Robbins was born in Glendale, Arizona, and taught himself guitar while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He began performing at local venues in Phoenix after his discharge in 1947 and secured a Columbia Records deal in the early 1950s. His 1952 debut produced the number-one country single "I'll Go On Alone," launching a career that would span nearly four decades.
He achieved his signature success with the 1959 release "El Paso," a Western ballad from the album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs that won the Grammy Award for Best Country and Western Recording and reached number one on both the country and pop charts. The song became one of the defining recordings in country music history. Robbins went on to record more than 500 songs and 60 albums, charted 17 number-one country singles, and won two Grammy Awards. He was named Artist of the Decade for the 1960s by the Academy of Country Music and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982, the year of his death.
His song "Big Iron," originally from Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, gained a new generation of listeners after its prominent placement on Radio New Vegas in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas.
Robbins was a genuine racing enthusiast who used his musical earnings to fund his motorsport activities. He focused his NASCAR efforts on the major superspeedways — particularly Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway — and supplemented those appearances with smaller events when his touring schedule allowed.
His cars were built and maintained by NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Cotton Owens and carried a distinctive two-toned magenta and chartreuse livery, most commonly running number 42. Robbins drove a variety of makes over the years, most notably a 1972-bodied Dodge Charger that was progressively updated with 1973–1974 and later 1978 Dodge Magnum sheet metal. In his final seasons he raced a Buick Regal.
In 1972, at the Winston 500, Robbins attracted attention by turning laps approximately 15 mph faster than his qualifying speed. NASCAR subsequently discovered he had removed the mandated carburetor restrictors; he was offered a Rookie of the Race award but declined it.
His best career result came at the 1974 Motor State 360 at Michigan International Speedway, where he finished in the top five — a remarkable achievement for a part-time entrant. He accumulated six top-ten finishes across his 35 career starts.
Robbins is credited with a notable act of sportsmanship at the 1974 Charlotte 500, where he reportedly steered deliberately into a wall to avoid a broadside collision with Richard Childress's stationary car, potentially saving Childress's life.
His final NASCAR race was the Atlanta Journal 500 on November 7, 1982, one month before his death. He drove a Junior Johnson-built 1982 Buick Regal for that appearance. In 1976, he also served as the pace car driver for the 60th Indianapolis 500 in a Buick Century.
In 1967, Robbins played himself in the car-racing film Hell on Wheels, one of several film appearances that combined his two public personas as entertainer and racing driver.
NASCAR honored Robbins posthumously in 1983 by naming the annual race at Fairgrounds Speedway the Marty Robbins 420. His Dodge Magnum race car was restored by Cotton Owens and displayed at the Talladega Museum from 1983 to 2008 before passing into private hands.
Multiple NASCAR teams have run throwback liveries honoring Robbins' magenta and chartreuse color scheme at Darlington Raceway's throwback weekends, including tributes by Kyle Larson in 2016, Tyler Reddick in 2021, and Corey LaJoie in 2022.
Robbins died on December 8, 1982, aged 57, following complications from quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery after his third heart attack. A portion of Glendale Avenue in his hometown was renamed Marty Robbins Boulevard in 2016 in his honor.