DEKE MARTIN
The
Bass Player – that’s the boring guy who stands at the back, next to the
drummer – right? Wrong!! Not when you’re talking about Deke Martin. Whether
he’s playing his vintage Gibson Grabber electric bass, his old acoustic
upright bass, or one of his beloved vintage Gretsch guitars, Deke is an
energetic performer, and has been, both on bass and on electric guitar, for many
years.
He
cut his teeth on the Pubs and Clubs circuit from the early eighties, playing
both bass and guitar, and moving closer and closer to Rockin’ Country Music as
time went on. In ’92, he was a founder member of “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
and appeared on TV in that original line-up, but switched to electric bass when
asked to join Glen Mitchell’s band, the Troubleshooters in 1994. Glen has
since relocated to Nashville and, in ‘95 the band transformed into Blackjack
and continued playing until 1999.
Deke’s
Scotty Moore & Brian Setzer influenced guitar style was then put to use when
he joined JJ King & The Coolers in 2000, until 2003.
His other influences, incidentally, include Elvis, Albert Lee, Hank
Williams, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy and Lyle Lovett. Deke’s Rockabilly guitar
style has led to his playing lead guitar for Linda Gail Lewis and Mike Berry in
the past, and he is currently playing guitar and upright bass with the
Bootleg Buddy show. (No – not at the same time – but he probably could!)
Around the same time as he was playing with JJ King, Deke was invited to
join Eddie Choate’s Texas Nightlife playing bass, ironically to replace the
departing Harley Dave – who had left to form what was to become Too Country.
Deke’s bass playing has also provided the bottom end for Roger Humphries &
Bite The Bullet, Trevor Kelly, Steve Mitchell & Shiloh, Carl Brazil and
John Permenter. Deke’s other
current bands are Twangdaddies (along with Jon and HD). He’s also playing
upright bass for US singer Cheyne Pride, and Dudley & the Deputies - an
electric-folk outfit from West London that has opened for The Downliners Sect,
The Artwoods (with Ronnie Wood’s brother Artie) and The Acoustic Strawbs.
Deke
was also one of the players during what was probably the best impromptu
honky-tonk jam the UK has ever seen, where he, Jon Keys and Harley Dave were
joined by BJ Cole on Steel, Bobby Valentino on fiddle, and Gareth Rowan on
acoustic & vocals during Maverick Magzine’s third birthday party at the
Soul Café, Maidstone.