Martin Zellar (born June 14, 1963) is a

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

-based musician and songwriter. Martin Zellar is the brother of writer

Brad Zellar Brad Zellar (born November 16, 1961) is an American author and journalist. Zellar's writing often is accompanied by photographs; he has collaborated several times with photographer Alec Soth. The Coen brothers film ''A Serious Man'', nominated ...

Early career

Zellar grew up in

Austin, Minnesota Austin is a city in, and the county seat of, Mower County, Minnesota, Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,174 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town was originally settled along the Cedar River (Iowa R ...

. While still in high school, Zellar formed his first band, Fallout, with childhood friend and bassist Nick Ciola. Zellar and Ciola have played in bands together for more than 30 years.

Gear Daddies

Upon graduation, Zellar moved to the Twin Cities and in 1984 joined fellow

ns Ciola, guitarist Randy Broughten, and drummer and fellow songwriter James "Billy" Dankert as the Gear Daddies. The band enjoyed much regional and some national success, and released three albums. They officially broke up in 1992, but began playing enthusiastically attended reunion shows a few years later.

Solo Career and Hardways

With the dissolution of the Gear Daddies, the songwriter began making albums and performing with a band that would become known as Martin Zellar and The Hardways, including at various times Nick Ciola, Scott Wenum, Wilson Zellar, Jesse Duke, Luke Kramer, Whelan Keenan, Dan Neale, Adam Levy, Noah Levy, Jon Duncan, Marc Retish, Patrik Tanner, and Randy Broughten.

Other projects

In the late '90s, Zellar began singing with a Neil Diamond tribute band that remains popular into the present. Neil! includes musicians Ali Gray, Patrik Tanner, Scott Wenum, Nick Ciola, and JJ Benson. In 2007, Zellar's song I Wanna Drive the Zamboni, which appears in various movies and television shows, and is ubiquitous at hockey games, was released as a single. The song was originally a hidden track on the Gear Daddies album "

Billy's Live Bait ''Billy's Live Bait'' is the second album by Austin, Minnesota band the Gear Daddies, released in 1990. It was their first release for a major label. " (I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni" is often played at hockey rinks. Critical reception AllMusic call ...

". On February 10, 2012 Martin Zellar and the Hardways kicked off a tour in support of new album Rooster's Crow. Pat Maske produced, and it includes the talents of

Kelly Willis Kelly may refer to: Art and entertainment * Kelly (Kelly Price album) * Kelly (Andrea Faustini album) * ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap * "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland * ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...

, Lloyd Maines, Kevin McKinney, Bukka Allen (

Bodeans BoDeans is an American rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin. BoDeans came to prominence in the 1980s. The band's sound encompasses multiple rock genres, including roots rock, heartland rock, and alternative rock. The band's biggest hit to da ...

), Chojo Jacques, Brian Standefer (

Alejandro Escovedo Alejandro Escovedo (born January 10, 1951) is an American rock musician, songwriter, and singer, who has been recording and touring since the late 1970s. His primary instrument is the guitar. He has played in various rock genres, including punk ...

), Billy Bright (

Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (born July 4, 1942) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings. Biography Rowan was born in Wayland, Massachusetts to a musical family. From an early age, he had an interest ...

), Michael Ramos (

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumen ...

), and

Terri Hendrix Terri Ann Hendrix is a Texas-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and independent artist who has been writing and performing an eclectic mix of Americana genre, encompassing folk, pop, country, blues, and jazz, since 1990. Since ...

. Chris Riemenschneider of the Minneapolis StarTribune calls it "the best record of his 25-year career."

Discography

With the Gear Daddies

* 1988: Let's Go Scare Al (Steve's Pizza Music, BMI), * 1990:

(Polygram) * 1992:

Can't Have Nothin' Nice ''Can't Have Nothin' Nice'' is the third and final album recorded by Austin, Minnesota band the Gear Daddies. It is a collection of new and live versions of previously released songs as well as new songs that had never been released on an album ( ...

(Crackpot)

With the Hardways

* 1995: ''

Born Under ''Born Under'' is the debut album by the American musician Martin Zellar, released in 1995. Its first two singles were "Lie to Me" and "Problem Solved". The album was rereleased, with bonus tracks, in 2004. Production Recorded in Northfield, Min ...

'' (Rykodisc) * 1996: Martin Zellar and the Hardways (Rykodisc) * 1998: The Many Moods of Martin Zellar and the Hardways (Owen Lee Recordings) * 2000: Two Guitars Bass & Drums (Owen Lee Recordings), recorded live * 2002: Scattered (Owen Lee Recordings) * 2003: Live From the Mercury Lounge (Legal Bootleg) * 2003: They Even Use The Hooves (Owen Lee Recordings), B-sides and other rarities * 2011: Martin Lee Zellar (Owen Lee Recordings), limited edition * 2012: Rooster's Crow (Owen Lee Recordings) *2017: Fan-Selected Sampler 1998–2014 (Owen Lee Recordings)

References

External links

Official Website
* * * *
Martin Zellar Youtube Playlist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zellar, Martin People from Austin, Minnesota Singer-songwriters from Minnesota Country musicians from Minnesota American country singer-songwriters American alternative country singers Rykodisc artists 1963 births Living people