Alan was born in the coal town of Winding Gulf, WV on September 1, 1931. The Farley family moved to South Charleston, WV in 1935. Alan earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) in 1953, a Master of Music & Music Education from the Teachers College at Columbia University in 1959, and a Doctorate of Education from Virginia Tech in 1975. Along the way, he married Carol, had three children, and the family lived in WV, Virginia, and North Carolina at different times. After about 15 years as a public school music teacher in WV and VA, he moved on to research and administration, retiring in 1995 as Superintendent of Spotsylvania (VA) County Schools. He and his wife Carol then moved to Pawleys Island, SC to enjoy warm weather, beach life, friends, and family.
Alan died on his 89th birthday, September 1, 2020, after a 2.5 year battle with cancer.