Bob Martin

Bob Martin

Bob Martin is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician from Lowell, Massachusetts. He is known for song-stories with detailed characters and narrative writing. He also plays french horn.

Early life and first album

Martin is born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the same city associated with Jack Kerouac. He records his first album, Midwest Farm Disaster, in 1972 for RCA Records in Nashville. During this period he works with Chet Atkins at RCA and with session musicians including drummer Kenneth Buttrey, who also plays on Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde.

Career development

After changes at the label and the rise of disco, Martin’s recording career is not prioritised. In 1974 he leaves pop music behind and moves with his family to a farm in West Virginia. He continues writing songs, poetry and novels while pursuing other artistic work.

His second album, Last Chance Rider, appears in 1982 on June Appal Records in Whitesburg, Kentucky. It is recognised by the National Association of Independent Record Distributors as one of the three best folk albums in the country.

Later albums and recognition

Martin releases his third album, The River Turns the Wheel, in 1997 on his own label, Riversong Records. The album includes backing vocals by Bill Morrissey and Cormac McCarthy. It becomes his most commercially successful release to date, reaches number 16 on the Gavin Americana Chart, and receives strong critical notice. Brad Kava of The San Jose Mercury News names it one of the ten best albums of 1997, Dave Perry of The Lowell Sun calls it the best folk album of that year, and Tom Flannery of The Electric City News names it the best CD of the year.

His fourth album, Next To Nothin, follows in 2000 on Riversong Records and receives further airplay on Americana radio programmes. Martin also tours nationally and opens for Merle Haggard in 1999.

Other work

In 2006, Martin completes his first non-fiction novel. He continues to perform nationally and internationally.