One can only imagine how bright Marty Robbins‘ star would have become if he hadn’t passed away when he was only 57 years old. But Robbins still managed to leave a lasting impact in his short time on this Earth, and is regarded as one of country music’s finest.
Robbins was one of the most successful crossover artists of his time, with hits on both the country and pop charts. Due to their crossover success, many of Robbins’ songs are treasured around the world, especially his iconic hit “El Paso.”
In 2009, some of the biggest stars in country music got together to honor an even bigger star…George Strait. “The King of Country” had been selected as the ACM’s “Artist of the Decade,” and a tribute concert was set up in his honor.
Other than Strait, the ACM also made the point to honor artists who played an influential role in previous decades. Robbins was the chosen artist to represent the 1960s, and rightfully so. His songs dominated the charts during the decade, making his voice the defining sound of the time.
Keith Urban was given the honor of paying tribute to Robbins at the ACM Artist of the Decade All-Star Concert, and he didn’t take his task lightly. Standing front and center while images of Robbins flashed behind him, Urban began crooning the song “Singing the Blues,” which Robbins was the first artist to record. One of the best moments came when Urban threw a little yodel into his performance, which made the crowd cheer with delight.
After “Singing the Blues,” Urban played a short, but impressive solo on his guitar to lead into Robbins’ signature piece, “El Paso.” After he made his way through the song’s heartbreaking final lines, he quickly transitioned into the upbeat “A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation).”
You can tell that Urban took the time to master each one of Robbins’ songs, and he put forth a worthy performance as a result. Tune in to the video below to check it out.
We feel that Robbins would have been touched to hear his songs done in such a respectful way. We sure do miss him…