Daniel Lee Martin: The Key Is Persistence
By Janelle Landauer
"What I'm trying to do is prove to people that it can work. But, the key is persistence and the key is just to keep working.
Whatever it is, share your music with people. That's such a big key."
In the independent music scene, it can be very easy for an artist to give up and walk away from their dreams, but the key is persistence. Daniel Lee Martin has been persistent and that persistence is paying off for him now. "One of the things that I wanted to do with the first album was to prove a point," explains Martin. "I really did, because everybody that I had talked to told me that there's no way in the world that an indie artist, especially an artist who basically owns his own label can survive. And, basically we proved them wrong."
Martin has been proving everyone wrong since the release of his critically acclaimed debut album, All That I Am, back in 2004. Martin released two singles from the project ("Homespun Love" and "I Can't Let Go") - both of which did well on the Music Row charts. After the success on the Music Row charts, the country music community and new fans everywhere started taking notice of this brand new artist.
Daniel Lee Martin is back in the spotlight again with his sophomore album, On My Way To You, which was released on ChinMusic Records. Martin's first single, "Stark Ravin' Crazy In Love" is already climbing up the charts. "Our CD was released on Tuesday," [May 1, 2007] says Martin. "We got word that a number, I mean hundreds of Wal-Mart stores that are carrying the CDs have run out - they've already sold out. That's a really, really good sign."
In addition to promoting his new CD, Martin is also hosting a new show called "Backstage & Backroads with Daniel Lee Martin" on The Sportsman Channel. Martin had actually met one of the founding partners [Todd Hansen, VP] of The Sportsman Channel during a golf event that was part of a major league baseball event. "Of course, our record label is funded by major league ball players," adds Martin. "So, that's how I was invited and I was actually paired up with him [Todd] as a celebrity. They put me with his group. I'm sure you've met people in your life where you meet them, and you talk to them for 5 minutes and you've felt like you've known this person your whole life." Martin and Hansen talked after the golf event and one thing led to another and before Martin knew it, he was offered a chance to host the show 'Backstage & Backroads.'"
The TV show gives fans a look at everything in Martin's music career and life - from a backstage point of view to an outdoor setting that he enjoys so much. "I think my favorite part of the show is being able to give back to the outdoors where the last 3 or 4 years I haven't been able to do that because of the music career," notes Martin. "I love the outdoors. I just don't love to hunt and fish - that's not why I go outdoors. I go outdoors because I love going outdoors. I love spending time on the water; I love spending time in the woods and even if it's just going out for a day on a kayak and just kayaking across the lake and just enjoying the scenery... that's to me, just as important as going hunting or fishing."
New episodes for "Backstage & Backroads" debut every Tuesday. For the 2007 season, The Sportsman Channel will broadcast 13 episodes, 8 of which have already aired. "And, as the season's go on, like in 2008 they're filming 19 episodes and then the following 3 years on our contract, they're filming 26 episodes a year," explains Martin. "So, literally, we have to do a show every other week. It's pretty crazy how much our work load is. It's going to be tough to juggle everything but you know what, I'm so blessed to have this opportunity... I'm not going to complain about it."
ChinMusic Records chinmusicrecords.com
Added: May 25, 2007
