Martin Sexton
| Martin Sexton | |
|---|---|
|
Sexton onstage in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Martin Sexton |
| Born |
1966 Syracuse, New York United States |
| Genres | Rock, Blue-eyed soul, Folk, Americana |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | Kitchen Table Records (KTR), Atlantic |
| Website |
martinsexton |
Martin Sexton (1966)[1] is an American singer-songwriter and producer.
Early life
Sexton grew up the tenth of twelve children in a working class Irish-American family.[2] He acquired his first guitar, a Sears & Roebuck acoustic model at age 14. At 22 years old he began busking as a street performer in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[3]
Career
His 1991 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In The Journey, was recorded on 8-track and he sold 20,000 copies while busking. 1996–2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. Sexton launched his own label KTR in 2002. His songs have appeared on NBC's Scrubs and Showtime's hit series Brotherhood.
In 2007/08 he released the album, Seeds which debuted at #6 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. His album Solo was released in October 2008. In 2009, he won Best Live Performance Album at the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards for his album Solo. His album Sugarcoating was released in 2011.
Reception
The Boston Globe wrote that "Sexton is ripe with raw, expansive talent. His voice comes in a hundred impossible shades. His songs are sweet and spirited and soulful. His repertoire is like a cross-country tour of the American musical vernacular." The New York Times wrote that this artist "jumps beyond standard fare on the strength of his voice, a blue-eyed soul man's supple instrument," adding that "his unpretentious heartiness helps him focus on every soul singer's goal: to amplify the sound of the ordinary heart."
Discography
Albums
- 2015 – Mixtape of the Open Road (Kitchen Table)
- 2012 – Fall Like Rain (EP) (Kitchen Table)
- 2010 – Sugarcoating (Kitchen Table)
- 2008 – Solo (Kitchen Table)
- 2007 – Seeds (Kitchen Table)
- 2005 – Camp Holiday (Kitchen Table)
- 2001 – Live Wide Open (Kitchen Table)
- 2000 – Wonder Bar (Atlantic Records)
- 1998 – The American (Atlantic Records)
- 1996 – Black Sheep (Koch International)
- 1992 – In the Journey (Koch Entertainment)
Other contributions
- Live & Direct – Volume 3, WYEP-FM, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (2001) – "Where Did I Go Wrong"[4]
- Live at the World Café - Volume 9 (1999) – "The American"
- Live & Direct – Volume 1, WYEP-FM, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (1999) – "The American"[4]
References
- ↑ "Martin Sexton - Biography | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ↑ St. Leger, Marie Elsie (November 9, 2000). "Martin Sexton Finds Joy, Hope and Wonder". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ↑ "Career Development: Martin Sexton". ASCAP. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- 1 2 "Live & Direct CDs". WYEP-FM. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
External links
- Official site
- Sexton interview on MSNBC
- NPR Interview
- NPR's on Point with Tom Ashbrook – Sexton interview on Point