Jimmy Martin was born on August 10, 1924 in Sneedville, TN; today would’ve been his 89th birthday. The undisputed “King Of Bluegrass,” Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys made some of hardest-hitting bluegrass music of all-time.
One of my favorite Jimmy albums has got to be Country Music Time. It is filled with songs which would become bluegrass standards.
- There Ain’t Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone
- Pretending I Don’t Care
- Leavin’ Town
- Don’t Give Your Heart To A Rambler
- Train Forty-Five
- Drink Up And Go Home
- I Can, I Will, I Do Believe
- There Was A Love
- Hit Parade Of Love
- Steppin’ Shoes
- The Joke’s On You
- Skip, Hop, And Wobble
Talk about some bluegrass gold! Country Music Time is littered with classics. There is at least one of these songs being played in every jam session across the country this weekend.
Powerful seems an inadequate term when describing Jimmy’s talent. He squeezed every single ounce of emotion out of a word, and made you feel whatever he was feeling. Whether he was feeling exuberant, depressed, lovestruck, or lonesome, you felt it too.
Although released in the summer of ’62, Country Music Time is still just as earth-shattering over forty years later. Although I’ve heard the songs a million times, I can’t help but just sit and soak in these classic sounds.
Unfortunately, Country Music Time has not been re-released on single compact disc. However, these songs are available on the 5-disc Bear Family boxed set entitle, Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys (BFY-1570-5). I also recommend checking out your favorite used record store for this classic album.
Whether this album or another, be sure to listen to some King Jimmy on his 89th birthday!
