Marty Robbins, born Martin David Robinson on 26 September 1925 in Glendale, Arizona, would have turned 101 today. The Grammy Award-winning country music legend died on 8 December 1982 at age 57 from a heart attack at a Nashville hospital. His legacy encompasses both a prolific music career spanning four decades and an accomplished racing career, making him a distinctive figure in American entertainment.

Throughout his career, Robbins recorded over 500 songs across 60 albums, achieving 17 number-one hits in country music. His signature song "El Paso" (1959) became his most celebrated work, reaching the top of both country and pop charts and earning his album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs platinum status, with sales exceeding one million copies. Beyond music, Robbins competed in 35 NASCAR Grand National Series races with six top-ten finishes, whilst also appearing in films and television programmes, including The Drifter and his own variety show.