Thomas Grady Martin (January 17, 1929 – December 3, 2001) was an American session guitarist in

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

and

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

. A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American country and western singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular and successful singers of his genre for most o ...

' "

El Paso El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill (song), The P ...

's " Coal Miner's Daughter" and

Sammi Smith Jewel Fay "Sammi" Smith (August 5, 1943 – February 12, 2005) was an American country music singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 1971 crossover hit " Help Me Make It Through the Night", which was written by Kris Kristofferson. Sh ...

's "

Help Me Make It Through the Night "Help Me Make It Through the Night" is a country ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album '' Kristofferson''. It was covered later in 1970 by Sammi Smith, on the album '' Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...

". During a nearly 50-year career, Martin backed such names as

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texa ...

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

, Don Woody and

Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk music, folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing protest song, songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his fa ...

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

Patsy Cline Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...

and

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

. He is a member of the

Rockabilly Hall of Fame The original Rockabilly Hall of Fame was an organization and website launched on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relating to the artists and personalities involved in rockabilly. Headquartered in Nashville ...

and was elected to the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

in March 2015.

Biography

Grady Martin was born in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, United States. He grew up on a farm with his oldest sister, Lois, his older brothers, June and Bill, and his parents, Claude and Bessey; and had a horse he named Trigger. His mother played the piano and encouraged his musical talent. At age 15, Martin was invited to perform regularly on WLAC-AM in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, and made his recording debut two years later on February 15, 1946 with Curly Fox and Texas Ruby in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. That same year, he joined Paul Howard's Western swing-oriented Arkansas Cotton Pickers as half of Howard's twin guitar ensemble with Robert "Jabbo" Arrington and performed on the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...

. When Howard left, Opry newcomer Little Jimmy Dickens hired several former Cotton Pickers, including Martin, as his original Country Boys road band. He later joined Big Jeff Bess and the Radio Playboys followed by a stint with the Bailes Brothers Band. By 1950, Martin was a part of the rising Nashville recording scene as a studio guitarist and fiddler, and his guitar hooks propelled

Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...

's " Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" and "Birmingham Bounce". In 1951, he signed with

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

with his own country-jazz band, Grady Martin and the Slew Foot Five. In addition to backing mainstream acts like Bing Crosby and

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American Folk music, folk singer and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his o ...

, they began to record in their own right, with later sessions under the name Grady Martin and his Winging Strings when he introduced his twin-neck Bigsby guitar. The band, with

Hank Garland Walter Louis Garland (November 11, 1930 – December 27, 2004), known professionally as Hank Garland, was an American guitarist and songwriter. He started as a country musician, played rock and roll as it became popular in the 1950s, and release ...

Bob Moore Bob Moore may refer to: * Bob Moore (musician) (1932–2021), American session musician * Bob Moore (executive) (1929–2024), co-founder of Bob's Red Mill * Bob Moore (American football) (born 1949), American football tight end * Bob Moore (Au ...

, Tommy Jackson and Bud Isaacs made regular appearances on ABC-TV's '' Ozark Jubilee'' in the mid-1950s.

The Nashville A-Team

It was as a session musician starting in the late 1950s that Martin made his greatest mark on country and rockabilly music. As a guitarist with The Nashville A-Team, he provided the guitar on the Marty Robbins hits "

" (1959) and " Don't Worry" (1961), on Roy Orbison's "

Oh, Pretty Woman "Oh, Pretty Woman", or simply "Pretty Woman", is a song recorded by Roy Orbison and written by Orbison and Bill Dees. It was released as a single in August 1964 on Monument Records and spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, '' ...

" (1964) and

Lefty Frizzell William Orville "Lefty" Frizzell (March 31, 1928 – July 19, 1975) was an American country and honky-tonk singer-songwriter. Frizell is known as one of the most influential country music vocal stylists of all time. He has been cited as in ...

's "

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township, ...

" (1964). His guitar work was also displayed in

Johnny Horton John LaGale Horton (April 30, 1925 – November 5, 1960) was an American country, honky tonk, and rockabilly musician during the 1950s. He is best known for a series of history-inspired narrative country saga songs that became international ...

's " The Battle of New Orleans" (1959) and " Honky Tonk Man" (1956), and especially his pure rockabilly sound on " I'm Coming Home" (1957). He shaped countless other classics, including

Brenda Lee Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country and Christmas music, she achieved her first ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' hit aged 12 i ...

's " I'm Sorry",

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

's " On the Road Again", Ray Price's " For the Good Times" and

Jeanne Pruett Jeanne Pruett (, ) (born Norma Jean Bowman; January 30, 1935) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She also has credits as a published author. Pruett had several major hits as a music artist, but became best-known for 1973's "Sati ...

's " Satin Sheets". Martin is credited with accidentally stumbling onto the

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups ...

" fuzz" effect during a recording session with Robbins at Bradley Studios in Nashville; his guitar was run through a faulty channel in a

mixing console A mixing console or mixing desk is an electronic device for Audio mixing (recorded music), mixing audio signals, used in sound recording and reproduction and sound reinforcement systems. Inputs to the console include microphones, signals fro ...

, generating the fuzz sound on "Don't Worry". In the 1960s, he played on sessions with

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (, ; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing mo ...

J. J. Cale John Weldon "J. J." Cale (December 5, 1938 – July 26, 2013) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Though he avoided the limelight, his influence as a musical artist has been acknowledged by figures such as Neil Young, Mark Knopf ...

and others, and played on

's 1971 hit, "

Help Me Make it Through the Night "Help Me Make It Through the Night" is a country ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album '' Kristofferson''. It was covered later in 1970 by Sammi Smith, on the album '' Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...

", among the most successful country singles of all time. In the early 1970s, Martin played on many records by

and

Conway Twitty Harold Lloyd Jenkins (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993), better known by his stage name Conway Twitty, was an American singer and songwriter. Initially a part of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Twitty was best known as a country music performer. ...

, worked with

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...

and produced the country-rock band Brush Arbor.

With Patsy Cline

Martin appeared on almost all of Cline's

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

sessions, from August 1961 to her last session in February 1962, during which time he backed her on songs such as: *" Crazy" *" She's Got You" *" Foolin' Around" *" Seven Lonely Days" *" You Belong to Me" *" Heartaches" *" True Love" *" Faded Love" *"

Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You) "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" is a popular song published in 1944 by Jimmie Hodges. The song became a standard, recorded by many pop and country music singers. The song features in Series 3 Episode 6 ‘Christening’ of the British co ...

" *" Sweet Dreams" *"

Crazy Arms "Crazy Arms" is an American country song which was a career-making hit for Ray Price. The song, released in May 1956, went on to become a number 1 country hit that year, establishing Price's sound, and redefining honky-tonk music. It was Price's ...

" *" San Antonio Rose" *" The Wayward Wind" *" A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)" *" Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)?" *" South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" *"

Walkin' After Midnight "Walkin' After Midnight" is a song written by Alan Block and Don Hecht and recorded by American country music artist Patsy Cline. The song was originally given to pop singer Kay Starr, but her label rejected it. The song was left unused until He ...

" (1961 recording) *"

You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To Do It) "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" is a popular song from 1913 composed by James V. Monaco with lyrics by Joseph McCarthy. It was introduced by Al Jolson in the Broadway revue '' The Honeymoon Express'' (1913), and used in the ...

" *" Your Cheatin' Heart" *" That's My Desire" *" Half As Much" *"

I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You) I Can't Help It may refer to: *I Can't Help It (film), ''I Can’t Help It'' (film), an upcoming film based on the novel ''The Ax'' by Donald E. Westlake, Donald Westlake (English title: ''No Other Choice'') *I Can't Help It (album), ''I Can't Help ...

" *" Leavin' On Your Mind" *"

Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" is a popular song published in 1944 by Jimmie Hodges. The song became a standard, recorded by many pop and country music singers. The song features in Series 3 Episode 6 ‘Christening’ of the British co ...

" *" Love Letters In The Sand" *"

Blue Moon of Kentucky "Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1945 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Some think the origins may trace back to "Roll Along, Kentucky Moon", a similar waltz recorded 15 years prior by ...

Later years

In 1978, with his studio career over, Martin returned to the life of a touring musician, first with

Jerry Reed Jerry Reed Hubbard (March 20, 1937 – September 1, 2008), known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country singer, guitarist, composer, songwriter and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films. His signature songs included " Gui ...

and then as lead guitarist for Willie Nelson's band, appearing in Nelson's 1980 film '' Honeysuckle Rose''. In 1994, deteriorating health forced him to retire, but he produced Nelson's 1995

honky tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, honky tonk, or tonk) is either a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons or the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ...

album, '' Just One Love.'' The Nashville Entertainment Association gave him its first Master Award in 1983, and he was the 83rd inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. On April 5, 2000, he received a Chetty award for significant instrumental achievement at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium during the

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), also known as "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson (musician), Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nash ...

Musician Days festival. Health problems prevented Martin from attending; Nelson,

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He played in a number of local bluegrass music, bluegrass bands in the 1970s, and from 1978 to 1982, he achieved his first mainstream attention after ta ...

and

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country music, country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before be ...

presented the award—named after Atkins, who attended—to Martin's son, Joshua. Grady Martin was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007. He was married three times and had three daughters, Alisa, Angie and Julie; and seven sons, Grady Jr., Joe, Tal, Jason, Joshua, Justin and Steve. Martin died from a heart attack on December 3, 2001, in

Lewisburg, Tennessee Lewisburg is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 12,288 in 2020. Lewisburg is located in Middle Tennessee, fifty miles south of Nashville and fifty-two miles north of Huntsville, Alabam ...

, and was interred at Hopper Cemetery in

Marshall County, Tennessee Marshall County is a county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is der ...

Selected discography

Grady Martin and the Slew Foot Five

*''Powerhouse Dance Party'' (Decca, 1956) *''Juke Box Jamboree'' (Decca, 1956) *''The Roaring Twenties'' (Decca, 1957) * '' '

'' and '' The Rock and Roll Trio'' ' (1957 LP) - (July 5 session: long believed all to be by ''

Paul Burlison Paul Burlison (February 4, 1929 – September 27, 2003) was an American rockabilly guitarist and a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. Burlison was born in Brownsville, Tennessee, where he was exposed to music at an early age. Aft ...

'') - Recorded at Quonset Studio, 16th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, July 2–5, 1956; lp includes songs recorded in 1957, at '' Pythian Temple (New York City)'' *''Hot Time Tonight'' (Decca, 1959) *''Big City Lights'' (Decca, 1960) *''Swingin' Down the River'' (Decca, 1962) *''Songs Everybody Knows'' (Decca, 1964)

Grady Martin

*''Instrumentally Yours'' (Decca, 1965) *''A Touch of Country'' (Decca, 1967) *''Cowboy Classics'' (Decca, 1977)

Slewfoot Five

*''The Happy Sound of the Slewfoot Five'' (Decca, 1967) *''Man Alive! It's the Slew Foot Five'' (Decca, 1968)

As sideman

With Eric Andersen * '' Blue River'' (Columbia Records, 1972) With Hoyt Axton * ''American Dreams'' (Global Records, 1984) With

* '' Any Day Now'' (Vanguard Records, 1968) * '' David's Album'' (Vanguard Records, 1969) * '' One Day at a Time'' (Vanguard Records, 1970) * ''

Come from the Shadows ''Come from the Shadows'' is the thirteenth studio album (and fifteenth overall) by Joan Baez, released in 1972. After recording for the independent label Vanguard for more than a decade, Baez signed with A&M and attempted to point her career in ...

'' (A&M Records, 1972) * '' Where Are You Now, My Son?'' (A&M Records, 1973) With

* ''

Okie An Okie is a person identified with the state of Oklahoma, or their descendants. This connection may be residential, historical or cultural. For most Okies, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their bei ...

'' (Shelter Records, 1974) With

Don Everly Isaac Donald Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) was an American musician. Everly was one-half of the singing duo The Everly Brothers alongside his younger brother Phil Everly, Phil. Early life Don was born in Brownie, Kentucky on Febru ...

* ''Brother Jukebox'' (Hickory Records, 1977) With

* '' Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys'' (Reprise Records, 1973) With

Ronnie Hawkins Ronald Cornett Hawkins (January 10, 1935 – May 29, 2022) was an American rock and roll singer, long based in Canada, whose career spanned more than half a century. His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He ...

* ''Rock and Roll Resurrection'' (Monument Records, 1972) * ''Giant of Rock 'n' Roll'' (Monument Records, 1974) With

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...

* '' Regeneration'' (Monument Records, 1976) With John Prine * '' Sweet Revenge'' (Atlantic Records, 1973) With

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock a ...

* '' Hank Wilson's Back Vol. I'' (Shelter Records, 1973) With

Buffy Sainte-Marie Buffy Sainte-Marie (born Beverley Jean Santamaria; February 20, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and social activist. Sainte-Marie's singing and writing repertoire includes subjects of love, war, religion, and mysticism, and h ...

* '' I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again'' (Vanguard, 1968) With

Kai Winding Kai Chresten Winding ( ; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of " More", the theme from the movie ''Mondo Ca ...

* '' Modern Country'' (Verve, 1964)

References

External links

Watch and hear Grady Martin videos and music on son Tal Martin's MySpace pageGrady Martin biography at CMT.com
* ttps://www.angelfire.com/tn2/bobloyce/grady.html Grady Martin tribute websitebr>Grady Martin and Bob Moore tribute website
*
Grady Martin recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Grady 1929 births 2001 deaths People from Chapel Hill, Tennessee American country singer-songwriters American country guitarists American male guitarists American session musicians American rockabilly musicians Singer-songwriters from Tennessee Decca Records artists Monument Records artists 20th-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century American guitarists Guitarists from Tennessee Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Country musicians from Tennessee 20th-century American male musicians American male singer-songwriters Drifting Cowboys members