"Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story," published by the University of Illinois Press, can be found at http://www.uiuc.edu/goto/f07diekman. Those who would like a personalized autograph to paste in their books can request a paper bookplate from http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/Diekman.BookplateRequest.pdf. And I would much appreciate comments on Faron's biography to be posted to Amazon.com at http://tinyurl.com/3dsu2a.
FARON YOUNG, TWENTY-THREE YEARS AGO: Faron appeared as a guest on Nashville
Now on November 23, 1984. Ralph Emery commented, "I have never seen you so dressed up in my life," and asked if he had jury duty somewhere. Tennessee Ernie Ford, another guest on the show, said, "Looks like he's gonna go preach." Faron said, "I buy one suit a year, just in case somebody I know dies. I can be ready for them." He was on his way to the Opryhouse, just down the street from the television studio. "It'll be the first time I sang on the Grand Ole Opry in 21 years," he said. He planned to sing "Wine Me Up" and "It's Four in the Morning."
LETTERS:
Ray Emmett says, "We had a great time on Saturday night and it was really cool to have a full house. People came from all over the country. Thanks for the chance to play some Faron Young music one last time."
Linda Kyle (Ray's daughter) asks, "Did anyone happen to record it as well? I sure would love to hear that."
Arie den Dulk asks from Holland, "Will the ET show in which you participated be put on line? I missed the broadcast as it started too early in the morning for me!"
Response: I don't know if the show was recorded. I didn't discuss a recording with anyone. And I didn't get enough good photos to post on my Web site. I was enjoying the moment and not thinking about preserving it.
Virgie Warren writes from Flushing, Michigan, "I heard the live show Sat.night and really enjoyed it."
Maheen Wickramasinghe in Canada says, "I have finished reading 3 chapters so far and wow!!! I can't tell you how entertaining this is! Diane, you sure have done an awful lot of research and interviews, my college tutor and I are enjoying it an awful lot! She is reading it all to me bless her heart. I just thought I'd let you know that my tutor is now learning about Faron! New Marty Robbins yahoo discussion group up and running! If anyone wants to join, please subscribe at martyrobbins-subscribe@yahoogroups.com."
Jerry Hill writes, "It was a real pleasure meeting you on Nov. 10th at the ET Record Shop downtown Nashville, and then again later that night for the show with all The Deputies. I was glad to see the huge turnout and the show was great! . . . I started reading your book the next day, Sunday, and couldn't put it down until I got so sleepy that I had to go to bed! I finished it the next day, I will no doubt give it time to "cool off" then I will re-read it! What a great show with Robin and his band and then all the former Deputies! It was a birthday for me to cherish! The first time I met Faron I was a teenager singing rock & roll on the promoter's live TV show in the San Francisco bay area, in Oakland at Jack London Square, KTVU which I think is now a Fox affiliate but still located in Jack London Square. The Saturday TV live show was followed by a Sat. night show at the Dream Bowl, a big hall that used to host big bands during the WWII years, and was located on a two lane highway between Vallejo and Napa, CA. I met Faron briefly at the TV show but got to talk to him at length in the dressing room at the Dreambowl. I would go on for two or three spots during the evening and Faron did two shows. I went out in front to stand with the other people for his second show. He did a few songs then he told the crowd that they had a talented, young man that was part of the package show and told them to give Jerry Hill a big round of applause and he then called me up on stage to sing a song with him. Faron said, "I sing a little rock & roll too, but come on Jerry, let's do one together." I don't remember what song we did, but it could have been Blue Suede Shoes. It was totally unexpected and I was so nervous singing with Faron that my knees were shaking! I will never forget that experience, the kindness that he showed me! What a showman he was!"
