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ezFolk Forums > ezFolk Audio Hosting > Featured Artist of the Week > Featured Artist - 03/26/07 - Me & Martha |
| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| Featured Artist - 03/26/07 - Me & Martha - Featured Artist of the Week - ezFolk Audio Hosting - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Richard Hefner Administrator 
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 Me & Martha -- Don DePoy and Martha Hills Me and Martha, that is Martha Hills and Don DePoy, love to make music. They draw on historical music forms including blues, jazz, old-time country and bluegrass. Each performance is a fusion of America's acoustic roots music traditions. By blending these traditional sounds with an ear towards the contemporary, Martha and Don create music with a fresh twist that holds the flavor of these rich traditions. Their sound is without question original, yet somehow familiar. The energy and excitement they bring to every song are captivating. There is just an enchanting chemistry between them. As the listeners take a musical journey, there is just something in the natural ebb and flow of their music that grabs and pulls you in. As 2005 inductees into Americas Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame, they continue the tradition of keeping music making accessible and alive. Both are active in the music making community and conduct youth and adult workshops on how to be a music maker.  Maine Musicians inducted into the Hall of Fame (Anita, Iowa ) Bob Everhart, president of the National Traditional Country Music Association announced the induction of Don DePoy & Martha Hills of Belfast , Maine into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame at the 30th Annual Old Time Country and Bluegrass Music Festival in Missouri Valley, Iowa . Don & Martha performing as Me & Martha, enjoy the distinction of being the first Maine residents to be included as part of this elite group of rural music makers dedicated to America's rural roots music. The plaque Me & Martha received bears this inscription: "America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame is proud to induct Me & Martha in accordance with the by-laws of the National Traditional Country Music Association, Inc., and the wishes of its membership, this honor is bestowed with humility and pride, as we recognize the significant contributions made by this inductee in the preservation, promotion, and performance of traditional country music, locally, nationally, and internationally. Made this Day of our Lord, September 4, 2005, at the 30th National Old Time Music Festival, Missouri Valley, Iowa before thousands of likeminded people. Founded in 1976 and located in the Pioneer Music Museum in Anita, Iowa, the America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame honors those individuals which have recognized stature and dedicated involvement within traditional country, bluegrass, or old-time music communities. The Hall of Fame not only honors performers, but also recognizes those who have written, broadcast, promoted, produced, supported, and promulgated American roots music. To be inducted into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame, the potential inductee must be nominated by someone already in the Hall of Fame. Nominations are processed by the National Traditional Country Music Association, approved, and finally the nominee is notified. A special induction ceremony is held the day before Labor Day, each year at the Missouri Valley Festival. There, before thousands of approving fans gathered to witness the event, they are honored by their fans and peers, and officially inducted into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame . Don is a 5th generation traditional musician originally from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley . In 1957, at age eight, he became a regular member of his father’s band, The Mountain Music Makers, and continues to play the music of his Appalachian roots. He is an accomplished bluegrass banjoist and traditional “thumb picking” guitar player and has appeared as a featured performer at the Philadelphia Folk Festival as well as appeared on numerous recordings and performed throughout the United States and abroad. Don was the executive producer for Mainely Bluegrass, a 26-part TV series airing over public television in New England . He holds a Ph.D. in Popular Culture and American Music writes on the subject of bluegrass music and is on faculty at New England School of Communications on the Husson College Campus in Bangor, Maine . Martha Hills is a full fledged card carrying Maineiac and grew up on a farm just outside of Belfast. She fell in love with acoustic roots music in the early 1990s and her up-right bass playing provides a solid bottom for Me & Martha's musical excursions. Martha's love of life and her effervescent semblance and infectious smile are delightful as she adds quips and occasional lead vocal and harmonies to the performance. Martha also acts as booking agent and publicist for their performances. During the summer you will find Martha and Don aboard their classic 1939 racing yacht ViVA on Maine's Penobscot Bay. Here they devote their time and energies to Get Away From it All Sailing Adventures (http://www.sailviva.org), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to making sailing available to all individuals who have a desire to sail. Me & Martha approach their music making with passion and unabashed enthusiasm. Their stage rapport with each other and the excitement brought to every song are captivating as they take their listeners on a musical journey. For the most part the music played is anywhere from 30 to 300 years old and often tells about the many untold stories of life. Some songs are peppy and happy whilst others tell of human weakness and tragedy. Their music represents songs from the Appalachian regions, folk, old time country and bluegrass standards, roots music from rural America and an occasional sea shanty. The selections and simple arrangements of the material compel the audience to become absorbed in the music as each story unfolds. Me & Martha interlaces patterns of musical panache with subtle nuances to provide a glimpse into the world of the music makers. Martha and Don are married, live year round in Belfast, Maine and love to make and share their music. The duo recently released their first CD, On the Road Home, and it is available direct from the artists, at Mr. Paperback in Belfast or the Grasshopper Shop in Bangor . In 2005, Carl & Don: the Skyline Pals, featuring Don and his parents, Carl and Euva DePoy, was also inducted into the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. The Skyline Pals performed throughout the eastern United States from 1959 to 1988. The induction additionally included Don’s father, Carl DePoy into the Old Time Fiddler’s Hall of Fame.
____________________ Richard Hefner Webmaster, ezFolk.com MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner |
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Petter A. Naessan Approved
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Great sound, folks! I especially liked your treatment of 'Arkansas Traveler' - never heard it played like that before. Great picking! Petter Last edited on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 03:28 am by Petter A. Naessan ____________________ ezFolk Site: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/2231/ |
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holleyhall Approved 
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Fabulous pickin there! thanks for sharing your music on EZfolk! Holley  Last edited on Thu Apr 5th, 2007 12:28 am by holleyhall ____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/holleyhall |
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| ezFolk Forums > ezFolk Audio Hosting > Featured Artist of the Week > Featured Artist - 03/26/07 - Me & Martha | |
