john Arthur martinez

john Arthur martinez
BIO
By ROBERT K. OERMANN, Country Music Historian
Where
there's a
will,
there's a
way.
john
Arthur
martinez
has slept
on
dozens of
floors,
sung in
hundreds
of
bars,
successfully marketed two CDs of his songs, won regional radio
airplay and worked his way up from debt to profitability during
his climb to prominence on the competitive Texas music scene.
With the release of his debut album for Dualtone, martinez
makes his bid for a national audience. The process began in
2003 when millions of music fans were first exposed to his
music. martinez finished second on the USA Network’s national
talent competition Nashville Star.
He was born in Austin, Texas, and raised in the Texas hill
country, an area with a rich musical heritage. His father's side of
the family was particularly influential, he recalls. “My dad, my
aunt, and a couple of my uncles would get together and
harmonize to the old mariachi ballads.” And growing up in the
Austin area, there are a lot of famous influences, like Willie
Nelson and Floyd Tillman, Country Music Hall of Fame member
who co-hosted concerts with martinez.
His parents divorced when he was four, but he saw his father
often enough to note first-hand how difficult it is to make a living
with music. Adam Martinez performed as a drummer for 30
years in the 1950’s and 1960’s years before giving it up to work
a “real” job. martinez was raised by his stepfather John
Gutierrez and mother Hortencia. Neither one was musical, but
an uncle noted the boy's love of poetry writing and gave him
money to buy a guitar. It wasn't long before the poems became
lyrics. He demonstrated a deep love of language while still in
grade school and became a published poet at age 9. But music
was an equally powerful draw. He snuck into the Armadillo
World Headquarters while still underage to see Asleep at the
Wheel and Commander Cody. He was smitten by the westernswing sounds developed a liking for the legendary Bob Wills and
for
San
Marcos
rancher
George
Strait.
martinez attended college on tennis and academic
scholarships graduating with an English and Journalism degree
from Southwest Texas State University. “I wanted to be a
creative writing teacher at the college level and to coach a
college tennis team to a national championship.” But his interest
in music intensified. By the time he graduated, he was
performing in every week. “I probably learned every Strait song
there was. I'd sing them at my gigs alongside my J.T. and
Fogelberg songs and my Mom's favorites, like Hank Williams. I
was playing a lot, but never thought that's what my career would
be. I decided to go to grad school the University of Arizona. I
knew no one in Tucson, which is one of the reasons I went
there. While I was in Tucson, I discovered I was a songwriter
and started playing in the coffee houses around the university. I
realized that this is really what I loved to do, what I really wanted
to
do.”
Starry Night, an album of depth and resonance. His original
material rings with the truth and insight we find so often in the
finest troubadours from the Lone Star State. martinez caresses
the ballads with a tender touch, lets loose when he offers a
swing tune and rides the mid-tempo tunes like a bona fide
cowboy. It's been quite a climb, but he has always faced his
hardships with grace, humor and dignity.
As his songs gained in quality, realizing that his heart wasn't in
the journalism degree, martinez dropped out of grad school,
returned to the Austin area and began working at music full time.
It wasn't an easy life. “I lived in a lot of places. Between the time
I graduated and the time I married, I slept anywhere I could. I
don't think I can even come close to naming all the places I
stayed for three or more days. I guess it was good for the music,
good for the songwriting.” In 1987 he made his first pilgrimage to
Nashville. The community of songwriters encouraged and
embraced him, bolstering his self-confidence immensely. But
back home, the low-paying club jobs barely kept him fed. He
enrolled in an Ohio school to learn recording. He booked time in
studios. To get control of his finances, martinez began teaching
English and coaching tennis at Marble Falls High School. “I
used my music in the classroom. I used songs to teach
alliteration, assonance rhyme and rhythm. At night, I was always
gigging. It was wearing me out, but I couldn't give up the music.”
The trips to Nashville continued. He met songwriting greats
like Alex Harvey, John Prine and Harlan Howard, which further
inspired him. In 1998, martinez recorded a CD titled Spinning
Our Wheels. It was a simple effort, but several notables pitched
in. Gene Elders, the fiddler for George Strait, loaned his skills as
did Loggins and Messina veteran percussionist Merel Bregante
and ex-Asleep at the Wheel pianist Floyd Domino. martinez sold
the CD at his increasingly popular shows. By this time, there
was someone special in his audience. On Feb. 20, 1999, that
special someone became his wife, Yvonna. Overnight, the
itinerant musician became the stepfather of three girls and a
boy. Family life, he says, has actually strengthened his musical
resolve. Yvonna encouraged him to teach part-time so that he
could spend more time writing. Yvonna, an herbalist, has healed
his singing voice once ravaged by too many nights in too many
smoky
clubs.
martinez recorded
Stand Your Ground in
2001.It won him radio
airplay in a number of
major markets. With
momentum building,
he put everything on
hold to compete on
Nashville Star. He
seemed
to
gain
musical strength with
each
week's
appearance on the
program. It all came
together
at
a
performance in a
Nashville coffee shop
on August 27, 2003.
An executive from
Dualtone was in the
audience. “Most of
the show was just me
and my guitar. I felt a
really strong spiritual
covering that night. It
wound
up
being
probably one of the
top performances I've ever given.” Within hours, he was signed.
Working with producer Matt Rollings and an all-star cast the new
Dualtone
signee
has
crafted
Lone
Starry
Night.
Whether in person or on disc, john Arthur martinez exudes the
quiet confidence and charisma that made millions of TV viewers
fall in love with him last year. When he smiles, the world has
sunshine. When he talks, it's always from the heart. And
when he sings, the soul is nourished.
john Arthur martinez
BIOGRAFIE
Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg. John Arthur Martinez hat auf Dutzenden von Böden und Sofas
geschlafen und in Hunderten von Bars gesungen. Er hat erfolgreich 2 CD’s mit eigenen Songs auf
den Markt gebracht, hat einen regionalen Radio Airplay gewonnen und hat sich von Schulden zur
Rentabilität hochgearbeitet und dabei hat er in der konkurrenzreichen Texas Musikszene
kontinuierlich an seinem Bekanntheitsgrad gearbeitet. Ein wichtiger Meilenstein war, als im Jahr
2003 Millionen von Musicfans seine Musik kennen lernten. Martinez hat beim 1. Nationalen
Talentwettbewerb Nashville Star, der in ganz USA ausgestrahlt wurde den 2. Schlussrang belegt.
Dies führte zu einem Plattenvertrag mit der bekannten Plattenfirma Dualtone. Mit dem Erscheinen
seines Albums wurde der Bekanntheitsgrad von Martinez auf nationaler Ebene gefestigt.
John Arthur Martinez ist in Austin, Texas, geboren und aufgewachsen, in einer Gegend mit einem
reichhaltige Musik-Erbe. In der Familie seines Vaters waren alle ganz speziell musikalisch, was ihn
für sein Leben beeinflusste. Er erinnert sich: „Mein Vater, meine Tante und ein paar von meinen
Onkeln konnten miteinander herrliche alte Mariachiballaden darbieten “. In der Gegend von Austin
aufzuwachsen bedeutet auch grosse Einflüsse und Vorbilder erleben zu dürfen, wie z.B. Willie
Nelson und Floyd Tillman, zwei Country Music Hall of Fame Mitglieder, mit denen Martinez auf der
gleichen Bühne stand. Seine Eltern wurden geschieden als er 4-jährig war, aber er sah seinen Vater
oft genug, um zu erfahren, wie schwierig es ist, das Leben mit Musikmachen zu verdienen. Sein
Vater Adam Martinez war über 30 Jahre Schlagzeuger, bevor er aufgab um einen „richtigen“ Job
anzunehmen. John Arthur wurde von seinem Stiefvater John Gutierrez und Mutter Hortensia
aufgezogen. Keines der beiden war musikalisch, nur ein Onkel bemerkte eines Tages, dass der
Junge Poesie über alles liebte und er schenkte ihm Geld für den Kauf einer Gitarre. Es ging nicht
sehr lange, bis diese Poesie zu Texten wurden. Er zeigte eine grosse Liebe zur Sprache während er
noch in die Schule ging und publizierte seine Werke im Alter von 9 Jahren. Englisch wurde zu Hause
und in der Schule gesprochen, aber der Junge war sehr oft auf der Ranch seiner spanisch
sprechenden Grosseltern und war somit absolut zweisprachig.
Es zog ihn mehr und mehr zur Musik. Er schlich sich, viel zu jung, in die Amardillo World
Headquarters um dort Asleep at the Weel und Commander Cody zu hören. Der Western Swing
Sound packte ihn und er wurde zum Fan vom legendären Bob Wills, San Marcos Ranger und
George Strait. Martinez erhielt im College ein Tennis und Akademie-Stipendium, er schloss an der
Southwest Texas State University mit Englisch und Journalismus ab. „Mein Ziel war damals, das ich
ein kreativer Lehrer am College und ein guter Coach für ein Tennisteam sein und dieses zu
nationalen Meisterschaften bringen wollte. Aber das Interesse an der Musik wurde immer intensiver
und er hatte wöchentliche Auftritte.
„Ich habe sicher fast jeden George Strait Song gelernt. Ich sang diese an meinen Gigs nebst Songs
von James Taylor und Dan Fogelberg oder die Lieblingssongs meiner Mutter, wie etwa die von Hank
Williams. Ich spielte viel aber dachte nie, dass dies meine Karriere sein könnte.“
„Ich entschied mich von Texas an die Universität von Arizona zu gehen, um ein Abschluss in
Journalismus zu absolvieren und ich wollte noch ein bisschen leben, bevor ich einen Lehrstuhl
annehmen würde. In Tucson entdeckte ich mein Talent als Songschreiber und ich begann in den
Kaffeehäusern rund um die Universität zu spielen und entdeckte, dass dies genau das war was ich
gerne tat.“
Starry Night – sein Dualton-Album, ist ein schönes Album von Tiefe und vollem Klang. Sein
Originalmaterial ringt mit Wahrheit, Ehre und Verständnis, dies ist bei den Troubadouren von den
Lone Star State oft zu finden. Martinez liebkost die Balladen mit einem feinen Gespür, locker bringt
er Swing Melodien und Mid-Tempo Melodien wie ein solider Cowboy. Auch eine zweisprachige
Version von George Strait’s „Amarillo By Morning“ ist dabei.
Es war ein harter Aufstieg, aber er hat dies immer mit Anmut, Humor und Würde getragen – ob als
Mensch oder als Künstler. John Arthur Martinez strahlt Vertrauen und Charisma aus, Millionen von
TV Zuschauern haben sich in ihn verliebt. Wenn er lächelt scheint die Sonne und wenn er spricht so
kommt’s immer aus dem Herzen. Und wenn er singt beflügelt er die Seele.
Uebersetzung von Teresa Heinrich