Odell Martin, a memory

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Odell Martin, a memory

Postby thenorm » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:29 pm

Putting this up for Paul Yandell's benefit. He didn't ask me to but I think he would approve of it.

I'm sure he's heard these but I'm also sure many of you have not.

These are two clips played by Odell Martin, Paul Yandell's absolute best friend from his high school days.

Odell and Paul played the Opry, Paul with the Louvin Brothers and Odell with Kitty Wells and Faron Young.

Both men were determined finger style guitarists and like so many guitarists both young men were only know by their peers as excellent sidemen. The public seldom focused on sidemen so Odell never got to make a solo career and examples of his playing as a soloist only exist in snippets.

Odell got killed in an auto accident in 1985 on his way to a musical gathering.

Paul never really got over the loss


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS6_lR_i4bc David's Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rthnje60Dik Gallopin' Guitar
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby Richard Hudson » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:11 pm

Norm, that was an excellent post. I didn't get to meet Mr. Martin, but two Gentlemen that I hold in very high esteem who have nothing but good things to say about him is good enough for me. Those two Gentlemen are Paul Yandell and Eddie Pennington. From the recordings I have heard, Odell could hold his own with just about anybody. That Galloping Guitar cut was just tremendous. Even as fast as he played it, every note was clean as a whistle.

My best wishes to Paul and Eddie, especially to Paul because, as Norm mentioned, Paul and Odell were boyhood friends and stayed best friends. Nothing is ever easy about having to give up a friend, but a best friend is that much harder.

A while back I posted a picture of Odell's daughter. My friend, Ronny Light, saw her for the first time and was so impressed that he put out a special letter as a critique of her performance. I'm sure Odell would be extra proud of her.
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby keener » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:14 pm

An amazing talent. Such a tragedy that he departed while so young.
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby David Elliott » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:16 pm

Several years ago I sent a bunch of audio recordings of Odell to the Texas Fingerstyle Guitar Association, and which they kindly put on their web site. These tunes can be accessed by clicking on the link below...

http://thumbpicker.com/homepage/odell_martin.html

Odell was a great fingerstyle guitarist!

David
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby keener » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:28 pm

I've never heard Anybody do a better job on Rhythm Guitar. I can listen to it over and over. Incredible picking.

Maybe off-topic, maybe not: I recently recalled a song of 30 or 40 years ago called Man From Galilee ( sp? ), and have been wondering who played finger style on it. It starts with a little Mother Maybelle type if lick, then smoothly done Atkins style. I can't remember who sang it. I suspected years ago that it was either Chet, Paul, or Jerry doing the picking, but now I wonder if it was Odell?
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby David Elliott » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:36 pm

"but now I wonder if it was Odell?"...

I seem to recall that recording also Bruce, but sure don't know who played guitar on it.

Paul would probably know...

David
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby thenorm » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:16 pm

I was aware of Odell as a young man but had never really heard him play. My friends and I knew of him mainly because of his name, 'Odell'. We kenw he was working with Faron Young. We went to the Opry in 1959 or '60 and we saw Odell at one of the radio shows. He had a beautiful 6122 Gentleman with a great figuring grain. Very nice guy. Shy.
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby rhirvine » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:04 pm

I must confess I'd never heard of him but man, he sure could play!
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby Mike Nye » Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:21 pm

Hi everyone,

If ALL threads were kept along the lines of THIS one, the CB would ALWAYS be a BUZZ with activity ! ! !

Ya think ? ? ?

Mike
If BRUTE-FORCE isn't working, you're not using enough ! ! !
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Re: Odell Martin, a memory

Postby Vidar Lund » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:51 pm

Bruce, "Man From Galilee" is a Johnny Cash song. He wrote it after he and June visited Israel in the sixties.
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