Grady Martin | |
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Martin in the 1950s
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Background information | |
Birth name | Thomas Grady Martin |
Born | January 17, 1929 Chapel Hill, Tennessee |
Died | December 3, 2001 Lewisburg, Tennessee |
(aged 72)
Genres | country music, rockabilly |
Occupation(s) | guitarist, session musician |
Instruments | guitar, fiddle |
Years active | 1946–1994 |
Labels | Decca, Monument |
Associated acts | Marty Robbins, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, many others |
Thomas Grady Martin (January 17, 1929 – December 3, 2001) was an American session guitarist in country music and rockabilly.
A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso", Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter" and Sammi Smith's "Help Me Make It Through the Night". During a nearly 50-year career, Martin backed such names as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Johnny Burnette, Don Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Bing Crosby. He is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, March 2015
Grady Martin was born on January 17, 1929 in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. 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, and made his recording debut two years later on February 15, 1946 with Curly Fox and Texas Ruby in Chicago, Illinois.