Asa Martin
Encyclopedia
Asa F. Martin was an American old time musician, singer and guitarist who made many recordings during the 1920s and '30s and was closely associated with renowned fiddle player Doc Roberts, for whom he played rhythm guitar. In turn, Roberts frequently played mandolin on Martin's recordings; Roberts' son James also sang duets with Martin under the name "Doc Roberts Trio".
into a music loving family. His mother who was a piano teacher also played the guitar and his father played the fiddle. Because of low finances, Martin decided to drop out of medical school and try his hand at a career in music. In the early 1920s, he played in several dance bands and in the meantime he worked in a cinema as a background musician for silent movies. With the advent of talking pictures, he had to find another job. Martin met fiddler Doc Roberts at a fiddler's convention in Winchester. They began performing together and soon Martin and Roberts went to Richmond, Indiana
for a recording session. Martin made his recording debut with Doc Roberts on May 14, 1928 for Gennett Records
. They recorded two songs at their very first session together, Second Love, and Lost Love. Their recordings sold well and Martin soon became one of the best selling old time artists of Gennett Records. At their second session in August 1928, Doc Roberts son James was added as a singer. In 1931, the band switched to ARC Records. In addition to being a recording star, Martin also performed on radio stations in Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio
. In 1935, he hired an aspiring young banjo player, David Akeman. Martin gave Akeman the moniker "String Beans" during an onstage presentation when he couldn't remember the banjo player's name. The name eventually became "Stringbean".
Martin retired from music in the 1940s and went to work at a steel plant in Ohio. In the 1950s, he moved to Irvine, Kentucky
where he had purchased land just outside the town. He resumed his musical career on a small scale basis in the 1960s with his new band "the Cumberland Rangers". In the early 1970s, they recorded an album for Rounder Records
Dr. Ginger Blue. Martin died at home in 1979 from an heart attack.
Biography
Martin was born in Winchester, KentuckyWinchester, Kentucky
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Clark County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,724 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
into a music loving family. His mother who was a piano teacher also played the guitar and his father played the fiddle. Because of low finances, Martin decided to drop out of medical school and try his hand at a career in music. In the early 1920s, he played in several dance bands and in the meantime he worked in a cinema as a background musician for silent movies. With the advent of talking pictures, he had to find another job. Martin met fiddler Doc Roberts at a fiddler's convention in Winchester. They began performing together and soon Martin and Roberts went to Richmond, Indiana
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
for a recording session. Martin made his recording debut with Doc Roberts on May 14, 1928 for Gennett Records
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
. They recorded two songs at their very first session together, Second Love, and Lost Love. Their recordings sold well and Martin soon became one of the best selling old time artists of Gennett Records. At their second session in August 1928, Doc Roberts son James was added as a singer. In 1931, the band switched to ARC Records. In addition to being a recording star, Martin also performed on radio stations in Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. In 1935, he hired an aspiring young banjo player, David Akeman. Martin gave Akeman the moniker "String Beans" during an onstage presentation when he couldn't remember the banjo player's name. The name eventually became "Stringbean".
Martin retired from music in the 1940s and went to work at a steel plant in Ohio. In the 1950s, he moved to Irvine, Kentucky
Irvine, Kentucky
Irvine is a city in and county seat of Estill County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 2,843 at the 2000 census. It is located on the Kentucky River at the junction of Kentucky Route 52 and Kentucky Route 89....
where he had purchased land just outside the town. He resumed his musical career on a small scale basis in the 1960s with his new band "the Cumberland Rangers". In the early 1970s, they recorded an album for Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
Dr. Ginger Blue. Martin died at home in 1979 from an heart attack.