Story Behind the Song: ‘El Paso’ by Marty Robbins

"El Paso" is Marty Robbins' best known song of all time. There's a story about it, including who the woman is that's named in the song.

The song is a country and western ballad written and originally recorded by Marty Robbins. It was released in the fall of 1959.

It was a hit in both pop and country music. The song went number one on both charts in early 1960.

The Spanish guitar accompaniment by Grady Martin gave the song a distinctive Western feel. Singing haunting harmonies were vocalists Bobby Sykes and Jim Glaser of the Glaser Brothers.

Members of the Western Writers of America chose El Paso as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

And last but not least, the name of the character Faleena was based upon a schoolmate of Robbins in the fifth grade, Fidelina Martinez.