This treasured country legend and famed NASCAR driver was honored by his son in a truly memorable tribute performance of his signature hit, “Big Iron.”
Marty Robbins’ talented son, Ronny Robbins, took the stage in one episode of Country’s Family Reunion to proudly perform this timeless classic for a group of some of the biggest names in country music and fans across the nation.
As Ronny started to sing “Big Iron” with all of his heart, you can tell he is Marty’s son just by the sound of his voice! These two impressive country singers shared a love of singing, and it’s clear that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
“Marty Robbins originally released big Iron” as an album track on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs in 1959, then as a single in February 1960. The song peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Country chart and No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A Standard Western Tale of an Arizona Ranger
As a singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and race car driver, Marty Robbins was the total package. He was responsible for making and recording some of the biggest hits of his era.
Written by Marty Robbins himself, “Big Iron” was a standard Western tale of an Arizona ranger who came to town hunting an outlaw named Texas Red, a vicious killer with twenty notches on his gun symbolizing the people he’s killed. In a duel, the ranger quickly shot and killed Texas Red; one bullet was enough to finish the outlaw off.
“It was over in a moment, and the crowd all gathered ’round. There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground. Oh, he might have went on livin’ but he made one fatal slip. When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,” the song goes.
More than three decades after Robbins’s death, the “Big Iron” was revived. The resurgence can be traced back to 2010 when it was included in the video game Fallout: New Vegas on the in-game radio stations, Black Mountain Radio, Mojave Music Radio, and Radio New Vegas.
The popularity of the game helped spur a revival of interest in Marty Robbins’ music in the 21st century. A decade after the video game’s release, “Big Iron” even became an internet meme. It gained popularity through remixes as well as Photoshop parodies and its use on the popular video-sharing app TikTok.
You can watch this touching performance by Marty’s son, Ronny Robbins, in the video below.