Customer Reviews

Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story (Music in American Life)

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This is one of the best biographies I have ever read about anyone. This book is very well-written, as it portrays Faron Young as a person first. Many biographies about musical artists talk way too much about the music, and not enough about the person. Faron Young's music speaks for itself. However, no one has ever known that much about his life, other than that he was a colorful character who sang country music, used salty language and drank too much. Diekman paints a much more detail picture of an outwardly simple, yet internally very complex man. As you read this book, you will feel the tremendous highs and lows that Young went through in his happy yet often painful life. You will also feel the alternating sense of fun and nervous tension that friends and family felt around him. Once I started reading this book, I could not stop. And while I like Faron Young music, I am not what one would consider to be a die-hard fan. This book took me back through Young's life, as well as the lives of those around him. It is also sad to see how such a super talent died so sad and bitter. But after reading this terrific book, I understand why he died as he did. I have read thousands of bios on everyone from John Adams to Patsy Cline. This is definitely in the top three. It is simply WONDERFUL................It reads great, and paints such a illustrative picture of a man who, I thought I knew a little about........but after reading this book, I realize how little I really knew! I'm gonna read it again, and then go out and buy some Faron Young music. BRAVO!

What appeals to me as a reader -- and what I admire about Diane as a writer and biographer -- is that Faron is revealed as a "man in full." Faron possessed a magical voice, a gift for entertaining, an appreciation for his artistic abilities, but he apparently was also possessed by the demons of depression.

Years of research, and a compassionate understanding of the man behind the music, gives readers (and history) a book wherein Diane examines Faron's life and death, never hiding sad truths that sometimes leave a reader reeling, but yet we know she loved and respected the man and his art.

~ Gary <www.garypresley.net>

This book is extremely informative on Faron Young's life, all the way to his horrible death. The writer got to know Faron while he was alive and she did a prodigious amount of research. And she's extremely fair in giving all sides of this complex, troubled performer.

Where the book surprisingly falls a bit short is in conveying the magic of his music. Faron made some great--even iconic--records. As one example, I looked up "Wine Me Up." Diekman recounts that Faron recorded the song and album, but the account is flat: there's no indication of how he hit it out of the ballpark, coming out of nowhere to record what's arguably the greatest drinking record of the '60s. Or "It's Four In The Morning", Faron's last number 1 hit. The writer does not attempt to convey what a great record it was.

That's a small complaint. As someone--Was it Elvis Costello?--said: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture."
For anybody interested in classic honky tonk country, this is a great book.

Faron Young, who is today one of the more underestimated country singers of his generation despite his long career and many hit records, was a hard man for even his friends to peg. That is because, as so aptly described by Diane Diekman in her Faron Young biography, "Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story," he was a man of strong contradictions.

Faron Young was one of the nicest men in the world but he was one very mean drunk and no one wanted to be around him when he was drinking heavily (and that was much of the time). He was extremely generous to those who had less then him (often they were songwriters on the way up, such as Willie Nelson) and were in need of a few hundred dollars to tide them over, but was known to refuse his road band the extra five dollars a day that would have made all the difference in the world to them. He loved his children and considered himself to be a good family man but he made it a point to speak of his youngest daughter as his "only little girl" and never publicly acknowledged the other daughter he had out of wedlock or how terrible his relationship with his oldest sons really was. Faron could curse like a sailor, and he usually did, but would behave respectably around the wives of his band members. He had lots of longtime friends and he had lots of longtime enemies. He was an astute businessman who made some terrible business decisions that cost him a whole lot of money.

All of these contradictions, taken as a whole, are probably why so many people explained their toleration for Young's behavior by saying, "That's just Faron." Connie Smith used those words to explain how someone with her temperament could endure working on the road with the fast-living Faron Young. And even Jean Shepard, as brash as she sometimes appears to be, finally refused to go on the road with him any longer.

Longtime Faron Young fans who witnessed him in his prime will probably still find some surprises in, or have their memories nudged by, Diane Diekman's well-researched and detailed biography. She reminds us that Faron was founder of the influential Music City News and reveals just how much personal money he put into the newspaper in order to keep it afloat long enough for it to pay its own way. Her readers also learn that he would have had more hit records, and number ones, if he had not refused to let his label use payola to move his records up the charts the way record labels bought higher chart positions for so many other singers.

And that is just the beginning of what is packed into "Live Fast, Love Hard." The book covers the childhood that may explain Faron's own cold approach to fatherhood, the national, though bogus, scandals that damaged his career, his failed marriage, and his tragic death at his own hand. About the only thing missing is a comprehensive discography of Faron's recordings, although the book does mention most, if not all, of his record albums and notes which ones include his biggest hits.

So this is a book both for those who are already fans of Faron Young's great voice and for those to whom he is hardly more than a name from country music's past. Put a copy of "Wine Me Up" on the turntable, grab a cold one, prop your boots up on the foot stool, and enjoy this book. If you're not already a Faron Young fan, you probably will be by the time you finish "Live Fast, Love Hard."

I have to be honest...I didn't know much about Faron Young before I started this book. But now that I have finished reading it, I feel like I know him inside and out. Diane's research is incredible. She paints a vivid picture of a man who found tremendous success while battling the demons of alchoholism and depression. This book should be required reading for fans of classic country music.

I am so glad the author wrote this book about Faron Young. I thought he'd been forgotten. His music meant so much to me, but I thought I was the only one who cared.

This is a very comprehensive story about Faron's life and his ascent and descent in the world of country music.

Weaved throughout this story is Faron's alcohol addiction. It resonated with me, because my dad was an alcoholic, and some of the tales hit too close to home. Yet, it was consoling, in a way. It brought back memories that I'd buried about my own father, and allowed me to relive some painful times that I thought I'd long forgotten.

Regardless, I was so glad that someone thought enough about Faron and his life and career to put this in book form.

He was a major force in country music for many years, and it's time he got his due.

Thanks again to the author. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and it will be a valuable addition to my collection of country music biographies.

What a Great book,Diane did a wonderful job on this & it's very informative .A no punch's pulled book about [ to me ] the greatest country singer there ever was, what a VOICE .But, regardless of your opinion of his singing, you'll love this book,it's very easy to read & very interesting.

I really enjoyed this book! Many hilarious stories about life on the road. Faron Young was a giant in the country music business. I hope this gets made into a movie.

Great story about one of the most influential people in Country Music during the fifties, thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It was told in a straighforward fashion, we had seen him many times so knew the problems he faced being a well known star. If you like Classic Country Music you will definitely enjoy this book.

A very good story about one of country music's legends - almost like two different personalities - one professional entertainer and the other unable to cope with personal issues.