Marty Robbins Biography

Marty Robbins, (September 26, 1925 - December 8, 1982), was an American Country & Western Hall of Fame musician. He was one of the most popular and successful country singers of his era. For most of his nearly four-decade career, Robbins was rarely far from the country music charts. Several of his songs became pop hits, as well.

Born Martin David Robinson near Glendale, Arizona, Robbins served in the United States Navy as an LCT coxswain during World War II. To pass the time during the war, he learned to play the guitar, started writing songs, and grew to love Hawaiian music.

After his discharge from the military in 1945, he started playing at local venues in Phoenix, then moved on to host his own radio station show, on KTYL, and ended up with his own television (TV) show on KPHO in Phoenix. After Little Jimmy Dickens made a guest appearance on Robbins' TV show, Dickens got Robbins a record deal with Columbia. He went on to become an immensely popular singing star of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.