Vince Martin, R.I.P.

Folk musician Vince Martin has passed away of complications of pulmonary fibrosis. He was hospitalized for the condition back in March. Martin was 81.

While Martin is not a household name, he was a folk musician's folk musician.

Martin's musical roots began in early rock 'n roll. In 1956, Martin had a hit Top 10 hit with "Cindy, Oh Cindy" backed up by The Tarriers, a group which included a young Alan Arkin. Eddie Fisher and The Beach Boys would later cover the song.

By the early 1960's, Martin had turned his attention to Greenwich Village's burgeoning folk music scene. In 1964, Martin and his friend Fred Neil recorded an album called Tear Down The Walls. Martin's high pitched voice fit beautifully with Neil's baritone as they interpreted both traditional music as well as material their own and from their contemporaries. The album featured two backup musicians who would go on to greater fame - John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful and Felix Pappalardi of Mountain. It didn't sell much, but it influenced a generation of folk rockers.

Like Neil, Martin did not record prolifically and spent much of time in Florida involved in environmental causes particularly with dolphins and whales. After Tear Down The Walls, Martin only recorded three more albums during his lifetime If The Jasmine Don't Get You....The Bay Breeze Will (1969) Vince Martin (1973) and after forming a friendship with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth Full Circle (2003).

Here is a rare video of Martin performing "I'm a Drifter" from the Tear Down The Walls album at a August 1976 concert in Florida which featured Timothy B. Schmit who you might remember from Poco and later The Eagles.

After listening to Vince Martin, he leaves me wanting more. R.I.P.