Martin Daniel

Article by Erika Glasberg
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September 6, 2011

CORNWALL - Daniel Martin's life has revolved - and evolved around music from his early years in school to his tours across Canada with his band today.

The Vancouver-based musician is a proud Cornwall native and began his musical interest as early as kindergarten when he was chosen as the lead singer in a school concert. "I've always liked being in front of people and performing,'' he said.

At just 15 years of age, Martin performed his first gig at Pedro's Bar in Cornwall with a few friends and his world was turned upside down.
''I thought, I can get paid to sing to people?" he said.

Martin describes his music as bluegrass with a punk-rock feel with much of his inspiration coming from punk bands such as NOFX and Green Day as well as an infusion of folk sounds by Neil Young and other popular musicians.

But the people who really inspire him are his family. "My mom and my dad for sure (inspire me),'' he said. "They've always been picture-perfect parents and (have) always given me every opportunity to play music. "When I was a kid, they never told me to be quiet. They always told me to follow my dreams and have always supported me right from the start.''

But that's not the only family members he admires. His brother is currently in a band of his own back out in B.C. called Slammin' Jack. "I have a brother who is eight years older and he moved out to B.C. and he's always been there for me," he explained from the start."

Martin has performed 500 concerts in cities-across the city, including Victoria, Montreal, Ottawa, Banff, Halifax and, of course his hometown, Cornwall. "The best feeling is being in a full room somewhere and having everyone dancing and singing, Your Song," he said. "That's the kind of feeling I look for. It's a pretty rewarding feeling, especially when people are enjoying it.''

Though Martin enjoys the hollers and cheers from the crowd and the support of his family and band, there is one thing that he can't live without and that's his guitar.

"It's been my best friend whenever, you know, sometimes you're in a city where you don't know anybody and you don't have anybody to talk to. You just play your guitar. Sometimes, you have a feeling or you're in a certain mood and you don't know how to express yourself, you just let it out and write a song about it.''

Hs new album, Constant Dreamer, will be on sale for $10. 00 on his website at www.DanielMartinMusic.ca