Carl Martin (1906-1979) was a musical partner of Howard Armstrong (Blues, Stomps & Rags #7) in the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, in the duo, The Wandering Troubadors, and in Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong (who, according to Rich Del Grosso, were known for a time as the Four Keys String Band). Martin played mandolin, guitar, violin, and double bass. Like Armstrong, he had a variety of musical styles.
Martin was born in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, where he was immersed in church music. The son of Frank "Fiddlin'" Martin, Carl played guitar at ten. By twenty, he toured the mid-South with his step-brother, Blind Roland Martin, playing medicine shows and dances, as well as busking on the streets. After years of playing with Ted Bogan and Howard Armstrong, he played on his own in Chicago and Indianapolis, and sometimes worked with the pianist Leroy Carr. Like Armstrong, he served in the army during World War Two. Afterward, he worked "outside of music" in Chicago. In the early 70's, he reunited with Bogan and Armstrong, playing with them until his death in 1979. Carl Martin made numerous recordings, with and without Bogan and Armstrong.
Rich DelGrosso, who knew these men, explained why he didn't include Carl Martin's music in his book, Mandolin Blues: "Since his style was so similar to Howard Armstrong's, separate examples [of Martin's tunes] are not given. It's apparent that Armstrong picked up much of his mandolin technique from Martin. Both were fiddlers and mandolinists who worked together so long they became 'one' in many ways" (2007, p.57).
(Most of the above information came from Mandolin Blues.)
Here is Carl Martin playing mandolin and singing the blues. (If the connections don't work, search for "Carl Martin, State Street Pimp" on YouTube.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFMHydo_K8s
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