Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind

Subject: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Justa Picker
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 05:17 PM

Interview with Jimmy Martin here.
Good for a chuckle, and you'd think he invented Bluegrass.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Cluin
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:42 PM

So who did?

I used to think it was Bill Munroe (with help from Lester & Earl to tweak it). Now I hear it was The Stanley Brothers.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: kendall
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 07:38 PM

I've never met the man, but, from what two of my brothers said who did meet him; I dont want to. They both say he is a self centered pompous ass.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: X
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 07:58 PM

He didn't say anything that wasn't the truth.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Richie
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 09:33 PM

Cluin,

The reason the Stanley Brothers created the bluegrass genre is: you can't have a genre unless you have two groups. The first was Monroe's Blue Grass Boys- when Stanley copied Monroe's "Molly and Tenbrooks" that created a genre.

Monroe is regarded as the originator of the classic bluegrass sound.

-Richie

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Midchuck
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 10:13 PM

Kendall: You mean to say being a self centered pompous ass is bad?

Oh dear! And me too old to change....

Peter.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Mark Clark
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 10:32 AM

Martin is the only bluegrass entertainer I've seen who evidently believed cursing at his audience would win him fans. Jimmy didn't invent bluegrass but he was certainly paying attention when it was invented. Whatever else one can say about Martin, he has surely had a major influence on the music. And Martin remains one of the few bluegrass performers to crack the commercial country charts in any major way.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 01:44 PM

A GREAT interview! Thanks Mike.

The truly amazing thing (to me) is that Jimmy has been giving the SAME interview for forty years now! He hasn't mellowed one iota. I saw him play several times thirty odd years ago, and it's no myth that he totally annoyed all his peers....big time!

At a big Festival in Columbus I watched as Jimmy and Red Allen (the OTHER strangest man in Bluegrass) competed with each other to see who could get the most fake encores on stage. Both of their bands looked humiliated (but VERRRY used to the shenanigans) as Jimmie and Red pulled out every stop they knew or could invent on the spot.

Jimmy was the master of stream of consciousness rambling and eventually I watched Charlie Waller go up to the MC and say "get him the fuck off" (or words to that extent) or we're (The Country Gentlemen) goin' home"!

Later that night Jimmy held court with about two dozen of us at a campfire, and didn't stop talking for two solid hours. Pure paranoia and weirdness from a GREAT singer and player.

P.S. His guitar was the loudest I've ever heard. That, combined with his VERY high action (warped neck AND top) and hard-playin' made it sound like a Les Paul on 11!

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 04:26 PM

It has been said that if you want to succeed in America, you need to find something good, and beat it to death--It takes a certain kind of personality to be able to do that, and Jimmy has got it--

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: kendall
Date: 20 Dec 02 - 07:59 PM

Dont kid yourself Midchuck; you're not self centered, just weird. However, you do have good taste in guitars and scotch.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 11:37 AM

The first time I ever heard Jimmy Martin was on one those between song conversations on Will the Circle Be Unbroken. I thought it was a bit pompous, but it sure doesn't compare to this interview.

Having said that, the world is filled with too many people who are trying to be PC. I've alway had a soft spot for cantankerous old guys who say what they mean, if they can walk the walk, and Jimmy Martin sure could.   

I have to admit, I had a mental picture of Foghorn Leghorn while reading this intereview. "I say now, I say, listen when I's talkin' to you son..."

Now Rick, more about Red Allen please.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 01:11 PM

Tons of stuff about Red Allen all over the net Steve. He became "Folk Famous" (as opposed to simply 'Bluegrass famous') after his recordings with Frank Wakefield were issued. Grisman has also written extensively about him.

Wayyyyy back in 1962 when I first became a Bluegrass fanatic (which in my case meant not just listening to the music but wanting to know EVERYTHING about the artists) Red Allen was in the pecking order just below Jimmy Martin and The Osburne Brothers. The Country gentlemen were considered radical outsiders. The fact that The Gentlemen and Allen were on FOLKWAYS didn't help them with a mainstream audience, cuz Folkways were seen a "known commies"!!! Most "Commies" loved Bluegrass though, ha ha!

Rick

Subject: RE: Jimmy Martin - A Legend in his Own Mind
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 10:19 PM

Rick,

I'll have to do some surfing. Thanks.