Martin Sexton on His Last Day Job and Finding Great Food While on Tour

Tell us about your tour vehicle.

I tour in everything from a tour bus to a Prius depending on the configuration of working with a band and crew or just a tour manager and me. The last cycle we were in a Sprinter van on my trio tour. For solo touring -like this one coming up- I used to wind up at least 300,000 miles on Land Cruisers before trading them in. I went through 5 of those before switching to a Suburban which gives us a little more space for gear and gets considerably better gas mileage and it gets me to the gig on time no matter what Mother Nature throws at us.

How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?

I manage to seek out lots of great food. Over many years of touring I could write a book on where to go for great bbq in the south, Mexican in the west, diners in the east and walleye and wild rice in the Midwest.

How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?

I’m probably the most un-gear-centric guy I know. I don’t use any effects, I have no pedals and I like to keep it simple. My strings get a change about once a tour as I like the thumpy, muted tones as a result of used strings. And I can’t remember the last time I broke one.

Where do you rehearse?

I don’t really have one. When I do rehearse and I have players etc we generally use our place up in the Adirondacks.

What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?

“Brother Rudy”

Brother Rudy, take a look outside your window

Brother Rudy, catch a ride when the north wind blows

Describe your first gig.

My first band was called Inner Light. I was very un-sober sixteen playing Hendrix and the Beatles at an Alcoholics Anonymous club house dance party.

What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?

My last day job was circa 1991 as what we now call a barista. It was in the back bay of Boston at the Cafe du Paris. After losing that job I had a kick in the pants from the universe to go busk in the streets.

How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?

I’ve been blessed with this ever-growing career and can only hope it continues.

What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?

I don’t know if I have an answer for that question as I don’t have regrets and not sure I would do anything differently.

Uninterested in the music of the day, he fueled his dreams with the timeless sounds of classic rock ‘n’ roll. As he discovered the dusty old vinyl left in the basement by one his big brothers, his musical fire was lit. Sexton eventually migrated to Boston, where he began to build a following singing on the streets of Harvard Square, gradually working his way through the scene. His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In the Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friendâ€™s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case.

From 1996 to 2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. The activity and worldwide touring behind these records laid the foundation for the career he enjoys today with an uncommonly loyal fan base; he sells out venues from New Yorkâ€™s Nokia Theatre to L.A.â€™s House of Blues, and tours regularly across Canada and Europe.

Happily and fiercely independent, Martin Sexton launched his own label, KTR, in 2002. Since then he has infiltrated many musical worlds, performing at concerts ranging from pop (collaborating with John Mayer) to the Jam scene to classic rock (collaborating with Peter Frampton); from the Newport Folk Fest to Bonnaroo to New Orleans Jazz Fest to a performance at Carnegie Hall.

2020 Vision, his latest EP, will be released on 10 September. Connect with Sexton online and on the road.