GRADY MARTIN

Grady Martin was born in Marshall County, Tennessee in 1929.
He became a pro musician at the tender age of 15, playing frequently on a radio show in Nashville.
Grady appeared regularly on the Grand Old Opry and the Ozark Jubilee, as well as having played on countless country and rockabilly hits. He was active as a session player well into the 60's and 70's.
In the 50's, he appeared on the hits of Little Jimmy Dickens, Red Foley, Buddy Holly, Janis Martin, Roy Orbison, and many others. He led the session group The Slewfoot Five for Decca Records in the 50's. After a lifetime's worth of playing, publishing, and producing, he toured with Willie Nelson, and stayed on the road for 16 years.
Grady Martin accidentally stumbled on a "fuzz" effect during a recording session with Marty Robbins. His guitar was plugged into a tube console with a faulty channel, generating the wild fuzz effect heard on Robbins' "Don't Worry". Grady had an uncanny knack for playing the ideal guitar line regardless of genre. He could accompany Janis Martin or Johnny Horton with minimalist bass string twanging, unleash jazzy country licks on a Western Swing number like his own instrumental classic "Porkchop Stomp", or lay down some menacing, flatulent fuzz guitar that wouldn't sound out of place on a 60's Pacific Northwest garage band track!


Hear Grady Martin's "The Fuzz"