Joey Ambers
B00TooOld
MUSC 2019: Rock ‘n’ Roll Era & Beyond: Assignment 1 – Ar@st Profile: Grady Mar@n
Grady Mar4n (1929-2001) was a prolific session guitarist based in Nashville from the 1950s
un4l the 1990s. Mar4n has appeared on countless recordings as a guitarist, both electric and
acous4c. He also recorded playing fiddle and the electric six-string ‘4c tac’ bass, illustra4ng his
versa4lity as a musician. Mar4n was familiar playing various musical styles including country,
rockabilly, and pop. Along with his fellow session musician team, Mar4n worked with many
popular music legends including Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline. While
these ar4sts are household names, the musicians on their records, like Grady Mar4n, have not
received much recogni4on.
Like many children growing up in Tennessee in the 1930s, and like so many of his musical
peers growing up in the American South, Grady Mar4n tuned into radio broadcasts of the iconic
Grand Ole Opry show. The Grand Ole Opry aired live from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium,
considered the Mother Church or epicenter of country music. The Opry featured performances
from the top country music stars including Hillbilly singer Roy Acuff and harmonica player
DeFord Bailey, two ar4sts the young Mar4n was especially fond of. Mar4n moved to Nashville at
just fi[een to play fiddle professionally with a radio singer named Big Jim Bess.
Mar4n’s early career featured many stepping stones. He worked in Nashville for a few years,
making friends, industry connec4ons, and a name for himself as a fiddler and guitarist. In 1949
Mar4n got hired to play with Grand Ole Opry star Li^le Jimmy Dickens. Ge_ng close to the
Opry’s inner circle would be considered a major breakthrough in those days, opening many
music industry doors. In 1949 Mar4n recorded electric guitar on Red Foley’s “Cha^anooga Shoe
Shine Boy.” The single featured Mar4n’s raw, bluesy guitar solo and enjoyed thirteen weeks at
number one on the country charts, as well as claiming the top spot on the pop charts for eight
weeks. “Cha^anooga Shoe Shine Boy” was a major stepping stone in Mar4n’s career as a
session guitarist in Nashville.
In the 1950s, the opening of new recording studios on Nashville’s Music Row led to steady
session work for Mar4n as Nashville became a major player in the recording industry. Under the
supervision of studio owners Owen and Harold Bradley, a core group of musicians working in
these studios evolved and were later dubbed the “A-Team.” Along with Grady Mar4n, the “ATeam” included bassist Bob Moore, pianist Floyd Cramer, and drummer Buddy Harman, who
would appear on Nashville’s top recordings from the 1950s and ‘60s. Similar to later session
crews like the Funk Brothers (Motown in Detroit), the Wrecking Crew (Phil Spector in LA), and
Booker T & the MGS (Stax in Memphis), the A-Team played on seemingly countless recordings
with minimal recogni4on. These studio musicians are rarely singled out for their musical efforts
or talents. They worked as a team to create a cohesive sound and arrangement that suited the
song being recorded. The studio process on Music Row in Nashville during the 1950s and ‘60s
was like a produc4on line of pop and country hits, much like Motown’s efficient process in
Detroit. Hits from Nashville during the ‘50s and ‘60s were recorded so quickly and efficient
largely due to the playing, arranging and improvising of the session musicians, including
guitarist Grady Mar4n.
The A-Team, with guitarist Grady Mar4n, recorded on many notable pop and country hits
during the 1950s and ‘60s. Mar4n’s infec4ous electric guitar riff can be heard on Roy Orbison’s
“Pre^y Woman,” recorded on Music Row in 1964. Mar4n worked with country legend Ray Price
on his 1970 song “For the Good Times.” The song was wri^en by Kris Kristofferson, who was at
the 4me just another starving songwriter in Nashville. Ray Price’s recording of “For the Good
Times” jumpstarted Kristofferson’s lengthy and decorated career as a singer-songwriter.
Arguably, Grady Mar4n’s most historically significant recordings are the Decca Records sessions
with Patsy Cline that took place just before she died. These sessions at Owen Bradley’s studio on
Music Row produced hits like “Crazy” (1961), “Walking A[er Midnight” (1961) “She’s Got
You” (1961), and “Sweet Dreams” (1963). Patsy Cline died tragically in a helicopter crash on
March 5th, 1963. She was just thirty years old, a mother of two, and at the peak of her career.
Her version of “Sweet Dreams” was released just weeks a[er her death and rose to the top of
the country charts. This recording captured an important piece of country music history and
provided a haun4ng posthumous keepsake for fans.
Grady Mar4n’s guitar playing was influen4al in the sense that he was heard on just
about every record coming out of Nashville from the 1950s un4l the 1970s. His versa4lity as a
guitarist allowed him to master many styles like the acous4c guitar Tex-Mex flourishes on Marty
Robbins’s “El Paso” (1959), raucous hollow-body electric guitar riffs on 1950s rockabilly
recordings, or clean-sounding electric and acous4c guitar for the pop stylings of Roy Orbison
and Patsy Cline in the early 1960s. Mar4n’s claim to guitar fame was apparently accidental.
Mar4n is credited with discovering the iconic fuzz tone on electric guitars, also known as
distor4on. Mar4n accidentally achieved this fuzz tone when the mixing board wiring shorted
during the recording session for Marty Robbins’s “Don't “Worry” in 1961. The faulty wiring
caused Grady Mar4n’s electric six-string (‘4c tac’) bass to sound fuzzy, dirty, and distorted.
Mar4n’s tone accident inspired an electric guitar effect pedal called the Maestro Fuzz Tone. This
popular electric guitar pedal can be heard on Keith Richards’s signature guitar riff from The
Rolling Stones’ hit single “Sa4sfac4on,” released in 1965. A signature guitar tone is sought-a[er
asset and key component to a guitarist’s sound, a no4on that would con4nue to inspire and
taunt guitarists in popular music for decades to come.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Fanelli, Damien. “Essen4al Listening: 10 Great Fuzz Guitar Songs.” Guitar World. May 29, 2018.
h^ps://www.guitarworld.com/ar4sts/10-great-fuzz-guitar-songs
“Grady Mar4n.” Wikipedia. Accessed May 13, 2020. h^ps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Grady_Mar4n
Gray, Michael. “Guitar Great Grady Mar4n Dies At 72.” CMT News. December 4, 2001. h^p://
www.cmt.com/news/1451304/guitar-great-grady-mar4n-dies-at-72/
Kienzle, Rich. “Grady Mar4n.” Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Accessed May 13,
2020. h^ps://countrymusichalloffame.org/ar4st/grady-mar4n/
“Obituaries; Grady Mar4n, 72; Veteran Nashville Studio Musician.” Los Angeles Times.
December 5, 2001. h^ps://searchproquest.com.ezproxy.library.dal.ca/news/docview/
421668026/5BD341DC0F0E4124PQ/1?accoun4d=10406
Sullivan, Steve. Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 1. Toronto: The
Scarecrow Press, 2013.
Wolfe, Charles K. “Mar4n, (Thomas) Grady.” Grove Music Online. January 13, 2015. h^ps://
www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy.library.dal.ca/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/
9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002276031?rskey=2fokwL&result=1
MUSC 2019: Rock ‘n’ Roll Era & Beyond: Assignment 1 – ArBst Profile – ROUGH DRAFT
ArBst Profile: Grady Mar(n 1929-2001
• Guitarist/Session Musician/Band Leader/Arranger
• Based in Nashville, associated with rockabilly, country and pop ar(sts, ac(ve career from
1950s to 1990s
• Part of the “A-Team” of studio musicians in Nashville
• Recorded with Roy Orbison, Johnny Horton, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson.
• Emphasize his reach and volume of recordings; the big hits; versa(lity as a player
• He played electric and acous(c guitar, fiddle, electric six-string bass ((c tac bass)
What are the formaBve influences for this arBst? How did they learn their trade and in which
kinds of music?
• Grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts, especially enjoyed singer Roy
Acuff and harmonica player DeFord Bailey
• Moved to Nashville at 15 to play fiddle professionally, western swing groups
• Country Jazz with his group Grady Mar(n & the Slewfoot 5 (electric guitar)
If there was a breakthrough moment in their career, when did it occur?
Describe this moment. What were the factors in play?
• Mar(n got hired to play in Grand Ole Opry star Jimmy Dickens’s band (connec(ons/
experience)
• Recorded guitar on Red Foley’s “Cha`anooga Shoe Shine Boy” (1949), #1 hit, propelled
his session guitarist career in Nashville
• Opening of new recording studios on Nashville’s Music Row led to steady employment
as Nashville became a major player in the recording industry, development of the “ATeam,” similar to later session crews like the Funk Brothers (Motown/Detroit), the
Wrecking Crew (Phil Spector/LA), Booker T & the MGS (Stax/Memphis)
Was this arBst involved in any major recordings? i.e. songs that are considered “classic” or
notable contribuBons in the history of popular music.
• Roy Orbison “Pre`y Woman” (1964)– electric guitar, one of the most famous guitar riffs
• Willie Nelson “On the Road Again” – toured with for years Willie as well
• Ray Price “For the Good Times”
• Patsy Cline “Crazy” (1961), “Walking Aeer Midnight” (1961) “She’s Got You” (1961).
“Sweet Dreams” (1963) last recording sessions before Cline’s un(mely death, “Sweet
Dreams” released aeer her death. (Country music legacy/importance).
Did this arBst influence future musicians in the field? If so, who, and briefly describe.
• The fuzz tone/accidental distor(on on Marty Robbins’s “Don't Worry” (1961). One of the
first instances of distor(on. Fuzz tone on the guitar became a key component of rock
music in the ‘60s. Use Maestro Fuzz Tone guitar pedal used on The Rolling Stones
“Sa(sfac(on” (1965) played by Keith Richards as an example. (Cite: CMHOF site)
•
Reiterate Grady Mar(n’s number of recordings as influence, the A-Team’s influence as a
whole on other studios, industry norms
Other Info:
• Awards: Was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame,
Che`y Award (2000) named aeer Chet Atkins for significant instrumental achievement
SOURCES:
Sources can be cut down later aeer you have decided which informa(on you are using for your
ar(st profile. Acquiring more than enough informa(on and condensing it down to relevant
details for your assignment is a good way to start. Make sure to keep track of what informa(on
comes from which website in case you need to cite it in the final copy of your assignment.
Wiki: h`ps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grady_Mar(n
Museum: h`ps://countrymusichalloffame.org/ar(st/grady-mar(n/
All Music: h`ps://www.allmusic.com/ar(st/grady-mar(n-mn0000802915
Online Forum (Vinyl Record collec(ng) h`ps://www.discogs.com/ar(st/322817-Grady-Mar(n
Instrument/Player Magazine h`ps://www.guitarworld.com/ar(sts/10-great-fuzz-guitar-songs
Instrument/Gear Website h`p://gretschpages.com/forum/vintage-gretsch-guitars/
remembering-grady-mar(n/64704/page1/
Online Encyclopedia h`ps://www-oxfordmusiconline-com.ezproxy.library.dal.ca/grovemusic/
view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002276031?
rskey=2fokwL&result=1
Online News Source h`p://www.cmt.com/news/1451304/guitar-great-grady-mar(n-dies-at-72/
Historical Organiza(on h`p://www.rockabillyhall.com/gradytribute.html
Google Books h`ps://books.google.ca/books?
id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA316&lpg=PA316&dq=did+grady+mar(n+play+on+oh+pre`y+woma
n&source=bl&ots=ZShHmCKwKS&sig=ACfU3U3fVdWqUOzpLW2MD5bdvSHQMPnfw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjrlp6UprHpAhWyct8KHQzkBM
MQ6AEwCHoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=did%20grady%20mar(n%20play%20on%20oh%20pre`y
%20woman&f=false
Newspaper (Obituary)
h`ps://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.dal.ca/news/docview/
421668026/5BD341DC0F0E4124PQ/1?accoun(d=10406
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