"What I want out of life," says Marty Raybon, "is to do some things that bring honor and glory to the Lord, and to do some things that bring some joy and some peace to me as well. Making this bluegrass album, Full Circle, was something that was burning in my heart to do. When you want to do it, whether you're a musician or a fan, bluegrass has that certain drive, that feeling of 'I love it, and this is going to be part of my life.'"
That feeling is one Marty's known since his days as a teenager in Florida in the early 1970s. "I'd sit in school, and I would draw the Bluegrass Unlimited logo or the peghead of Monroe's mandolin in my notebook," he chuckles, but it wasn't long before he was performing as a member of the American Bluegrass Express with his dad Ken and brothers Tim and Rick. Inspired by national acts like the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse and Jimmy Martin and regional ones like the Bluegrass Tarheels, the Express took its music seriously, making its first recording in 1975 - Marty was still in high school then - and becoming one of the first Florida-based acts to travel widely beyond their home state.
The grind of part-time playing and full-time work eventually wore out the American Bluegrass Express, and inspired by the success of bluegrasser-turned-country-star Ricky Skaggs, Marty headed for Nashville in 1984. By the following year, he'd scored a publishing deal and moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, joining the band that would eventually become Shenandoah.
Shenandoah framed Marty's smoky voice with bluegrass-tinged harmonies and crisp contemporary instrumentation on hits like their first #1, "The Church On Cumberland Road," making the group one of the most popular during the country boom of the late 80s and early 90s. Named the Academy of Country Music's Top Vocal Group for 1990, they helped pave the way to prominence for bluegrass diva Alison Krauss, as their duet, "Somewhere In The Vicinity Of The Heart," hit the Top 10 in late 1994 and earned Country Music Association and Grammy awards the following year.
Despite the group's success, Marty's growing spirituality and creative restlessness eventually led him to leave. Over the next several years, he recorded an album with his brother Tim, a solo country CD and several gospel albums that complemented his growing evangelical calling. Yet as he recalls, the idea of a return to bluegrass was growing, too. "When Tim and I were doing 'Butterfly Kisses,' he said, 'Marty, there are some things going on with bluegrass right now, you need to do a bluegrass album.' And after thinking about it, I decided I was going to do it."
Even after the decision had been made, it took time to bring the project to fruition - a process eventually jump-started by Marty's friend David Johnson of the Alabama Music Hall Of Fame. "He told me that if I was really going to do it, he'd book the studio - and that's exactly what he did. And then he said, 'you better get some musicians," Raybon laughs. A few phone calls were made, and in April, 2002, an A-list team of bluegrass musicians - banjo man David Talbot, guitar and mandolin virtuoso Bryan Sutton, Donnie Allen on rhythm guitar, fiddler Shad Cobb, Rob Ickes on Dobro, and bassist Terry Smith - were in Muscle Shoals' renowned Fame Studio, recording the tracks for Full Circle, with singers Paul Brewster and Tim Raybon nailing down the harmonies.
The result is a sensational bluegrass album that includes a half dozen classics from Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and Jimmy Martin, remakes of two Shenandoah hits and a gem from his solo album of 2000, and three new songs written or-cowritten by Marty, one featuring a guest vocal from bluegrass gospel and country singer Sonya Isaacs. "When I went in to record," Marty notes, "there was absolutely no pressure here. I didn't have to worry about answering to somebody. It was just a matter of doing something I've got a vision about." With the completed album in hand, Raybon found the right home for it - and him - on Tim Austin's respected Doobie Shea label. "I believe in the vision that he has for his label," Marty says. "He was the one who didn't just talk about what he could do for me, but asked me to be part of something."
With Full Circle slated for a March, 2003 release, Raybon has turned his attention to completing his return to the bluegrass community through personal appearances. "Right now the only bluegrass band member I've got is me," he chuckles, "but I'll be putting a good group together, and we're going to go out and not just play music - we're going to entertain."
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Full Circle
| 6. All In The Hands Of Jesus |
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| 8. Next To You, Next To Me |
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| 12. Prayer Bells Of Heaven |
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| New Comp disk Released July 1 2010 |
Terajay Music Group is proud to announce the release of their first comp disk of 2010... It has been a long time coming but is well worth the wait... this disk has a great variety of music from "country gospel","christian country", and "Positive country" music..
Including releases from Deryl Dodd, Gene Watson, Cross Country, and new-comers Hunter Erwin and Marlon Sharp just to name a few..plus much more.
If you are a broadcaster and would like a copy of this disk for bradcast purposes, please e-mail us at terajaymusic@cableone.net.... |
| Hunter Erwin releases new album with Terajay |
Louisiana's very own Christian Country Cowboy has released a new project under the Terajay Music label entitled "Back to You"... Produced by Terajay's own Chip Bricker, this is a top-40 country sounding project that has the home-spun country vocal attitude that Hunter is known for.. this album is a must have for pure christian country fans..
You can order the album by calling Terajay @ (903)-223-6671... or u can download the project from the following website www.cdbaby.com/cd/HunterErwin
Listen for Hunter's new single "Back to You", at radio now..
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| Marlon Sharp has new album that every man needs to hear |
Marlon Sharp is one of those artists that writes, sings and plays guitar equally as well... and he does it all with believable class and understanding on his new album "That's Where I Stand"..
In this album he explains where he came from, where he is, and where he is going..as well as describing some of life's issues that he has encountered along the way..
The new album has a Traditional Country flair with a top-40 quality that shows off all of Marlon's talents and let's you know right where he stands..
To order Marlon Sharp's "That's Where I Stand", call the Terajay distribution office at (903)-223-6671 or log onto www.cdbaby.com/cd/marlonsharp for a digital download..
Listen for Marlon's new single, already getting played in over 100 markets, entitled "Cowboy Church".. |
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