(Born: Feb 25, 1932 in Shreveport, LA; Died: Dec 10, 1996)

Originally known as the “Hillbilly Heartthrob” and the “Singing Sheriff,” Faron Young had one of the longest-running and most popular careers in country music history. Emerging in the early ’50s, Young was one of the most popular honky tonkers to appear in the wake of Hank Williams’ death, partially because he was able to smooth out some of the grittiest elements his music. At first, he balanced honky tonk with pop vocal phrasing and flourishes. This combination of grit and polish resulted in a streak of Top 10 hits — including “If You Ain’t Lovin’,” “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young,” “Sweet Dreams” “Alone With You” and “Country Girl” — that ran throughout the ’50s. During the ’60s, Young gave himself over to country-pop, and while the hits weren’t quite as big, they didn’t stop coming until the early ’80s. Through that time, he was a staple at the Grand Ole Opry and various television shows, including Nashville Now, and he also founded the major country music magazine, Music City News. Most importantly, he continued to seek out new songwriters — including Don Gibson, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson — thereby cultivating a new generation of talent. Faron Young was born and raised outside of Shreveport, Louisiana. While he was growing up on his father’s dairy farm, he was given a guitar, and by the time he entered high school, he had begun singing in a country band. Following high school, he briefly attended college, before he left school to join the Louisiana Hayride as a regular performer. While on the Hayride, he met Webb Pierce and in a short time, the pair were touring throughout the south, singing as a duo in various nightclubs and honky tonks. In 1951, he recorded “Have I Waited Too Long” “Tattle Tale Tears” for the independent label Gotham. After hearing the singles, Capitol Records decided to buy Young’s contract away from Gotham in 1952. That same year, he was invited to perform regularly on the Grand Ole Opry. Just as his career was taking off, Young was drafted into the Army to serve in the Korean War. Assigned to the Special Service division, he sang for the troops in Asia and appeared on recruitment shows; while on leave, he recorded his debut Capitol, “Goin’ Steady.” Upon its early 1953 release, it climbed to number two on the country charts and it was followed in the summer by “I Can’t Wait (For the Sun to Go Down),” which hit number five. Young was discharged from the Army in November of 1954, releasing “If You Ain’t Lovin,” his biggest hit to date, shortly after he returned. The single was quickly followed in the spring of 1955 by “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young,” which became his first number one hit, and the number two single, “All Right…”  During the ’90s, Young was stricken with a debilitating emphysema. Depressed by his poor health, he shot himself on December 9, 1996 and passed away the next day. Though he was under-appreciated toward the end of his career, Faron Young was a ground-breaking vocalist during the ’50s, and he remains one of the finest honky tonkers of his time. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine