ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Faron Young (5 songs)
This Shreveport LA-native singer-songwriter-guitarist also acted in several movies. He joined the “Louisiana Hayride” (1951), then served in the US Army (1952-1954). Known as “The Young Sheriff”, he is the founder & 1-time publisher of the “Music City News” magazine. He died of a self-inflected gunshot, 12/10/1996.
#1
This song debuted 04/02/1955 (just over 60 years ago!) & spent 22 weeks on the charts, 3 of those at #1. It was his 5th straight Top 10 & 1st chart topper. His debut release, 1953’s “Goin’ Steady”, had peaked at #2, while the single released prior to this song, 1954-5’s “If You Ain’t Lovin’”, had peaked at #2 for 3 weeks. The last song in the stretch of 6 straight Top 10s was 1955’s “All Right”, which reached #2 for 4 weeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e1b68vx38Y
#2
Following a 2nd stretch of 6 straight Top 10s (which included tunes like 1956’s “Sweet Dreams”, #2, & 1957’s “I Miss You Already”, #5), his last 2 releases in 1957 failed to crack the Top 10. Then, this song, his 1st release in 1958, hit the airwaves 06/23/1958 & spent 29 weeks on the country charts, 13 of those at #1. It crossed over & reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100.
#3
This song, his 4th release in 1959, became his 1st Top 10 that year. This single debuted 07/20/1959 & spent 32 weeks on the charts, 4 of those at #1. His prior Top 10 was late 1958’s “That’s The Way I Feel” (#9). 2 of his last 3 releases in 1959 peaked in the Top 10 in early 1960: “Riverboat” (#4) & “Face To The Wall” (#10).
#4
Arguably his signature tune, this song hit the airwaves 03/20/1961 & spent 23 weeks on the country charts, 9 of those at #1. This single crossed over & reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100; it also won him a Hall Of Fame Grammy award. It was his 2nd release in 1961 & also followed 3 releases in 1960, only 1 of which reached the Top 10: “Your Old Used To Be” (#5).
#5
From 1962 to 1970, he released 28 singles, 14 of which reached the Top 10, including tunes like 1962’s “The Comeback” (#4), 1964’s “Keeping Up With The Joneses” (#5) & 1969’s “Wine Me Up” (#2, 2 weeks). This song, his 3rd release in 1971, debuted 12/04/1971 & spent 20 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at #1. It was his 8th straight Top 10, preceded in 1971 by “Step Aside” (#6) & “Leavin’ & Sayin’ Goodbye” (#9). The streak of Top 10s stretched to 9 with 1972’s “This Little Girl Of Mine” (#5). Of 19 releases 1973-1989, only 2 reached the Top 10: 1973’s “Just What I Had In Mind” (#9) & 1974’s “Some Kind Of A Woman” (#8).