Talk:Jimmy Martin

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Jimmy Martin was a musical genius. I realize that is a pretty presumptious statement but if you are familiar with the music of Jimmy Martin, there is no denying it's accuracy. I was a member of Jimmy Martin's band, The Sunny Mountain Boys, from 2/1990 until 2/1991 and in that brief period of time, I learned virtually everything that I know today about this music called "bluegrass". Jimmy's teachings went far beyond how to play your instrument or sing your part. Jimmy taught me how to be a professional musician.....which is more about attitude than ability. Jimmy taught me that a good living can be made from playing bluegrass......provided you can REALLY play bluegrass, and play it better than any of your competitors. Jimmy taught me how to work an audience from the stage.......how to "sell" your music. Jimmy taught me how to sell........at the record table where 90% of all bluegrass music sales happen. Jimmy taught me about passion.......how to convey your emotion or the emotion of the song to the audience. Jimmy taught me how to love your fans......because they are responsible for where you are. No one else. Jimmy taught me that some lessons have to be tough ones........otherwise the knowledge will be quickly forgotten. Jimmy taught me how to focus on what you do best.......and not to let other influences steer you away from your goal. I loved Jimmy Martin as a friend and a mentor. I fear that there will not be another individual with the personality and the showmanship that Jimmy Martin possessed, in bluegrass music. If I can accomplish a tenth of the success, on and off stage, that Jimmy Martin accomplished, I will consider myself successful.

Lynwood Lunsford

Sunny Mountain Boy


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I would like to revert from "dangerously unpredictable" back to my wording of "volatile". "Dangerous" has a negative connotation -- AFAIK Jimmy was not a danger to fans. I'll wait to see if the person who posted that disagrees.

-- Blauwkoe

With all due respect it seemed that using "volatile" twice in the same sentance was gramatically clumsy. Jimmy certainly could be "dangerously unpredictable," even with fans, if you caught him at the wrong moment or in his cups...read "True Adventures with the King of Bluegrass" by Tom Piazza. The positive & the negative were never too far from each other. --Budrocket 08:36, 9 February 2006 (UTC)