" — 21 — — — — — — — Hello Walls • "Forget the Past" — 20 — — — — — — • 1961 — "Hello Walls" — 1 — 12 — 69 — — • "Backtrack" — 8 — 89 — 70 — — — The Young Approach • 1962 — "Three Days" — 7 — — — — — — • "The Comeback" — 4 — — — — — — — single only • "Down by the River" — 9 — — — — — — — All Time Greatest Hits • 1963 — "The Yellow Bandana" — 4 — 114 — 65 — — — This Is Faron • "I've Come to Say Goodbye" — 30 — — — — — — • "We've Got Something in Common" — 13 — — — — — — • "You'll Drive Me Back (Into Her Arms Again)" — 10 — — — — — — — singles only • 1964 — "Keeping Up with the Joneses" (with Margie Singleton) — 5 — — — — — — • "Old Courthouse" — 48 — — — — — — — Story Songs for Country Folks • "Another Woman's Man – Another Man's Woman" (with Margie Singleton) — 38 — — — — — — — single only • "My Friend on the Right" — 11 — — — — — — — Story Songs of Mountains and Valleys • 1965 — "Walk Tall" — 10 — — — — — — — Greatest Hits • "Nothing Left to Lose" — 34 — — — — — — • "My Dreams" — 14 — — — — — — — Unmitigated Gall • 1966 — "You Don't Treat Me Right" — — — — — — — — • "Unmitigated Gall" — 7 — — — — — — • 1967 — "I Guess I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night" — 48 — — — — — — • "Wonderful World of Women" — 14 — — — — — — — Greatest Hits Vol. 2 • 1968 — "She Went a Little Bit Farther" — 14 — — — — — 32 — Here's Faron Young • "I Just Came to Get My Baby" — 8 — — — — — 1 • 1969 — "I've Got Precious Memories" — 25 — — — — — — — I've Got Precious Memories • "Wine Me Up" — 2 — — — — — 3 — Wine Me Up • "Your Time's Coming" — 4 — — — — — — • 1970 — "Occasional Wife" — 6 — — — — — 15 — Occasional Wife • "If I Ever Fall in Love (With a Honky Tonk Girl)" — 4 — — — — — 2 • "Goin' Steady" — 5 — — — — — 8 — Step Aside • 1971 — "Step Aside" — 6 — — — — — 11 • "Leavin' and Sayin' Goodbye" — 9 — — — — — 11 — Leavin' and Sayin' Goodbye • "It's Four in the Morning" — 1 — 92 — 9 — 1 — It's Four in the Morning • 1972 — "This Little Girl of Mine" — 5 — — — — — 3 — This Little Girl of Mine • "Woman's Touch" — — — — — — — — • 1973 — "She Fights That Lovin' Feeling" — 15 — — — — — 6 — This Time The Hurtin's on Me • "Just What I Had in Mind" — 9 — — — — — 9 — Just What I Had in Mind • 1974 — "Some Kind of a Woman" — 8 — — — — — 6 — Some Kind of a Woman • "The Wrong in Loving You" — 20 — — — — — 22 • "Another You" — 23 — — — — — — — A Man and His Music • 1975 — "Here I Am in Dallas" — 16 — — — — — 49 — The Best of Faron Young Vol. 2 • "Feel Again" — 21 — — — — — 15 • 1976 — "I'd Just Be Fool Enough" — 33 — — — — — — — I'd Just Be Fool Enough • "(The Worst You Ever Gave Me Was) The Best I Ever Had" — 30 — — — — — — — The Best of Faron Young Vol. 2 • 1977 — "Crutches" — 25 — — — — — — — That Young Feelin • 1978 — "Loving Here and Living There and Lying in Between" — 38 — — — — — — • 1979 — "The Great Chicago Fire" — 67 — — — — — 30 — Chapter Two • "That Over Thirty Look" — 69 — — — — — 68 • 1980 — "(If I'd Only Known) It Was the Last Time" — 56 — — — — — 74 — Free and Easy • "Tearjoint" — 72 — — — — — — — singles only • 1981 — "Until the Bitter End" — 88 — — — — — — • "Pull Up a Pillow" — — — — — — — — • 1982 — "He Stopped Loving Her Today" — — — — — — — — — "Black Tie Country" • 1988 — "Stop and Take the Time" — 100 — — — — — — • "Here's to You" — 87 — — — — — — • 1989 — "It's Four in the Morning" — — — — — — — — — Greatest Hits 1–3 • 1991 — "Just an Ol' Heartache" — — — — — — — — — single only • 1992 — "Memories That Last" (with Ray Price) — — — — — — — — — Memories That Last • "Too Big to Fight" (with Ray Price) — — — — — — — — • "Christmas Song" — — — — — — — — — Country Christmas

• Year — B-side — US Country — Original A-side • 1955 — "Forgive Me, Dear" — flip — "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young" • "All Right" — 2 — "Go Back, You Fool" • "For the Love of a Woman Like You" — flip — "It's a Great Life (If You Don't Weaken)" • 1956 — "You're Still Mine" — 3 — "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night" • "Until I Met You" — flip — "Sweet Dreams" • "I'll Be Satisfied with Love" — flip — "Turn Her Down" • 1957 — "I'm Gonna Live Some Before I Die" — flip — "I Miss You Already (And You're Not Even Gone)" • 1958 — "Every Time I'm Kissing You" — 10 — "Alone with You" • "I Hate Myself" — 22 — "That's the Way I Feel" • "A Long Time Ago" — 16 — "Last Night at a Party" • 1959 — "I Hear You Talkin'" — 27 — "Country Girl" • "Face to the Wall" — 10 — "Riverboat" • 1960 — "A World So Full of Love" — 28 — "Forget the Past" • 1961 — "Congratulations" — 28 — "Hello Walls" • 1963 — "Nightmare" — 14 — "I've Come to Say Goodbye" • 1964 — "No Thanks, I Just Had One" (with Margie Singleton) — 40 — "Keeping Up with the Joneses" • "Rhinestones" — 23 — "Old Courthouse" • 1979 — "Second Hand Emotion" — 70 — "That Over Thirty Look"

• Year — Single — Artist — Peak chart positions — Album • US Country • 1985 — "One Big Family" — Heart of Nashville — 61 — single only

• Year — Video — Director • 1985 — "One Big Family" (Heart of Nashville) — Steve Von Hagel

• 1956 Hidden Guns • 1956 Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer • 1957 Raiders of Old California • 1958 Country Music Holiday • 1966 Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar • 1966 Nashville Rebel • 1967 What Am I Bid? • 1967 The Road to Nashville • 1977 That's Country