Richard Martin (3)

From St. Louis, Missouri, Richard Martin (1948 - 1984) was a guitarist of uncommon talent. He began taking lessons at age nine, apparently becoming obsessed with the instrument. By sixteen, he was a guitar instructor in the Ludwig Musc Store. Martin worked in a variety of contexts with such musicians as Buddy Rich, Gene Ammons, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and others. He played on two BAG recordings in 1970. In 1977, he recorded with Freddie Washington, the Kennedy Brothers and Nat Adderly in a concert at SIU-Edwardsville. He and drummer Kenny Rice worked around St. Louis for several years. In 1983, he toured 32 countries and performed before Queen Elizabeth II in London. Martin was better known in Europe than in the United States.