TC_08-17_OnlinEdition

Entertainment Beat
Continued
his hit song, “Don’t Worry.” After closing
the song with a final strum on the
guitar, he asked, “Now, what do you
want me to sing, Bill?” As directed by
Bob, I said, “Please sing ‘The Hand
You’re Holding Now,’
Marty.” Marty smiled
and humbly mumbled,
“I knew you’d ask for
this song.” He sang the
song, stood up from the
chair, shook my hand
and said, “Well, I must
be running, Bill. Gotta
get back to Nashville!
It was a pleasure to be
on the radio program
with you and your many
listeners.”
After Marty exited
the set, Bob yelled, “Cut!
That’s a ‘take’! Print it!
Great job, Bill! We got it
done in one take!”
Marty walked up to
me and shouted, “One
take! Man, you’re gonna
be a big movie star when this picture is
released!”
I said, “Marty, is that all I’m doing in
the movie? I thought you told me to take
a week off!”
Marty smiled, “Yep, I sure did. Now,
I’ve got a check for you for your services
in the movie. Then, I want you to take
a few days off to be with me as we
have some fun here in Nashville! We’ll
celebrate the fact you’re gonna be a big
In addition to his
talent as a singer,
he was a mimic.
Marty could capture
the voice and
styling of countless
entertainers.
movie star!”
The movie, “Country Music,” was
released by Universal Pictures in 1972.
Although it was a bomb at the boxoffice,
I’ll always appreciate Marty’s
efforts to make me a
movie star.
Marty Robbins
career began to grow
rapidly with his first super
hit, “A White Sport Coat
(and a Pink Carnation)”
in1957. Then, he won a
Grammy for the dynamic
hit, “El Paso” in 1959,
followed by the #1 charttopper,
“Don’t Worry”, in
1961. Another Grammy
winning gem, “My
Woman, My Woman,
My Wife” was released
in1970, followed by
several other big hits.
He was to receive many
outstanding awards
including his becoming a
member of the Nashville
Songwriters Hall-of-Fame in 1982 and
induction in the prestigious Country
Music Hall-of-Fame on October 11,
1982. His name is also in the Hollywood
Walk-of-Fame.
Sadly, Marty had a history of
cardiovascular disease. After his third
heart attack, he died in a Nashville
hospital at age 57. Marty Robbins
will always be very special to me and
millions of others.
Visit Bill at BillMackCountry.com
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