john Arthur martinez
Transcrição
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