Ray Martin Band

Ray’s passion for music has shaped his whole life.

Ray Martin was born in Radville Saskatchewan.  His Dad was a butcher and his mom worked at many odd jobs to help stay above water.  When Ray was a baby, they packed up his older brother Noel and sister Georgette and moved to St. Jean Baptist in southern Manitoba.  They eventually migrated to Winnipeg where his dad opened up a little grocery store.  One Saturday morning, Ray’s dad woke him up and said, “we’re going shopping.”  They visited a few pawn shops and came back with a guitar, a fiddle and a banjo.  Ray’s dad had hopes that his youngest would learn to play one of them.

Ray has been called one of Manitoba’s “best kept secrets” when it comes to the art of songwriting. Ray and co-writing partner Lyle Foster have won countless music industry awards having partnered in the Foster Martin Band for 19 years.
A song entitled “Thank You Lord For The Sun” is what helped them break into the song writing scene in Nashville, having co-published the song with Famous Music owned by Paramount Studios in California. It was at that time Ray & Lyle got a chance to write with Big Kenny Alphin of the famous “Big & Rich” duo.  Ray has since penned songs with Nashville hit writers Gilles Godard & Willie Mack, and Manitoba hit writers Diamond Doug Keith, Harvey Levy, Chris Freeman, Eddie Birkett and Chad Leitold.

Website: raymartin.ca

:: Inducted to the Manitoba Country Music Hall of Fame, 2015
:: Winner for “Best Uptempo Country” (Papa Joe) Nashville Song Search <more>
:: Winner for “Best Country Ballad” (Duct Taped Bible) Unisong Contest
:: Honourable Mention for (Papa Joe & The Miracle) NSAI song contest
:: Winner of 35 MCMA Awards (Foster Martin Band)
:: 3 time CCMA nominee (FMB)
:: 2 time WCMA nominee (FMB)