Martin Sexton

The Iron Horse Music Hall is a legendary venue – a gem of the Northeast. Part of the mystique is the charm of the room. It has roughly hewn rafters and a bar made from a slab of old oak – or some kind of old wood. The second factor that makes this room is the cast of characters that has performed there over the years, from Suzanne Vega to our antagonist Martin Sexton. The final ingredient to this little musical crock pot is the audience. They are an intelligent, artsy, low-key set of folks nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont.

The Iron Horse often does two shows a night, and as a rock band you invariably play second. The first act is usually a Singer/Songwriter. On one such occasion I arrived early to my gig and picked my way through the crowd to find a spot back by the bar, where I listened to Martin Sexton belt it out for the first time. As is anyone who has heard Martin Sexton perform live, I was captivated, and at the risk of sounding mellow dramatic, blown away. Firstly, he is blessed with a powerful and clear-as-a-bell voice – seemingly huge for his relatively small frame. More to the point, Martin Sexton has got soul. His performances are infused with passion and depth. His songs and his presentation are informed by intellect and emotion. I think when people complain about “bubblegum pop,” what they are really missing is that emotional context to the music they are hearing. No issues on that front with Marty.

Like many of the performers on Some Assembly Required, I have gotten to know Martin Sexton as a fan – my wife and my sister-in-law are in love with him (my brother-in-law may be also), and as a person. On a few occasions I chatted with him backstage at a festival, and once actually at Carnegie Hall – the same performance where I met Richie Havens. But as so many encounters are, they were brief and fleeting.

A couple years ago we landed an opportunity to do a co-bill with Martin Sexton at a little venue in New York as part of the Green Apple Festival. In addition to performing together, I got to know him and his wife a little better. Martin did an acoustic set, then we did a set together, and finally Assembly of Dust finished with a set of our own. Truth is, I think he smoked us – one man, one guitar – big voice, big heart. We have performed with him a couple of other times as well, including a live in-studio performance at WFUV and to some 10,000 attendees at the Gathering of the Vibes. What I am struck with each time I hear him is his raw talent and the ease by which he expresses it. Martin Sexton doesn’t have to try – he is music.