On This Day in 1970, Marty Robbins Was at No. 1 With a “True” Song He Wrote for His Wife After His First Heart Attack

On this day (May 6) in 1970, Marty Robbins was at the top of the country chart with “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife.” The song occupied the top spot for a single week and later brought him a Grammy Award. It isn’t just a love song, though. Robbins wrote the song for his wife, Marizona, to whom he had been married for 24 years at the time.

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Every musician who chooses to follow their passion full-time experiences ups and downs. Robbins was no exception to this. However, he dealt with more than just the normal struggles of being a professional singer and songwriter. He developed cardiovascular issues early in his life, which led to multiple heart attacks and surgeries. His wife, Marizona, was there with him through it all.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1959, Marty Robbins Recorded a Western Ballad that Made Chart History]

The pair said “I do” in June 1945, seven years before Robbins released his debut single, “I’ll Go on Alone.” As a result, his wife was there for his entire career. From the early hits to the massive success of “El Paso,” and beyond. She was also there for all three of his heart attacks.

Robbins suffered his first heart attack in August 1969. While recovering, he wrote “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife” to express his gratitude for her support. Days after he released the single in January 1970, he became one of the first people in the United States to undergo open-heart surgery. He returned to touring three months later.

Marty Robbins on “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”

Country music is full of love songs based on true events. Marty Robbins wrote one of the most touching songs in that category with “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife.” The lyrics discuss how she kept him going when he wanted to give up, calling her the foundation he leans on in hard times. Later in the song, he sings about losing two babies shortly after their birth before delivering the track’s most touching couplet. I lost control of my mind and my soul. / But my woman’s faith carried us through.

“I thought the lines to the song were the things that a man would want to say to his wife,” Robbins said of the hit. “They were the things I wanted to say to her. And my wife is everything I said in the song. It’s a true song.”

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