Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee, beginning in 1949 Martin was lead vocalist for Bill Monroe's "Bluegrass Boys,". Martin's high voice mixed with Monroe's tenor came to be known as the "high lonesome" sound. His influence radically changed Monroe's music from the fast-paced but smooth style of the "original" 1945 band with Flatt and Scruggs. Martin challenged Monroe to raise the pitch on many of his classics and to write new, "lonesome" songs. This band with Rudy Lyle (banjo) and Charlie Cline (fiddle) was one of the many high points of Monroe's career. Martin's lead was defining in "lonesome" songs such as "Sitting Alone in the Moonlight", "Memories of Mother and Dad" and "I'm Blue, I'm Lonesone".
Martin had a famously high-strung and exuberant personality, and inevitably clashed with Monroe's equally stubborn temperament. He left Monroe and worked briefly with the Osborne Brothers until he formed his own band, "The Sunny Mountain Boys" in 1955. The classic lineup of this band, with J. D. Crowe and "Big" Paul Williams (stage name for Paul Humphries) defined his "Good 'n Country" style, a commercially-oriented, crowd-pleasing bluegrass with simple harmonies, catchy melodies, and a strong rhythm propelled by Martin's simple but effective guitar playing. Among his biggest hits of the 1960's were "Hit Parade of Love", "Sophronie", "Stepping Stones", and "Widow Maker" (a popular truck driver's song).
Martin was famous as a dangerously unpredictable but highly-entertaining stage presence. He freely acknowledged his problems with drinking and volatile mood swings, which kept him from realizing his life-long dream of joining the Grand Ole Opry.
He made frequent appearances on the Louisiana Hayride and the Wheeling Jamboree, as well as the Grand Ole Opry, but was never invited to join the latter.
He performed on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1971 album, Will the Circle be Unbroken. In 1995, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. A documentary on his life, King of Bluegrass: The Life and Times of Jimmy Martin, was released in 2003. Martin is also featured in High Lonesome.
Martin's hobby was raccoon-hunting with dogs; he famously featured his hunting dogs on the covers of several LP albums and wrote songs celebrating their prowess.
Jimmy Martin died Saturday May 14, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee after having been diagnosed with bladder cancer more than a year earlier. He is interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Madison, Tennessee.
Tennessee
Jimmy Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down in the southern states is where I want to be
Where the valleys are so green and the mountains are so tall
You will know just what I mean when you hear them say "Y'all"
Tennessee (Tennessee)
I hear you calling me (I hear you calling me)
The home of Davey Crockett in the hills of Tennessee.
When I was a little boy around the folks back home
My mother always said to me Jimmy, please don't roam
Now that I have gone away my heart is full of woe
When I think of Mom and Dad that's where I want to go
Tennessee (Tennessee)
I hear you calling me (I hear you calling me)
The home of Davey Crockett in the hills of Tennessee.
If ever I get back to that state of Tennessee
I tell you there'll be no more roaming for me
There lives a sweetheart who said she'd marry me
As soon as I get back to that state of Tennessee
In Jimmy Martin's song "Tennessee," the singer expresses a deep longing for his home state, describing the beautiful natural scenery and the strong emotional connections he has to the area. The opening lines suggest that Tennessee is a well-known and highly regarded location, with the singer indicating that he has heard and read a great deal about it. He describes a desire to be in the southern state, where the valleys are green and the mountains are tall, suggesting that he finds the landscape both peaceful and awe-inspiring. The use of the colloquial expression "y'all" adds to the sense that Tennessee is a place where people are friendly and welcoming.
The second verse of the song focuses on the singer's childhood experiences in Tennessee, with his mother advising him not to wander too far from home. This leads the singer to reflect on his current situation, expressing a sense of sadness and regret that he has left the state. The repetition of the chorus - "Tennessee, I hear you calling me" - reinforces the idea that the singer is deeply connected to the place and cannot forget about it. The final lines of the song suggest that he has a specific reason for wanting to return - he has a sweetheart waiting for him in Tennessee who has promised to marry him when he comes back.
Overall, "Tennessee" is a song that celebrates the beauty and emotional significance of the state. It emphasizes the importance of geographical and cultural connections to one's home, and evokes a sense of nostalgia for times and places that can never be fully recaptured.
Line by Line Meaning
You have heard and read about the state of Tennessee
Tennessee is a state that is well-known to many people.
Down in the southern states is where I want to be
I prefer to be in the southern states, specifically Tennessee.
Where the valleys are so green and the mountains are so tall
Tennessee has stunning landscapes with beautiful green valleys and towering mountains.
You will know just what I mean when you hear them say "Y'all"
The southern dialect and use of 'y'all' is unique to Tennessee and is indicative of its charm and culture.
Tennessee (Tennessee)
I hear you calling me (I hear you calling me)
The home of Davey Crockett in the hills of Tennessee.
Tennessee has a strong pull on me and feels like home, and it is also known for being the birthplace of historic figure Davey Crockett.
When I was a little boy around the folks back home
My mother always said to me Jimmy, please don't roam
My mother warned me about wandering away from home when I was younger.
Now that I have gone away my heart is full of woe
When I think of Mom and Dad that's where I want to go
Being away from home has made me very sad, and I long to return to my childhood home and my parents.
If ever I get back to that state of Tennessee
I tell you there'll be no more roaming for me
There lives a sweetheart who said she'd marry me
As soon as I get back to that state of Tennessee
If I return to Tennessee, I will finally settle down and no longer feel the need to wander. I also have a love waiting for me there that I plan to marry.
Writer(s): Doyle Neikirk, Jimmy H. Martin Copyright: Champion Music Corp.
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rhonda lawson
I went to my great uncle Jimmy Martins house growing up and I remember Ol Pete. He had a lot of dogs . He made me cry laughing everytime I saw Jimmy. He was the BEST !!!!!!
Silent Weapons Quiet Wars
Where was he from Rhonda?
RTRDick
The lady is Gloria Belle Flickinger, pioneering Bluegrass musician. The first woman to play in a non-family, major, professional Bluegrass group, she lead the way for todays Bluegrass daughters. While Jimmy may have ribbed her onstage, (he did this to all his sidemen), he employed her for some years, allowing her to sing and record. The exposure and experience in Martin's tight band benefited her greatly. Like many former alumni, she went on to front her own group, Tennessee Sunshine. .
Michael Kearns
I'm no woke or progressive by any means, but the way she's just off to the side during introductions, boy, just not a good image. The Gal can play, and sing. No reason for that
Jeff Brown
Absolutely True....Gloria Belle, And This Whole Band Were RIGHT On Time. 💜
RTRDick
That is well known mandolin and fiddle sideman Vernon Derrick. He wrote and recorded Arab Bounce with Jimmy.
Banjo Jones
Thank you, can you tell me who the mandolin player from Arab Alabama is? Btw, I'm from Morristown TN, and worked in the same furniture factory as Jimmy(25 years later). Like Jimmy, I only worked there briefly.
Old Man Fred
Thank you for this History!👍
Damnyankee Yankee
One thing about Jimmy Martin's bands throughout the years: band members were OUTSTANDING musicians - and no matter who played in the band, the nusicians always made the music jump out at you in an exciting sort of way. Coupled with Jimmy's vocals, it's a combo that was never beat - even by Flatt & Scruggs (even as amazing as that group was!!!)
Steve Zibresky
Damnyankee Yankee fans