Martin Sexton

Spontaneity is the name of Martin Sexton's game. He works without set lists, and he can improvise from a plethora (that's right, I said "plethora") of vocal styles. At one moment he's a growling bluesman; the next moment he's yodelling. And then he's singing in a blistering falsetto, or doing a mean imitation of Billie Holiday. With a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose early vocal influences were Stevie Wonder, Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf, and who often draws comparisons to Van Morrison and Al Green, you know the result will be something pretty spectacular. And spectacular he is. Sexton has gone from busking in the subway stations of Boston to sharing the stage with the likes of John Hiatt, Jackson Browne, Art Garfunkle and Stephen Stills. He's won four Boston Music Awards for outstanding male vocalist and outstanding male songwriter, as well as the National Academy of Songwriter's artist of the year award, in 1994. He's released two albums, Black Sheep (1996) and In the Journey (1992), a self-released project that sold 20,000 copies from concert sales alone. And, with his new album set for release, we're lucky enough to have him at our festival for the second time. Martin's music is a blend of everything from gospel to pop to soul, and, like the late Ted Hawkins, who was also a major influence, he brings the acoustic guitar into his R&B style.

  -- LG