MARTY WENDELL

Marty Wendell is a unique singer, songwriter, and recording artist.  Marty grew up in Ticonderoga, a small town in upstate New York.  As a child he spent many hours listening to all kinds of music on an old Philco radio.  This was before radio stations played only a particular genre which made it possible for him to be exposed to rockabilly, folk, pop. country, blues and gospel.  In the later part of the 50's, influenced by artists who recorded on Sun Records in Memphis, TN, Marty entered a church talent show.  His first time singing in front of a live audience cemented his desire to sing and write songs.  In his college years he began to do more performances.  He met a talent agent, Jerry Teifer, who was based in New York City, who introduced him to Johnny Cash.  In the mid-sixties he ventured into New York's Greenwich Village with his guitar and was discovered by a produced, Stanley Rowland, who first took him into the recording studio.  This session resulted in his first record "Hey Hey Mama" which exceeded 10,000 copies.  He then went with Tom Wilde as his producer who had an independent label, Ferus Records.  In August of 1968 on the strenght of "Hey Hey Mama"  he was booked as an opening act for Johnny Cash and his troupe that included The Carter Family,
Carl Perkins, and the Statler Brothers.  This was the tour that followed the release of Cash's Folsom Prison Album which catapulted him into superstardom.
   
Later in 1968 Marty released a second single, "An Ode To Burtis Dean".  This song received national attention.  His third release, "Bring The Circus Back To Town" had international exposure on Armed Services Radio.  The last of his singles for Kee Records was "Daddy Sang Bass" a song written by Carl Perkins.  Perkins, who later was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cited Marty as definitely "a good talent".  In the late 60's Marty was picked up by the Claibourne Agency in Washington, DC who booked mainly Rhythm and Blues artists like Peaches and Herb and Maskman and The Agents.  He became friends with Ralph Rinzler who was a founder of the Newport Folk Festival. He encouraged Marty to continue singing and writing original songs.
   
In the 70's Marty maintained a grueling schedule of booking in the northeastern states and in 1977 began hosting his own annual music festival that continued for 20 years.  His guest included former Statler Brother, Lew DeWitt, writer of the million selling "Flowers On The Wall".  Marty became friends with Lew when he was on the Johnny Cash Show.  Other included country hitmaking group, Bandana, headed up by another long-time friend, Jerry Fox, and Oak Ridge Boy, William Lee Golden.  In the 80's Marty focused on concerts and recording and was frequently taped to share the stage with touring acts such as John Anderson, Lacy J. Dalton, The Hager Twins, bluesman, T.Graham Brown and folk icon, Arlo Guthrie.  In the 90's he began recording for Orrensong Recordings with full freedom to experiment with new music.  Three albums, "Labor Of Love", "The Journey", and "Over The Edge" demonstarted that Marty was not limited to any single style of music.  As part of the Over the Edge project, Marty traveled to MemphisTN and recorded two songs in the legendary Sun Studio.  This was the place his musical heroes had done their very first recording.  One of these songs was a duet with Planet Swan, daughter of Billy Swan, who had a monster hit with "I Can Help" in 1974 and fronted Kris Kristofferson's band for many years.  Marty demonstrated that his songs have substance and defy labels.

Marty and his son, Sean, his guitarist, co-writer and producer, were guests of Johnny Cash on his final tour after which he could no longer perform.  In 2005 Orrensong released "Its Just Me" in celebration of his 40th year as an artist.  This album featured songs form the early years with just Marty and his guitar.  In 2007 Marty recorded his first album for Simply 21 Records, "Rockabilly Heart" which features original songs about growing up at the birth of Rock & Roll.  He recorded the album the "old way" with the musicians playing together in the studio.  It has received many great reviews including one from France's leading music magazine.  A tribute song to Johnny Cash, "I'll Buy Your Records" is completed by words from the man himself.  In 2008 Simply 21 Records released "What I Am Today" which is a compilation of some of Marty's most unique Gospel songs.

Marty Wendell can always be counted on for fresh and meaningful music.  There is nobody more original!