HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

The Early Blues of Carl Martin

Birth of the Blues: Carl Martin

Carl Martin

Being born on 1 or 15 April 1906 in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, made Carl Martin a Piedmont blues player (Southeast and East Coast) although he worked largely in Chicago in multiple genres as a fiddler, guitarist and mandolinist. He first recorded in Knoxville on April 3 of 1930 (Knox County Stomp' and 'Vine Street Rag'). That was with Howard Armstrong (violin) and Roland Martin (guitar) in the Tennessee Trio, Martin performing on string bass. Martin's next recordings weren't until six tracks on June 14, 1934, in Chicago with Tampa Red for Bluebird, those his first on guitar: 'Grievin' and Worryin' Blues', 'Mean Mistreater Blues', et al. Come October 27 he held his first name session in Chicago: 'You Can Go Your Way' and 'Kid Man Blues'. Martin continued making records until 7 May of 1936 when he put away 'Drunken Woman Blues' toward Decca 7282.

'Knox County Stomp' Tennessee Chocolate Trio

3 April 1930 in Memphis TN Matrix K-8066 Vocalion 5472

Violin: Howard Armstrong Guitar: Roland Martin String bass: Carl Martin

Composition: ?

'Vine Street Rag' Tennessee Chocolate Trio

3 April 1930 in Memphis TN Matrix K-8067 Vocalion 5472

Issued on Vocalion 1517 as the Tennessee Chocolate Drops

Violin: Howard Armstrong Guitar: Roland Martin String bass: Carl Martin

Composition: J. Brown

'Somebody's Been Using That Thing' Carl Martin backing Tampa Red

14 June 1934 in Chicago Matrix 80603-2 Bluebird B-5572

Guitar / vocal: Tampa Red Piano: Henry "45" Scott Guitar: Carl Martin

Composition: Al Miller

'Mean Mistreater Blues' Carl Martin backing Tampa Red

14 June 1934 in Chicago Matrix 80604-1 Bluebird B-5546

Guitar / vocal: Tampa Red Piano: Henry "45" Scott Guitar: Carl Martin

Composition: Hudson Whittaker (Tampa Red)

'You Can Go Your Way' Carl Martin

27 Oct 1934 in Chicago Matrix 80933-1 Bluebird B-5745

Composition: ?

'Kid Man Blues' Carl Martin

27 Oct 1934 in Chicago Matrix 80934-1 Bluebird B-5745

Composition: ?

'Good Morning Judge' Roland Armstrong (string bass) backing Carl Martin

8 Jan 1935 in Chicago Matrix C-882-2 Vocalion 03047

Composition: Martin

'Crow Jane' Carl Martin

27 July 1935 in Chicago Matrix 91427-1 Bluebird B-6139

Composition: Julius Daniels 1927

'Old Time Blues' Carl Martin

27 July 1935 in Chicago Matrix 91428-1 Bluebird B-6139

Composition: Martin

'Big Four Whistle Blues' Carl Martin (guitar) backing Jimmie Gordon (vocal)

17 April 1936 in Chicago Matrix 90679-A Decca 7282

Tenor sax: ?

Composition: Jimmie Gordon

'Drunken Woman Blues' Carl Martin (guitar) backing Jimmie Gordon (vocal)

7 May 1936 in Chicago Matrix 90680-C Decca 7282

Composition: Jimmie Gordon

Martin continued performing largely solo in Chicago, but didn't record again for thirty years, now as a member of the Chicago String Band run by harmonica player, Big John Wrencher. Filling out that group were Bill Foster at guitar and Johnny Young at mandolin. In 1972 he supported the New Mississippi Sheiks, also recording in a trio with Howard Armstrong (again) and Ted Bogan (guitar). That trio put away numerous titles together from 1974 to 1977.