john Arthur martinez

Artist Information

Biography

john Arthur martinez
www.johnarthurmartinez.net

“What is it with you…” john Arthur martinez asks in the song "Cobalt Blue" - a lyric written when he was courting his wife, which could just as well be asked of martinez himself these days.

He wears a cowboy hat, but more out of deference to Texas and his ancestors, as he is no hat act. He finished in second place to Buddy Jewell on Nashville Star in its first year, but extrapolating a mainstream stereotype from that would just be wrong. He is heart and soul and defies categorization. He is erudite, world wise, and yet hasn’t lost touch with his roots. He is as much at ease in a work shirt, and he is on the podium. It is time to take
another look at this self-realized man.

Three years on hiatus provided time to reflect about what’s important- family, friends, and song, and now john Arthur martinez reemerges. In fact, the impeccable songwriting on this new CD is a testament to that new energy and new direction. PURGATORY ROAD presents a solid collection of story- songs that flow with melody, memories, pure emotion and martinez’s unique brand of Americana, infused with folk, Latin and country. Amazing songwriters abound; the company one keeps, with co-writes from Kent Finlay, Jan Landry, and Mike Blakely. He pens and partners on all but three of the tracks, Walt Wilkins and Liz Rose, John Greenberg and Bill Murray, and Vince Leggett contribute tunes of their own. The title track is a dark, downbeat twist on the murder ballad, which explores the dynamic of these rough economic times. The production textures are superb throughout, from the Latin groove of ‘Que No Puede Ver’ to the rolling country-rock of ‘On the Run’ to the rumbling, accusatory ‘You Can’t Out Drink the Truth’. The Texasborn martinez, who caps/un-caps his name as a nod to childhood friends and poet e.e. cummings, casts a canny eye on today’s landscape, and brings a powerful set of snapshots anchored in the reality of our times.


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“I tell people I went to the Hank Williams school of songwriting: I always try to capture his ability to marry a lyric with a melody,” says john Arthur martinez. With PURGATORY ROAD, martinez has definitely earned himself an A. His flowing melodies carry stories told by a true Texas songwriter, with evocative lyrics inspired by wide open spaces, friends, family and the wayfarers who populate our lives in unexpected ways.

Martinez’s latest, his first for Apache Ranch Records, is filled with the spiritual and creative energy of Texas’ Hill Country, where he lives in Marble Falls, and musical influences that range from Dan Fogelberg and James Taylor to Carlos Santana, Cuco Sanchez and Asleep at the Wheel.

An alumnus of the Cheatham Street Warehouse singer/songwriting class that spawned the likes of Todd Snider, Terri Hendrix, James McMurtry, Bruce Robison and Hal Ketchum, martinez’s pedigree as an Americana artist of the first caliber was already stamped well before he attracted the attention of Bruce’s brother, Charlie Robison, who encouraged martinez to audition for TV’s “Nashville Star.” Martinez won second, ahead of Miranda Lambert. That opened doors to a record deal with Dualtone (LONE STARRY NIGHT(remove S), produced by Matt Rollings of Lyle Lovett’s band, hit #49 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart). And his debut at the Grand Ole Opry on a bill with Charley Pride and Carrie Underwood, as well as several European tours and other proud moments.

But martinez’s roots, and his heart, lie squarely in Texas, not Nashville. His music, further nourished by his Mexican-American heritage, contains an earnestness one can’t always hear in the output from Music Row.

Born in Austin, he grew up listening to his relatives harmonize on mariachi ballads and watching his father struggle to make a living as a musician before giving up that dream. Raised by his mother and stepfather on a ranch in Round Mountain, between Austin and San Antonio, martinez started publishing poems at age 9.

Trying to head in a more traditional direction, he graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in English and broadcast journalism (and minors in speech and philosophy) and then entered graduate school at the University of Arizona in Tucson. But he couldn’t stay away from music, and continued to hone his song craft in college-town coffeehouses.

Eventually, musical passion overwhelmed his plans to serve academia as a writing teacher and tennis coach. (One nod to his writing-major past is the inverted capitalization he uses to spell his name: it’s after famous poet e.e. cummings, with an acknowledgment to people who know him by the middle name he’s used since kindergarten because there were so many Johns in his class.)

With PURGATORY ROAD, martinez says, his career is coming full-circle. “It’s time to bring people’s attention back to the songwriter part of singer-songwriter,” he says. This 11-track collection is filled with songs that completely fulfill that mission. As it turns out, it’s been a long time coming.

“The album actually spans three decades in terms of the writing,” martinez says. “ ‘Que No Puerde Ver’ was written in the ’80s; ‘Thunder and Lightning’ and ‘The Ride’ were written in the

’90s. Songs like ‘Cobalt Blue’ were written when I was courting my wife 11 years ago.” That tune, a sensuous ballad, vividly evokes everyday imagery in a way only martinez can. “What is it with you and cobalt blue/that draws me, glassy-eyed, to you?” he sings. “I’d bottle it up if I only knew/The magic in the mystery glass/Unites tomorrow with the past/and cleanses me like midnight mass.”

“The Ride,” co-written with his friend Mike Blakely, is, he says, the version he’s always wanted to do of a tune originally recorded for his 1998 release, SPINNING OUR WHEELS. Another ballad, it’s got a majestic sweep that conjures visions of range riders and caballeros.

“Que No Puede Ver” and “When You Whisper in my Ear” alternate between Spanish and English lyrics — appropriate for an artist who co-wrote a song recorded by famed Texas accordionist Flaco Jiménez. “Seguro Que Hell Yes” landed on Jiménez’s self-titled 1994 album — which landed a 1995 GRAMMY Award for Best Mexican-American/Tejano Music Performance.

Martinez likes to mix it up musically, too. “If you go hear me do a show at the Cotton Club (in Granger, north of Austin), I’m probably gonna do more of our original western swing and traditional sounding country stuff. But if I go do a show in Uvalde, I may do 30 or 40 percent Latino and bilingual songs,” he says. “But it’s all me.”

“I’m like the menu at a Texas diner,” he adds. “There’s chicken fried steak; there’s chili con carne-smothered enchiladas; there’s the spinach veggie omelet; there’s fresh pecan pie. It all comes out of the same kitchen, just like my folk stuff, my country songs, my Latin tunes, my ballads, my rockers.”

It’s a tasty menu, indeed. With PURGATORY ROAD, listeners will enjoy every bite. Fans fortunate to see and hear the live shows at Gruene Hall, The Grand Ole Opry, Country Rendezvous (France), The Bluebird Cafe, The State Fair of Texas, South by Southwest or recently the Kerrville Folk Festival will attest to that.

Contacts:
Jason Landry
Apache Ranch Records, Austin, 512.415.7454;
www.apachereanchrecords.com

Instrumentation

john Arthur martinez: Acoustic, Percussion, Vocals
Chris Reeves: All Guitars, Fiddle, Mandolin
Sterling Finlay: Electric Bass and Upright Bass
Travis Woodard: Drums & percussion

Discography

On The Border (Rival Records)
Spinning Our Wheels (Jam Records)
Stand Your Ground (Jam Records)
Amor! Amor! (Jam Records)
Live In New England (Jam Records)
Lone Starry Night, (Dualtone Records/Sony Distr.)
Rodeo Night (Jam/AGR TV Records/Universal)
Blakely/Martinez (Jam Records)
Purgatory Road (Apache Ranch Records)

Official Website

http://www.johnarthurmartinez.net

Links

• Official Website & Store
• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace Music Page
• Fan Club

Audio

• Utopia
  Listen  
• Purgatory Road
  Listen  
• Closer To My Dream
  Listen  
• Que No Puede Ver
  Listen  
• Lone Starry Night
  Listen  
• Home Made of Stone
  Listen  
• "The Armadillo Song"
  Listen  
• "All Hat, No Cattle"
  Listen  
• When You Whisper In My Ear
  Listen  
• Everything I Never Knew I Wanted
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Lone Stary Night Lyric Booklet
• Rodeo Night Lyric Booklet
• Live In New England Lyric Booklet
• The Armadillo Song
• Everything I Never Knew I Wanted

Video

john Arthur martinez - Utopia

Photo Gallery

Press

• Media Reviews and Quotes [+ Show ]
  

  “PURGATORY ROAD [is] a dark, well-written and -performed 11-song CD with a bit of sunlight, filled w...“PURGATORY ROAD [is] a dark, well-written and -performed 11-song CD with a bit of sunlight, filled with personal-sounding stories and good music. Martinez has a nice, expressive voice with pretty good range that adds a level of drama ... The CD’s best songs … might be ... ‘Utopia,’ the story of a man's battles with adversity, or ‘Thunder & Lightning’ that doesn't bring the rain that would wash the sadness from his eyes, or the sad love song ‘Que No Puede Ver’ that manages to avoid most of the Latin clichés. …”
  
  — Buddy
  
  
  
  “Cowboy imagery is prevalent on [PURGATORY ROAD]: horses, being ‘on the run,’ Colorado eagles, sleepy border towns, et cetera. Such imagery is hardly new, but between martinez’s skillful use of the language and the relative lack of cowboy themes in modern music, it feels fresh and intriguing. Minor chords, lonesome fiddles and loud electric guitars are prevalent, maintaining a deep, dark, dusky tone on even the up-tempo songs. All of the songs rely on sharp, detailed lyrics, not once forcing the messages or relying on a trite line for the sake of catchiness. … [He’s] made one impressive piece of work.”
  
  — Roughstock.com
  
  
  
  “Sure, [john Arthur martinez] is considered a country musician, but PURGATORY ROAD is more a collection of short stories than an album … Close attention to the lyrics yields thoughtful tales of loss and hope, like the title track and album highlight, ‘Closer to My Dreams’.”
  
  — Austin Monthly
  
  
  
  “Nashville Star’s first-season runner-up john Arthur martinez (the eccentric capitalization scheme is a nod to poetry hero e.e. cummings) didn’t immediately parlay his TV notoriety into mainstream success, but he has spent the ensuing six years building both a solid catalog and a loyal following centered in his native Texas. PURGATORY ROAD finds john sounding a little moodier than usual, as signaled by the keening steel guitar that kicks off opening cut ‘Utopia.’ Hopefully this will be the moment that the national audience john briefly held six years ago comes back around to a remarkably consistent talent.”
  
  — Country Weekly
  
  
  
  “[PURGATORY ROAD’s] title tune is a bluesy, downbeat look at these rough economic times. It swirls with drama that climaxes in murder. Gripping, to say the least. The production textures are superb throughout the set, from the Latin groove of ‘Que No Puede Ver’ to the rolling country-rock of ‘On the Run’ and the rumbling, accusatory ‘You Can’t Outdrink the Truth.’ Hearty recommendation.”
  
  — Robert K. Oermann, Music Row
  
  
  
  “Like his college roommate Todd Snider, john Arthur martinez tends toward the folky side of country-flavored story-songs. PURGATORY ROAD finds an even keel with the rough highway tales of self-incrimination and loss (‘Can’t Outdrink the Truth,’ ‘Utopia’) that are thoughtful without wallowing in hopelessness and despair (‘Cobalt Blue,’ ‘Thunder & Lightning’). ‘Que No Puede Ver’ puts him square in the Americano camp, too.”
  
  — The Austin Chronicle
  
  
  
  “Kent Finlay and the Cheatham Street Warehouse are world-famous for incubating and nurturing fledgling songwriters. john Arthur martinez is a graduate of both Texas State and Kent Finlay’s ‘school’ of songwriting. Martinez is a Texas poet who writes gorgeous lyrics. His voice, which is not always the case with songwriters, matches almost flawlessly with his music. His long-awaited CD, PURGATORY ROAD, is finally out.”
  
  — Today In San Marcos
  
  
  
  “This should easily make the top album list for 2009 for every Americana radio programmer. Fantastic, diverse and just amazing.”
  
  — Shayne Hollinger, Mandatory FM
  
  
  
  “Soft rain on a tin roof on a lazy Sunday morning ... a gentle breeze through the trees ...That’s the sense of pleasant calm one experiences as john Arthur martinez’s pure, melodic voice expertly delivers some of the finest songwriting examples available on the Americana music scene in his latest project, PURGATORY ROAD. Texas Rebel Radio has enjoyed jAm’s incredible projects for years. He was my first on-air interview nearly 14 years ago. And, it is a distinct honor to support this incredible effort. john Arthur, my friend, you have truly outdone yourself with this graceful music creation. Thank you for allowing us all to listen in!”
  
  — Dawn Dale, P.D., The Texas Rebel Radio Network
  
  
  
  “john Arthur martinez is one of the great Texas singer-songwriters. Having seen him perform as a solo artist and with his band, it’s evident that this guy is the real thing.”
  
  — Ray Benson, GRAMMY Award-winning Asleep at the Wheel front man
  
  
  
  “PURGATORY ROAD does indeed include a variety of musical styles. It begins strongly with ‘Utopia,’ a thought-provoking Americana-esque number. … The rockier title track continues in this darker vein and was apparently inspired by a harrowing experience the singer’s daughter had with a dodgy loan shark who went to extreme lengths to ensure payment was made. ‘I made a deal with the Devil to pay what I owe, now I’m driving like hell down Purgatory Road,’ sings Martinez menacingly. On ‘Que No Puede Ver (Can’t She See),’ the verses alternate between English and Spanish, with the Spanish words, as well as an accordion, adding a real Mexican flavor to the proceedings. The sense of yearning in the song was inspired by a girl with whom Martinez fell in love at college, but who, unfortunately, did not share his feelings. ‘Closer to my Dreams,’ a song about following the heart, is the real stand-out track of the album, with its utterly gorgeous melody, sublime mandolin, emotive guitar licks and positive, upbeat lyrics: ‘I’ll be closer to Austin and closer to my dreams.’ Other high points include: ‘The Ride,’ a tune that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Western; ‘Cobalt Blues,’ with its slow-burning groove; and the romantic Spanish guitar that lights up ‘What Good is I Love You’.”
  
  — suite101.com
  
  

• john Arthur martinez - Maverick Review [+ Show ]
  

  A voice that takes you back to the country crooners of the 1960s. Texas resident john Arthur mart...A voice that takes you back to the country crooners of the 1960s.
  
  Texas resident john Arthur martinez came second ahead of Miranda Lambert on American TV's Nashville Star in 2003, and he also co-wrote Seguro Que Hell Yes on Flaco Jimenez's self-titled 1994 album that went on to win a Grammy. His silky smooth and very rich voice is just a pleasure to listen to, whether signing the pulsating Purgatory Road with driving guitar solos alongside fiddle and powerful backing vocals that would not have sounded out of place on a Garth Brooks album, or the gorgeous Que No Puede Ver (the on who got away) on wich he alternates between English and Spanish his voice is just relaxing. Make yourself a large Latte, put this CD in your player, sit back in your Chair and just relax. DK

• john Arthur martinez - Purgatory Road [+ Show ]
  

  It's funny how the most commercially successful Nashville Star winner by far was Miranda Lambert, w...It's funny how the most commercially successful Nashville Star winner by far was Miranda Lambert, who placed third way back in the show's first season. I bet you don't even remember who the winner was that season, do you? (Buddy Jewell.) In between those two artists was some guy named john Arthur martinez (who uses lowercased letters in his name as a nod to the poet e.e. cummings). Like Jewell, jAm was a good ol' southern boy in his 40s, with a couple indie records already under his belt. Unlike Jewell, however, martinez has a lot more to say, and a much more effective way of saying it.
  
  Purgatory Road is led off by a pair of dusky mid-tempos about one desolate man: he was raised in a pickup truck, he's fought with the bottle, lost all his paycheck on a bad bet, made some deals with the Devil, and now he's "too low-down broke to buy [his] own beer," so he holds up the Quick Stop. Between the dark lyrics and gritty production and the bitter resentment in his vocals, these two songs pack quite an emotional punch.
  
  "Can't Outdrink the Truth" carries that same bitter tone, with the narrator trying in vain to drown a broken heart; martinez sounds so truly agonized over his former love that the lyric cuts right to the bone. Next comes "Thunder & Lightning," using a very intriguing metaphor, comparing a former lover to thunder and lightning only to add "but you bring me no rain," leaving him like a wilting, drying flower on parched ground. "Que No Puede Ver" ("Can't She See") brings some Tex-Mex spice to the album, blending a lonesome steel with congas and accordion, as well as some evocative Spanish lyrics. (This song is also the oldest on the album, having been written in the 1980s.) A Latin flavor also shows up on "What Good Is I Love You," about a man who comes to senses over his broken heart after reading the Bible. This song hinges on the great lyric "What good is 'I love you' if it ain't never been said?"
  
  The mood brightens halfway through, starting with "Closer to My Dreams," a more upbeat song about a man who decides to run away from home and pursue his dreams of becoming a musician. He finds the delicate balance of yearning and slight regret over his leaving, making for a very compelling song that still fits nicely on the album. "The Ride" also keeps the more upbeat tone, using convincing Western similes to describe the excitement of falling in love. Lyrics such as "Even if we never reach our destination, the reward is in the ride" say so much more than the simple motivational-poster lines of, say, Miley Cyrus' "The Climb." This song and "On the Run" transition easily to the sultry "Cobalt Blue," about a sexy female that the narrator just can't look away from. The slowly-shuffling closer "When You Whisper in My Ear" is a soft, sweet love ballad with a crying steel solo, sounding like a great 1990s neo-traditionalist ballad even on the Spanish second verse.
  
  Cowboy imagery is prevalent on the album: horses, being "on the run," Colorado eagles, sleepy border-towns, et cetera. Such imagery is hardly new, but between Martinez' skillful use of the language and the relative lack of cowboy themes in modern music, it feels fresh and intriguing. Minor chords, lonesome fiddles and loud electric guitars are prevalent, maintaining a deep, dark, dusky tone on even the up-tempo songs. All of the songs rely on sharp, detailed lyrics, not once forcing the messages 0r relying on a trite line for the sake of catchiness. There's no way in the world that this album would ever be a commercial success, but even if it just sells a few thousand copies back home, I'm sure J.A. will be satisfied. Because he has made one impressive piece of work.

• Quotes From Music Critics [+ Show ]
  

  "john Arthur martinez is one of the great Texas singer-songwriters. Having seen him perform as a sol..."john Arthur martinez is one of the great Texas singer-songwriters. Having seen him perform as a solo artist and with his band, it's evident that this guy is the real thing."
  ~Ray Bensen, Asleep at the Wheel
  
  “Give him three minutes and he’ll touch your soul.”
  ~KVET; Austin, TX
  
  “When he smiles the world has sunshine. When he talks, it’s always from the heart. And when he sings, the soul is nourished.”
  ~Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine
  
  “Like his college roommate Todd Snider, John Arthur Martinez tends toward the folky side of country-flavored story-songs. Purgatory Road
  finds an even keel with the rough highway tales of self-incrimination and loss (“Can’t Outdrink the Truth,” “Utopia”) that are thoughtful without wallowing in hopelessness and despair (“Cobalt Blue,” “Thunder & Lightning”). “Que No Puede Ver” puts him square in the Americano camp, too.”
  ~Austin Chronicle
  
  "I highly recommend checking him out as there are many country music fans just waiting for a little diversity. It's more country than Latino, but he has crossover appeal to his community and far beyond."
  ~Felicia Kelly, Album Network, Burbank, CA
  
  "Local musician's song goes from cocktail napkin to Grammy! ~The River Cities Tribune, Marble Falls, TX
  
  "Take a few minutes to download these files (mp3) and you will hear why we were so impressed! This is clearly first-class work, properly recorded." ~John Stewart, Business News Network, Colorado Springs, CO
  
  "Martinez has the songs, the looks, and the smooth-as-flan vocals to be a Latino-Country-crossover next-big-thing."
  ~Austin Chronicle, Austin, TX
  
  "Give him three minutes and he'll touch your soul!"
  ~KVET, Austin, TX
  
  "Hearing you (john Arthur martinez) now reminds me of the first time I heard Tish Hinojosa in this same studio."
  ~John Aielli, KUT Radio, Austin, TX
  
  "Congratulations on winning your local (True Value) Country Showdown. We look forward to seeing you at the state finals."
  ~Seaworld of Texas, San Antonio
  
  "I watched how john Arthur captivated the listeners and moved the dancers at a private function I attended. I immediately knew I had to write about him."
  ~Marilyn Chase, Dallas Morning News
  
  "We have john Arthur on a regular rotation his self-produced discs are that good!"
  ~J.D. Rose, KFAN, Fredericksburg, TX
  
  "This is great stuff"
  ~WSM-AM, Nashville TN
  

• Crystal Award of Excellence [+ Show ]
  

  Ted Burton Director of Media Relations www.EnviroMedia.com Advertising and PR with a Conscienc...Ted Burton
  Director of Media Relations
  www.EnviroMedia.com
  Advertising and PR with a Conscience
  1717 W. 6th Street, Suite 400
  Austin, Texas 78703
  512-476-4368 ext. 306
  512-797-8200 mobile
  512-476-4392 fax
  
  
  Water Pollution Radio Spot Earns Top Honor
  Texas recording artist John Arthur Martinez sings about protecting drinking water
  
  (AUSTIN) – A radio spot produced by Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia Inc.for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has earned two Communicator Awards, one of the advertising industry’s highest honors.
  
  The public service announcement (PSA) features nationally-acclaimed country music singer John Arthur Martinez and a powerful message educating Texans about dumping into storm drains common household waste and chemicals, which can contaminate drinking water.
  
  Martinez’s spot, produced in English and Spanish, earned the highest honor for radio production in the competition:
  
  v “Don't Feed the Storm Drain” – Educational PSA, Crystal Award of Excellence
  v “Don't Feed the Storm Drain” – Spanish PSA/Foreign Language, Crystal Award of Excellence
  The Communicator Awards is an annual independent awards competition founded by communications professionals to recognize outstanding work from around the world. The Communicator Awards2004 audio competition fielded 923 entries.
  “I’m honored the spots were recognized as being an effective way to communicate such an important message,” said Martinez, who began achieving national recognition in 2003 when he finished second on the USA Network's national talent competition Nashville Star leading to the the national release of Lone Starry Night on Dualtone Records (distributed by Sony Red). “It was fulfilling to use my passion for music to help protect the environment.”
  
  The spots start with Martinez crooning, “Don’t feed the storm drain, better stop and think. It flows into the rivers, into what our children drink,” and go on to give tips for properly disposing chemicals and protecting storm drains. TCEQ purchased airtime on 15 stations in the Valley and Laredo throughout the summer. The spots were also distributed statewide as PSAs, and about 80 stations have aired the spot more than 5,100 times for free since the campaign began last summer.
  “When stations play a PSA because they want to, or because they believe in the message, you know the spot is effective,” said Kevin Tuerff, EnviroMedia president. “Of course, the most important thing is that our message about preventing nonpoint source pollution is reaching more Texans.”
  
  About the Campaign
  The radio spots are part of a water pollution prevention campaign specifically targeting residents who cause pollutants such as motor oil and pesticides to wash down storm drains, which lead into creeks, lakes and rivers that serve as sources for drinking water. EnviroMedia and TCEQ brought in Martinez to write and sing English and Spanish for the radio spots.
  
  Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley were chosen as test markets for the program because both areas exceed their Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of watershed pollutants. The campaign included radio advertisements, community outreach and research, the results of which will serve as a benchmark for future efforts in other TMDL targeted markets: Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
  
  
  About EnviroMedia:
  
  Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia Inc. (www.enviromedia.com ) is the nation’s only full-service public relations and advertising agency dedicated solely to improving public health and the environment. Current clients include the, Dell Inc., Carpet and Rug Institute, Envision Central Texas, Green Mountain Energy, H-E-B Grocery Co., Hill Country Conservancy, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation/Seton Healthcare Network, North Texas Clean Air Coalition, Nu-kote, Recycled Computers International, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Department of Transportation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Western Governors’ Association.
  
  ###
  For more information on TCEQ’s nonpoint source pollution efforts, call 1-800-CLEAN-UP or visit www.tceq.state.tx.us. John Arthur Martinez may be contacted www.johnarthurmartinez.net
  
  
  

• CMAFest Review [+ Show ]
  

  Nashville 2004 CMAfest Greased Lightning Riverfront Stages From Lisa Sunday's Nashville Concert ...Nashville 2004 CMAfest Greased Lightning Riverfront Stages
  
  From Lisa
  Sunday's Nashville Concert Review
  Due to the rain yesterday. Most of the acts were rescheduled to perform today.
  
  The show started with the ROPE legends show. Preformers were Kyle Cantrell, a radio emcee host, presenting Jeanie Seely. She can sure belt out a song.
  
  Next Moore and Moore are identical twins with a lot to offer. Jim Ed Brown did only one song then asked to be excused so his voice could rest due to throat problems. He promised to do some duets with Helen Cornelius. Helen is just as beautiful as ever. This portion of the show closed with Stonewall Jackson doing his biggest hit "Waterloo".
  
  Next was the "Sunday in the South" show hosted by B. Bubba Bechtol. Up first The Bellemy Brothers. These guys are still great. They had the women worked up and got several pairs of panties thrown on the stage.
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  Jimmy Fortune was one of the Statler Bros. quartet that is going solo now. He did "Elizabeth" and "More than a Name on the Wall" he got a standing ovation.
  
  BR549 did their bluegrass. They showed their true form. A new act, J. Michael Harter was good. I think we will be hearing a lot from him in the future. Mountain Heart and Sisters Wade, Kylie Harris, and Rhonda Vincent concluded the bluegrass show. If you have never heard Rhonda Vincent, do yourself a favor and see her.
  
  The Jenkins are a mother daughter act in the style of the Judd's. Jedd Hughes is a good looking Australian. He has a style definitely his own. Kellie Coffey and Michelle Poe were both great. John Berry is long overdue for another hit. This guy can sure sing a song and make you feel it.
  
  Doug Stone is still looking good. The crowd roared their approval when he started "I'd be Better off in a Pine Box". Craig Morgan...what can I say about this guy? He's good-looking, talented, and in the military active reserves. He is undeniably one of the greatest talents of Country Music.
  
  John Arthur Martinez was up next. John is one of the undeniably best artists I've seen. He did the title song off his new cd, "Home made of Stone". He closed with "La Bamba". The whole crowd went wild. He had the senior citizens along with the young kids dancing.
  
  Jeffery Steele was set up to perform when the park was closed due to oncoming storms.
  Today's show was wonderful. It makes me realize that there is still a long future in country music. The new up and coming acts are worthy of a listen, and the older established acts brought back many cherished memories. It made me appreciate the world of country music all that much more.
  
  Till Next Year,
  Marlene

• john Arthur martinez - RoughStock.com Review [+ Show ]
  

  It's funny how the most commercially successful Nashville Star winner by far was Miranda Lambert, wh...It's funny how the most commercially successful Nashville Star winner by far was Miranda Lambert, who placed third way back in the show's first season. I bet you don’t even remember who the winner was that season, do you? (Buddy Jewell.) In between those two artists was some guy named john Arthur martinez (who uses lowercased letters in his name as a nod to the poet e.e. cummings). Like Jewell, jAm was a good ol’ southern boy in his 40s, with a couple indie records already under his belt. Unlike Jewell, however, martinez has a lot more to say, and a much more effective way of saying it.
  
  Purgatory Road is led off by a pair of dusky mid-tempos about one desolate man: he was raised in a pickup truck, he’s fought with the bottle, lost all his paycheck on a bad bet, made some deals with the Devil, and now he’s “too low-down broke to buy [his] own beer,” so he holds up the Quick Stop. Between the dark lyrics and gritty production and the bitter resentment in his vocals, these two songs pack quite an emotional punch.
  
  “Can’t Outdrink the Truth” carries that same bitter tone, with the narrator trying in vain to drown a broken heart; martinez sounds so truly agonized over his former love that the lyric cuts right to the bone. Next comes “Thunder & Lightning,” using a very intriguing metaphor, comparing a former lover to thunder and lightning only to add “but you bring me no rain,” leaving him like a wilting, drying flower on parched ground. “Que No Puede Ver” (“Can’t She See”) brings some Tex-Mex spice to the album, blending a lonesome steel with congas and accordion, as well as some evocative Spanish lyrics. (This song is also the oldest on the album, having been written in the 1980s.) A Latin flavor also shows up on “What Good Is I Love You,” about a man who comes to senses over his broken heart after reading the Bible. This song hinges on the great lyric “What good is ‘I love you’ if it ain’t never been said?”
  
  The mood brightens halfway through, starting with “Closer to My Dreams,” a more upbeat song about a man who decides to run away from home and pursue his dreams of becoming a musician. He finds the delicate balance of yearning and slight regret over his leaving, making for a very compelling song that still fits nicely on the album. “The Ride” also keeps the more upbeat tone, using convincing Western similes to describe the excitement of falling in love. Lyrics such as “Even if we never reach our destination, the reward is in the ride” say so much more than the simple motivational-poster lines of, say, Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” This song and “On the Run” transition easily to the sultry “Cobalt Blue,” about a sexy female that the narrator just can’t look away from. The slowly-shuffling closer “When You Whisper in My Ear” is a soft, sweet love ballad with a crying steel solo, sounding like a great 1990s neo-traditionalist ballad even on the Spanish second verse.
  
  Cowboy imagery is prevalent on the album: horses, being “on the run,” Colorado eagles,
  sleepy border-towns, et cetera. Such imagery is hardly new, but between Martinez’ skillful use of the language and the relative lack of cowboy themes in modern music, it feels fresh and intriguing. Minor chords, lonesome fiddles and loud electric guitars are prevalent, maintaining a deep, dark, dusky tone on even the up-tempo songs. All of the songs rely on sharp, detailed lyrics, not once forcing the messages 0r relying on a trite line for the sake of catchiness. There's no way in the world that this album would ever be a commercial success, but even if it just sells a few thousand copies back home, I'm sure J.A. will be satisfied. Because he has made one impressive piece of work.

Setlist

CLOSER TO MY DREAM C
PURGATORY ROAD Em
THE RIDE C
THUNDER & LIGHTNING E
UTOPIA Bminor
RIVER OF LOVE (AMOR, AMOR) C
ARMADILLO SONG E
LONE STARRY NIGHT A
YOU CAN'T OUTDRINK THE TRUTH
ROLY POLY E
THE MAN WHO HOLDS THE BOW E
TROUBLE RIDES A FAST HORSE Fm
WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL E
POOL HALL A
FRIJOLES CON ARROZ D
SPINNING OUR WHEELS C
WILD E
LA BAMBA C
HOME MADE OF STONE F
IF I DIDN’T CARE F
HEARTACHES BY THE NUMBER G
TAKE ME BACK TO TEXAS G
SWEET ON YOU A (Bridge F, C, G, Am, F, C, E7th)
POUR A LITTLE LOVE ON IT F
TONIGHT AT FIESTA G
LONE STARRY NIGHT A
WASTED DAYS AND WASTED NIGHTS C
BEFORE THE NEXT TEARDROP FALLS E
SEGURO QUE HELL YES A (2 chord song A & E)
Too Old To Die Young (D)
Rio Grande Rodeo Night/La Bamba Medley A
Down On The Corner (cumbia version) G
Amarillo By Morning (bilingual version) D & A

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

john Arthur martinez Rider

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