Marty Stuart (born 1958) is a mandolin player, guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Mississippi. He joined Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass in 1972, at 13, and stayed until Flatt’s death. He then played in Johnny Cash’s band and became a country hitmaker in the early 1990s. He has won five Grammy Awards, and the Country Music Hall of Fame inducted him in its class of 2020.
Why Stuart matters
Stuart is the bridge between the first generation of bluegrass and modern country. He learned on the bandstand from Lester Flatt, Curly Seckler, and Roland White, and he has carried that schooling into every band since. In his country shows he still stops to play a blazing mandolin instrumental, and his TV series The Marty Stuart Show brought traditional country and bluegrass to a national audience. He is also a keeper of country music history, with a huge collection of instruments and stage clothes.
Life and career
Stuart was born on September 30, 1958, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He learned guitar and mandolin as a child. At 12 he joined the Sullivan Family gospel bluegrass band for a summer tour. Through them he met Roland White, who played mandolin for Lester Flatt. In 1972 White invited Marty to play with Flatt at a show in Delaware. That fall Flatt asked him to move to Nashville and join the Nashville Grass. He stayed until Flatt died in 1979.
He then worked with Vassar Clements and Doc Watson before joining Johnny Cash’s band in 1980. His 1982 Sugar Hill album Busy Bee Cafe featured Cash, Watson, and Earl Scruggs. In 1985 he played on Cash’s Class of ‘55 sessions in Memphis and then signed his own deal with Columbia.
His MCA albums, starting with Hillbilly Rock in 1989 and Tempted in 1991, put him in the country top ten. The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’, a 1991 duet with Travis Tritt that he co-wrote, reached number two and won his first Grammy. Since 2002 he has led the Fabulous Superlatives, playing guitar and mandolin. The Marty Stuart Show began airing on RFD-TV in 2008.
Playing style
Stuart plays bluegrass mandolin with a showman’s fire. He learned rhythm in Flatt’s band, where the mandolin chopped hard behind Flatt’s relaxed singing, and his chop is still strong and steady. His solos are fast and bluesy, and he plays them with a lot of flash.
He also wrote mandolin instrumentals for his country albums, like Marty Stuart Visits the Moon on Love and Luck (1994). His mandolin work mixes Monroe licks with rockabilly energy, which fits his whole career.
Influences and legacy
Stuart grew up on the Carter Family, Buck Owens, and Johnny Cash. He learned bluegrass from Lester Flatt, Curly Seckler, Paul Warren, and Roland White. He later played beside Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, and Johnny Cash.
He has recorded with Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs, Travis Tritt, and many others. Like Skaggs, he moved between bluegrass and country stardom without losing touch with either.
Signature tunes and songs
Mando Rip Marty Stuart Visits the Moon The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’ Tempted.
Essential recordings
With a Little Help from My Friends (1978) Hillbilly Rock (MCA, 1989) Busy Bee Cafe (Sugar Hill, 1982) Tempted (MCA, 1991) Love and Luck (MCA, 1994)
Awards and honors
Grammy Award, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’, with Travis Tritt Five Grammy Awards from 16 nominations Grand Ole Opry member Country Music Hall of Fame, Modern Era Artist (2020)
Watch and listen
Stuart plays a mandolin feature he calls Mando Rip at Music City Roots. Watch the right hand.
A teenage Stuart plays with Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass.
What to learn from Stuart
Spend a month as a rhythm player, the way Stuart did in Flatt’s band. Chop behind a singer on every song in your jam, and take a break only when someone calls on you. Stuart learned timing, taste, and showmanship by serving a great singer first. When you do take a break, play it with energy and commit to it.
Sources
Marty Stuart, Wikipedia Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart, Dean Dillon to enter the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tennessean
Related players
See the mandolin players hub and the mandolin guide. Stuart got his start through Roland White and learned beside Curly Seckler. Ricky Skaggs also moved from bluegrass to country stardom.