17 Facts About Freddy Martin

Frederick Alfred Martin was an American bandleader and tenor saxophonist.

Freddy Martin had hoped that he would earn enough money from his musical work to enter Ohio State University, but instead, he wound up becoming an accomplished musician.

Freddy Martin led his own band while he was in high school, then played in various local bands.

Freddy Martin spent his spare time selling musical instruments, which gave him an excuse to listen to the Lombardos play at the "Music Box".

When Lombardo was playing in Cleveland, Freddy Martin tried giving Lombardo some saxophones, which proved unsuccessful.

The band did very well and Freddy Martin's career got started.

At the Bossert Marine Roof, a nautical-themed restaurant positioned on the roof of the hotel, Freddy Martin pioneered the "Tenor Band" style that swept the sweet-music industry.

The Freddy Martin band recorded first for Columbia Records in 1932.

Freddy Martin took his band into many prestigious hotels, including the Roosevelt Grill in New York City and the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

The success of "Tonight We Love" prompted Freddy Martin to adopt several other classical themes, which featured the band's pianists Jack Fina, Murray Arnold, and Barclay Allen.

Freddy Martin has been idolized by many other saxophonists, including Eddie Miller.

Unlike most sweet bands that just played dull music, Freddy Martin's band turned out to be one of the most musical and most melodic of all the typical hotel-room sweet bands.

Freddy Martin employed various people from the music industry for vocal performances, such as singers Merv Griffin, Buddy Clark, Gene Merlino; pianists Sid Appleman and Terry Shand; saxophonists Elmer Feldkamp and Stuart Wade; violinist Eddie Stone, and many others.

Still in demand for hotel work, Freddy Martin entered the 1970s with an engagement at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

In 1977, Freddy Martin was asked to lead Guy Lombardo's band when Lombardo was hospitalized with a heart condition.

Freddy Martin continued leading his band until the early 1980s, although by then, he was semi-retired.

Freddy Martin died on September 30,1983, in Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, after suffering a second stroke.