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Today, I have the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Chris Martin, the sixth-generation CEO of Martin Guitars. For nearly 190 years, the Martin name has been synonymous with music, and their iconic guitars have graced the hands of some of the world's most legendary musicians. But the question we explore today is, what is it that has allowed this storied brand to remain at the pinnacle of excellence for nearly two centuries?The answer lies in Chris Martin IV, who has led the company for over 40 years, all while remaining steadfast to the legacy that has defined Martin from the very beginning. Chris is, by nature, a collector, and upon joining the family business, it became clear that his passion for preservation would extend to Martin's rich history. He has meticulously gathered some of the brand's most prized instruments from the most renowned collections and has created a museum to house them—a museum that is anything but traditional. Rather than a sterile, glass-encased gallery, the Martin Museum invites visitors to engage with the guitars, some of which can even be played. And as we'll learn during our conversation, Chris is considering letting anyone play the guitars, in exchange for a donation to the Martin Foundation.Martin Guitars has long been hailed as the gold standard in the industry, and after spending time with the man at the helm, it's easy to see why. So, without further ado, I'm honored to present Chris Martin, here on Collectors Gene Radio.Martin Guitar Company - https://www.martinguitar.com/CollectorsGene.com - https://collectorsgene.com/
In this conversation, Thomas Ripsam, CEO of C.F. Martin Guitar & Company, shares his deep passion for music and art. He discusses his journey as a musician, the inspiration for his album, and how his artistic pursuits influence his leadership style. Ripsam emphasizes the importance of creativity in both personal and professional realms. Takeaways Music has been a significant part of Thomas's life. He has published music under the pseudonym Seeds of Imagination. His latest album, New Horizons, is instrumental and film-inspired. Artistic expression serves as a form of meditation for him. His previous album, Liechtenstein, was inspired by childhood memories of a castle. He enjoys painting landscapes and is influenced by various artists. Creativity enhances his leadership at Martin Guitar. His passion for music energizes those around him. He believes in the power of artistic discovery. Engaging in art helps him connect with musicians and artists.
Will Ackerman is a visionary composer, fingerstyle guitarist and producer. As the founder of Windham Hill Records, he achieved international success with his own music and that of artists such as Michael Hedges, George Winston, Alex De Grassi and others. Windham Hill's sumptuous, detailed sound is widely acknowledged to be a milestone in the evolution of the acoustic guitar. Let's face it: When the first D-28 rolled off the Martin Guitar Company production line, they were hardly expecting Michael Hedges! In fact, no one was...least of all Will Ackerman. In this conversation, he shares some beautiful stories about meeting Michael for the first time and the recording sessions for Aerial Boundaries! We also get some extraordinary insights about the early days of Will's career, hanging out with the Kingston Trio, kayaking with Steve Jobs, the correct way to kick priceless digital mastering equipment, and much more. Many of you doubtless know that Will Ackerman was touched by tragedy at an early age. He talks candidly about this when we discuss his beautiful piece, "The Impending Death of The Virgin Spirit." Once again - this is REAL LIFE on the fretboard - but listener discretion is encouraged. I caught up with Will Ackerman during his visit to the beautiful English town of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The hotel where he was staying had been a favorite of Queen Victoria and its staff continue to uphold fastidious levels of excellence...even at one point interrupting the recording with a session of vacuum cleaning right outside the room. While I dealt with this Ackerman was left with a hot mic; I have kept the results for posterity. To contribute directly to Life on The Fretboard please use this Tip Jar link https://michaelwattsguitar.com/tip-jars/4745 This episode was brought to you by the kind sponsorship of Mirabella Guitars https://www.mirabellaguitars.com/ , Microtech Gefell Microphones https://www.microtechgefell.de/, Fretboard Journal and, you, the listener. To learn more about Will Ackerman visit https://williamackerman.com/ Join me next time where I will be spending time with the extraordinary talent that is Italian singer/songwriter Emma Tricca. You may have seen her on tour with Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets or Dinosaur Jr. It's a fantastic conversation that I can't wait to share with you.
Chris Martin IV, CEO of The Martin Guitar Company, discusses creating an environmentally friendly "Earth Guitar.” Host: Carol Massar. Producer: Doni Holloway.
Chris Martin IV, CEO of The Martin Guitar Company, discusses creating an environmentally friendly "Earth Guitar.” Host: Carol Massar. Producer: Doni Holloway. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
All Things Vocal: Podcast for Singers, Speakers, Voice Coaches and Producers
This is the audio version of the blogpost you can find at AllThingsVocal.com. Today I interview Mark Elliott… singer, songwriter, performer, musician, audio engineer, studio producer, novelist, poet, outdoorsman, and airplane pilot. I'm sure there's more:) Listen for inspiration to go forward, from someone who has a big to-do list and knows how to use it! This podcast is now playing at iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, Spotify, Android apps Subscribe and don't miss an episode... and please leave a review where you like to listen. Please rate and review... it's the best way to support this podcast! www.RateThisPodcast.com/ATV If you want the best vocal training proven to maximize vocal ability and conquer strain, try Power, Path and Performance vocal training, available at www.JudyRodman.com in vocal lessons and on CD courses. Some quotes from the interview: Discipline is connected to inspiration Protecting forward momentum energizes the next thing The legs of your forward momentum are upon content Some of our discussion trails: Integrating multiple creative and technical sides of oneself. How you can start out in classical voice and end up in bluegrass - loving them both! The value of both nature and nurture, parents and environment, to Mark's journey. Brick walls and turning points The difference between writing songs and writing novels. Mark recites his latest poem ‘Where Did You Go’ Thinking outside the box for the promotional video series to launch his single 'Craziest Thing'. We play a snippet! Mark's experience with a vocal polyp. Guitar strings and microphones... including how he cleans his mics. Mark's future gazing; encouragement for others to move forward, too. About Mark Elliot: To quote Devon O'Day; As a singer-songwriter, Mark Elliott is a ‘lifer.’ He lives and breathes the poetry of existence. Mark started his singer-songwriter career in Washington, DC. Tom Paxton discovered him and led him to Nashville. He has won songwriting awards including the Kerrville New Folk Award, has written for publishing houses including Bluewater Music, Maypop Music group, and Sony Music/ATV, and has had his songs cut by indie and major-label artists. Billboard Magazine called Mark’s Neal McCoy hit, Every Man for Himself, “a song with rare lyrical and musical edge and the best cut on the album.” Other publications have praised his work including Martin Guitar Company’s Sounding Board Magazine, UK’s Maverick Magazine and Music Row Magazine which said Mark was "Almost too good”. He tours live with his band, Runaway Home, and has a new solo EP due out summer 2020, with the first single called "Craziest Thing". Mark writes books, blogs, and essays. Kirkus Reviews said of Mark’s first full-length book, The Sons of Starmount: Memoir of a Ten-Year-Old Boy, “Cheerful, more thoughtful than most reminiscences, and quite enjoyable.” Mark is a regular contributor to Songbones Magazine. Find Mark's blog at www.imacre8tivesoul.com. Find Mark’s music and books at www.markelliottcreative.com Find him on Instagram: @imacre8tivesoul
Christian Frederick Martin IV was born on July 8, 1955. He then attended UCLA, majoring in Economics. In his free time, he helped in the guitar repair shop of Westwood Music in West Los Angeles, and this also gave him a valuable insight into the retail end of the music business. When Chris was small, he helped box strings, 6 to a box. In 1972 and 1973 he became more active in the business, helping in the office and attending the NAMM Trade Show in Chicago. He also worked in the machine room cutting out guitar neck blanks on the bandsaw. During the summer of 1973, Chris spent his time learning every operation and assisting with the construction of a D-28S guitar. This and his apprenticeship in the shop was an invaluable experience when he took his place in the family business. Chris joined the Martin Guitar Company full time after his graduation from Boston University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the School of Management. Chris worked in many departments, learning how the business functioned from the bottom up. In 1985 he was appointed Vice President of Marketing, and he took an active roll in the day-to-day challenge of running a traditional business in a modern world. After the death of his grandfather, C. F. Martin III, on June 15, 1986, C. F. Martin IV was appointed Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, indicating his responsibility for leading Martin into the next century. "Since 1833 musicians have connected with audiences everywhere the world over, showcasing their talent and virtuosity over all genres. Martin's significance and cultural impact over 186 years is simply immeasurable." - Chris Martin Martin guitars and Martin strings are the instruments and strings of choice for musicians around the world, from the icons of rock, pop, country, folk and bluegrass to those just beginning their careers. They can be seen across all segments of pop culture, from television to movies, Broadway, books, online, and gracing the covers of popular magazines on newsstands everywhere. One of the world’s leading acoustic instrument makers for nearly two centuries, Martin guitars are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women, who use a combination of new design and techniques, along with those introduced by the company founder.
It’s a bit difficult to describe Dick Boak without resorting to cliches; renaissance man, gentleman and a scholar etc. I could keep stringing them on because in Dick’s case the descriptions apply. For 42 years Dick was employed by the C. F. Martin Guitar Company where he used his considerable skills as artist, musician, woodworker, draftsman, luthier, public relations maven and art director. His 1976 hiring at Martin perfectly coincided with the vintage guitar phenomenon. Dick and Chris Martin IV, CEO and chairman, are recognized as returning the company to its former stature and bringing it to a new prominence. Dick established the artist relations department where they produced the highly sought after limited edition guitars with artists Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, CSNY, Mark Knopfler, Marty Stuart and others. In this case “every guitar tells a story” so settle in for a great podcast where he tells personal tales and music anecdotes and his all to rare story of a talent flowering in a corporate environment. Of course, his talents and lively sensibility weren’t left behind at Martin. We look forward to what he gets up to in the next chapter of his amazing journey. But for now enjoy this podcast filled with his extremely interesting stories thus far.
Christian gets in-depth with Dick Boak. Dick nearly lost his eyesight at the age of six and ever since, has concerned himself with visual details. He focused on drawing, woodworking, writing and music. In his teens, he self-published two booklets of poetry, immersed himself in technical drafting, and began to experiment with musical instrument design and construction In the late 1960s, Dick headed off to college and soon joined the counterculture. Fascinated with the architecture of Buckminster Fuller, he began designing and building geodesic domes. His wanderings took him to Vermont where he worked a series of disastrous jobs in support of his bohemian lifestyle. Eventually, he departed for California with a band of like-minded hippies in search of the utopian dream. Landing at Lou Gottlieb’s infamous Morningstar Ranch commune, he constructed many hand-hewn dwellings and domes and entered his most prolific years as a conceptual illustrator. Returning to the East Coast, he became an art teacher, lathe turner, performing musician and luthier. In 1973, he discovered C. F. Martin & Co. and was soon hired as a design draftsman. Since then and for the past 32 years, he has held many diverse and creative positions there, leading to the formation of Martin’s Artist Relations Department and the conception of more than one hundred and forty signature guitar collaborations with the top musical talents of our time. His acclaimed book Martin Guitar Masterpieces relays the stories of those collaborations. For 17 years, he lived in his converted “Church Of Art,” an active studio for art, woodworking and live music. Currently living in Nazareth, Pennsylvania with his wife Susan and their two daughters Emily and Grace, he continues to build his legacy with The Martin Guitar Company, finding occasional time to further his art and music, and work on the publication of his more personal book Dot To Dot – The Creative, Comical & Covert Adventures of Dick Boak. Please subscribe, rate and review and head over to Patreon to help support our network of rock based podcasts.
The Martin Archives is a unique inside look into C.F. Martin & Co.'s reign as America's oldest and most revered guitarmaker – viewed through a selection of images, correspondence, documents, and reproduced artifacts chosen from some 700,000 items the company has amassed over nearly two centuries. Many of these have lain unseen in the Martins' attic or vault for generations. From the concert halls of the pre-Civil War United States to the Grand Ole Opry stage to Woodstock, Coachella, and beyond, Martin's instruments have been on hand to give voice to the human spirit. The Martin Archives offers insights into those instruments and the persons who made them, as well as the times the Martins lived through. While some guitarmakers predate the advent of the business computer, Martin predates the typewriter, electric lights, and even the steam locomotive, and its archives reveal what an interesting ride that's been. Dick Boak is the director of the museum, archives, and special projects for the Martin Guitar Company. Description courtesy of Hal Leonard Books.
OC Music and Pop Culture historican, Jim Washburn talks about Leo Fender and the new exhibit at the Fullerton Museum Center. He also discusses the history of the Martin Guitar Company, another legendary American music institution.