Local Songwriter Releases Election Song
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – You might have seen the big black Caddy roaming the streets of Crockett. Usually parked outside the downtown coffee shop in the morning, you will find it parked outside city hall or the hospital during meetings. The burly man who steps out of it looks more like a bouncer at the local meetings than an advocate for physical therapy and special needs children. He is all of those, but at his heart, Joe Martin is all musician and all heart.
Martin has had a long career in music, playing in his own groups, writing songs, and playing with legends from Waylon Jennings to the Platters. A New York native, Martin told The Messenger he was in the military and worried President Kennedy might send him and his men to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba.
Kennedy? The Bay of Pigs? From 1962? Martin, who looks a healthy 60, was asked his age.
"I am 80 years old," he replied.
Hundreds of songs written and millions of notes played over his long career, Martin has been featured on stages all around the country and his songs have seen audiences all around the world.
I first heard of Martin about 10 years ago, when he heard about the company I owned and on his own, went and wrote a jingle to promote the business. Fascinated and grateful, the song was heard on Houston radio for several years.
After living in Crockett for a few years, it was about a year ago I heard a familiar voice at a Crockett City Council meeting.
"Remember me?" asked Martin to an astonished me.
Such are the twisted and curved paths of life, where you can never predict just who may wander in or out of your life at any given time.
Martin and his wife lived in the quiet, rural suburbs north of Houston for many years. One day, they noticed the little quiet streets had become four-lane highways and it took hours to get anywhere, constantly stuck in traffic. They started looking for a saner place to spend their days, eventually settling on Crockett.
Martin has always been political, and produces songs reflecting those politics. His latest contribution, called "Team Trump and Vance" is a lighthearted song with a beat similar to the early Rolling Stones or Bo Diddley. Martin was grateful he was able to play the song alongside his son. It has already racked up thousand of views on social media and has been played on some of the morning radio shows in Houston.
Martin wrote the song with football season in mind, calling on people to support "team" Trump. His songs often have a comedic-political twist to them, finding interesting ways to turn boring political points into catchy, rhyming phrases.
Proud of the diversity of his music, Martin even claims to be a great rapper, saying the first rapper was probably Johnny Cash, who spoke many of his lyrics. Martin's claims to be a great rapper were not confirmed by The Messenger, but we'll take his word for it.
The song is available for sale on CD around town at Crockett Grind, Moosehead Cafe and Davy Crockett Grill. It can be downloaded on all the major sites and you can search for Martin's music on his YouTube® page, Joe Martin.
