Martin McDaniel

"Eminence speakers are the drive behind my tone night after night!!" - Martin McDaniel The Martin McDaniel Band is said to be one of the hottest up and coming bands to hit Nashville in quite some time. With McDaniels soulful vocals and fiery guitar playing leading the show, the band lights up the stage everywhere they go. "It's all about reading the crowd," said Martin McDaniel, the 23-year-old singer/songwriter and Alabama native whose short time spent playing in the Nashville area has generated quite a buzz. "If it's just a bunch of folks who like Merle Haggard songs, we can play Merle Haggard all night. Were able to bring what the audience is looking for to the table." Just two and a half years in the Nashville scene and Martin has already enjoyed an overflow of positive response, be it in the form of excited crowds of fans or the acclaim of full-page feature stories in local entertainment magazines. Part of the reason the Martin McDaniel Band attracts this kind of response is the tailor-made versatility they bring to their energetic live performances which shift from timeless country standards to fiery rock n roll at the drop of a dime. It should come as no surprise then that McDaniels musical influences are very diverse, with many genres represented in the mix. Sounds akin to those of classic country and southern rock icons like the Allman Brothers mesh with contemporary mainstays like Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, while the intensity heard from soul singers like Stevie Wonder can also help to shed some light on how Martin approaches capturing the crowds attention. But only to a certain point. The real secret behind the Martin McDaniel Bands live show seems to lie with a mysterious X factorthat energy of attack Martin and his group carries across during any given performance. I dont know, man. I just want it. Ive known pretty much as long as I can remember that thats what I wanted to do, regardless of whether I was playing drums or playing guitar, I was always singing so its been something Ive known for a long time. Born and raised in a rural south Alabama town called Opp, McDaniel recognized his own powerful attraction to music at a young age. Martins father, a fellow musician, helped to nurture that interest; Martin further developing his musical vision after picking up the guitar at the age of 15. Martin quickly got to work applying his talents, leaving behind his interests in high school sports after dedicating the majority of his time to playing shows on school nights and weekends. He began playing local gigs from mid-state, Alabama, later branching out to the Florida panhandle for several years of nightly shows at sea-side bars and clubs. "It wasn't a lot different there than it is here in Nashville," McDaniel explained. "I was playing a little bit different music then, but it wasnt a whole lot different. At age 20, and with his family's blessings, Martin made a leap of faith and packed his bags, setting Nashville as his next destination for the pursuit of his dreams. After being in town for only 2 months, Martin quickly found plenty of work playing on Nashville's famous Lower Broadway circuit of honkytonks, keeping the groups skills razor-sharp performing for crowds night after night. His band consists of fellow Opp native and lifelong friend, Drew Hassell, along with Nashville friends who share Martins drive for making music. Currently, the Martin McDaniel Band is hard at work in the recording studio, on the verge of releasing their next EP, which is made up of songs Martin wrote and co-wrote himself. Look for the Martin McDaniel Band in a city or town near you!!