BLUEGRASS DRIVE WITH STYLE

Joe Martin
Mandolin

Joe Martin is the mandolin player for GrassStreet. He also sings lead and harmony vocals.

He was born in 1965 in Kinston, North Carolina and started his musical career on piano at age 6. He played the the alto and later baritone saxophone from 4th grade through high school. At age 12, while living in Jonesboro, Arkansas, he was given a banjo for Christmas and has been playing stringed instruments ever since. He plays banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass and is currently learning the fiddle. He has won over 15 awards in banjo, guitar and band competitions at various Fiddler's Conventions and festivals. He has recorded on over 25 CD projects, most recently the two by GrassStreet. His musical influences cover alot of areas, as he enjoys different styles of music, his favorites being bluegrass and classic rock. He also enjoys handmaking his own picks, both flatpicks for mandolin and guitar and thumbpicks for banjo.

Joe plays a Weber mandolin.