Sara Martin

Sara Martin with Sylvester Weaver

Source: Terry's Songs

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, on 18 June 1884, Sara Martin [1, 2, 3, 4] was a highly popular blues vocalist who started her career doing vaudeville, later moving on to jug band music. Her first recording is thought to have been for Okeh in NYC on October 17, 1922, with Clarence Williams on piano: 'Sugar Blues' [Tom Lord]. They also put down 'Achin' Hearted Blues' that month. She moved from Okeh to Columbia for her next session on November 18 with Arthur Whetsol (trumpet), Claude Hopkins (piano) and Elmer Snowden (banjo) to lay down 'I Loved You Once' and 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do'. She was back with Okeh on December 1 for another rendition of 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do' with 'You Got Ev'ry Thing', those with pianist, Fats Waller. Another session with Waller followed a couple weeks later on the 14th for 'Mama's Got the Blues' and 'Last Go Round Blues'. April 6 of 1923 found Martin with Williams again for 'Keeps on a-Rainin'' and 'Joe Turner Blues'. Williams would be among the more important figures in Martin's career, he supporting her operation throughout her next five years with Okeh to circa December of 1928 in Long Island City, NY, for 'Mean Tight Mama', 'Mistreatin' Man Blues' and 'Kitchen Man Blues'.

'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do'   Sara Martin   Piano: Fats Waller

Recorded c 1 Dec 1922 in NYC   OKeh 8043

Composition: Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins

'Mistreated Mama'   Sara Martin   Piano: Clarence Williams

Recorded c 27 July 1923 in NYC   OKeh 8086

Composition: Billy Smythe / Ben Brown / Syl Yunker

'I'm Gonna Be a Lovin' Old Soul'   Sara Martin & Her Jug Band

Recorded 22 Sep 1924 in NYC   OKeh 8211

Violin: Clifford Hayes   Banjo: Curtis Hayes   Jug: Earl McDonald

Composition: Clifford Hayes / Sara Martin

Guitarist, Sylvester Weaver, was another of Martin's companions, they recording 'I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy' on October 24, 1923, for issue on Okeh 8104. 'Longing for Daddy Blues' also went down on 24 October toward release on Okeh 8117. They saw multiple sessions together in various small configurations until August 30, 1927, witnessed their last duets together, such as 'Loving is What I Crave' and 'Orn'ry Blues' issued on Okeh 8513.

'My Man Blues'   Sara Martin   Banjo: Sylvester Weaver

Recorded 19 March 1924 in Atlanta   OKeh 8136

Composition: Sylvester Weaver / Sara Martin

'Where Shall I Be?'   Sara Martin   Guitar: Sylvester Weaver

Recorded 6 April 1927 in NYC   OKeh 8661

Composition: Charles Price Jones   1904

'Death Sting Me Blues'   Sara Martin

Recorded c Nov 1928 in Long Island City NY   QRS R7042

Cornet: King Oliver   Trombone: Ed Cuffee

Piano: Clarence Williams   Tuba: Cyrus St. Clair

Composition: Charles Price Jones   1904

Following her recording career with Okeh, Martin appeared in films, 'Hello Bill' in 1929 and 'Darktown Revue' in 1931. She also worked during that period as a stage performer, touring eastern cities as well as the Caribbean. Martin pulled out of the music business in 1932 to run a nursing home in Louisville where she died of stroke on May 24 of 1955.