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 of Hank's music. Young balanced honky tonk with pop vocal phrasing and this combination of grit and polish resulted in a streak of popularity.

Faron, the youngest of six children, was born on February 25, 1932, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up on a dairy farm his family operated outside the city, and he got his first guitar at an early age. By the time he was out of high school, he had joined a country band that was performing at local clubs.