Daring to Be Different
Photo by Jamie Plain
Determination and a Dream
Icons are created by following their own paths. Jimmy Martin’s legacy in bluegrass music is the result of determination, blind dedication to the music, and the courage to do things his way. Inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 1995, Martin’s influence within the genre is undisputed as a singer, guitarist, songwriter and bandleader.
Born August 10, 1927, in Sneedville, Tennessee, Martin left his family farm at a young age for work as a painter and a factory hand. After a disagreement with his foreman, he headed to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry with the goal of singing with Bill Monroe. When Monroe’s banjoist Rudy Lyle heard Martin sing, he arranged an audition with Monroe, and Martin was on his way to becoming a legend in bluegrass music. Intermittently, from 1950 to 1954, Martin was featured on several of Monroe’s Decca recordings. Many scholars of the music look back to this time period as some of the best vocal collaborations in bluegrass. Recordings such as “I’m On My Way to the Old Home” and “Uncle Pen” etched their status in the bluegrass songbook.
A New Path
After his time with Monroe, Jimmy Martin decided to strike out on his own to create his brand of bluegrass. Decca was eager to establish another star on their bluegrass roster, and Martin was primed to assert himself with the label as a new talent. In 1956, Martin introduced a more commercial sound by blending bluegrass with the popular style of the day with releases like “Hit Parade of Love.” Much like Monroe, Martin incorporated the Blue Grass Boys playbook and his band, The Sunny Mountain Boys, became known for featuring top talent within the genre. J.D. Crowe, Bill Emerson, and Paul Williams, all Hall of Fame members in their own right, launched their careers with stints in the band. Through personal struggles, Martin found his sound and developed an onstage charisma that set him apart from his contemporaries. In the documentary, King of Bluegrass, Marty Stuart commented, “Jimmy was always a little too much of a rebel. He was too strong, he was pure, he was too real. He didn’t have enough sense to tone it down, thank God.” About Martin’s brand of bluegrass, banjoist Bill Emerson stated, “Jimmy was a whole different style of guitar player than Lester Flatt, who was a thumb-pick, finger-pick type of player. Jimmy was a flatpick player. [He] had a drive and tone on his guitar that no other guitar player has. Absolutely can push you, can make you go where he wants you to with his guitar.”
Jimmy Martin’s Legacy
At the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, part of our mission is to preserve the history of bluegrass. The heroes of bluegrass music have a continuous impact on each generation of artists. Within the museum, we are compelled to tell their stories through exhibitions, artifact displays, video, and photography. Legacy preservation is a key aspect to the work we do on a daily basis, and it’s our privilege to educate and inspire all of the fans of bluegrass music. Many artists, and oftentimes their family members, are sometimes unsure about how to honor legacies, yet it’s vital to furthering the music.
The Jimmy Martin exhibit case is located just outside the Hall of Fame in an area which features several artifacts highlighting inductees. Through a temporary loan with Ray Martin, Jimmy’s son, the museum is proud to display Jimmy’s guitar, a 1942 Martin D-28 with his name inlayed on the fretboard. Also on display is Martin’s mandolin, a 1919 Gibson with an oval sound hole, which was played by various members of the Sunny Mountain Boys, including Paul Williams. Regarding the type of mandolin Martin bought for his band, Ray Martin commented, “Dad wanted a unique sound. He didn’t want to sound like Bill Monroe. He purchased the mandolin in a pawn shop in Shreveport, and that’s the original mandolin that’s on all of his recordings.”
The Jimmy Martin artifacts on display were loaned to the museum by Ray Martin. Ray continued, “I want the public to see these items to keep Dad’s name going, not just have them sitting at my house. This display is for the newcomers out there that visit the museum that don’t even know who Jimmy Martin is and ask, ‘Who is he? Let me look him up on my phone. Wow, this man was known as the King of Bluegrass.’ Not just for his fans and those who know who he was, but for the people coming up in bluegrass, to educate them.” Make your plans today to visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky to learn more about the legends of the music and view the instruments and artifacts that helped shape their careers.
