Martie Maguire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martie Maguire
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Martie Maguire in 2010
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| Birth name | Martha Elenor Erwin |
| Also known as | Martie Seidel, Martie Maguire |
| Born | October 12, 1969 York, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
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Martha "Martie" Elenor Maguire (born October 12, 1969) is an American musician and a founding member of the popular country band The Chicks. She is also part of the musical duo Court Yard Hounds with her sister, Emily.
Martie is a talented musician who can play many instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin, viola, and guitar. She won national fiddle contests when she was just a teenager. Besides playing instruments, she also writes and co-writes many of the band's hit songs. She also sings harmony and arranges the string sections for their music.
Along with her sister Emily Strayer, Martie started her music career early. They formed a bluegrass group in high school and played together for years. Later, they joined with other musicians to form The Chicks. After singer Natalie Maines joined, the group became incredibly famous. They had many hit songs and won 13 Grammy Awards.
In 2003, the band faced a challenge after making a comment about President George W. Bush. Some country radio stations stopped playing their music, but Martie and her bandmates stood together.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Martha Elenor Erwin, who goes by the nickname Martie, was born on October 12, 1969, in York, Pennsylvania. Her parents were teachers and encouraged her love for music.
Martie started playing the violin when she was five years old. For her 12th birthday, she got fiddle lessons and began learning the lively "fiddle style" of playing. She also played in her school's orchestra.
Her younger sister, Emily, also loved music and was very talented. The sisters learned to play several instruments and sing together in harmony. Martie is most famous for playing the fiddle, but she is also skilled with the viola, guitar, mandolin, and double bass. She also writes songs and arranges string music for the band's albums and concerts.
Starting Her Career
In 1983, Martie and her sister Emily started a band with their school friends, Troy and Sharon Gilchrist. The four teenagers called their bluegrass group "Blue Night Express." They played together for five years, from 1984 to 1989.
The group often performed on the streets for money, an activity known as busking. "We'd drive down to the west end of Dallas and open our cases, and that was our job," Martie later said. "That's how we made money in high school."
In 1987, Martie won second place in a big national fiddle competition in Winfield, Kansas. After high school, she went to Southwestern University in Texas for a year. She played in the school orchestra and competed in the fiddle championship again, winning third place.
The Chicks
In 1989, Martie and Emily started a new band with guitarist Robin Lynn Macy and bassist Laura Lynch. This band was called the Dixie Chicks, and they played bluegrass and country music. Martie played the fiddle, mandolin, and viola, and sang harmony vocals with her sister.
The band's sound changed over time. For their second album, they added drums to every song. Martie said, "it's no longer bluegrass, but we have to make a living and you can't do that playing bluegrass."
Rise to Superstardom
The band's biggest success came after Natalie Maines joined as the new lead singer. With Natalie, the band's music blended country, rock, and blues. This new sound made them one of the most successful groups in country music history.
Martie co-wrote the hit song "Cowboy Take Me Away" for her sister Emily. The song was about Emily's relationship with country singer Charlie Robison. In 2000, Martie was named Songwriter of the Year by BMI for her work on songs like "Cowboy Take Me Away," "Ready To Run," and "You Were Mine."
The Chicks recorded songs for movies, including the film Runaway Bride. Martie was also nominated for a Tony Award for helping write music for the musical Urban Cowboy.
Facing Challenges
After becoming famous, the band had disagreements with their record company about their music. Martie and her bandmates have always stood together, even when their opinions caused problems.
In 2006, Martie said she would rather have a smaller group of loyal fans who understand their music than a huge audience that doesn't. She said, "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."
Court Yard Hounds
While Natalie Maines took a break from music, Martie and her sister Emily formed a side project called the Court Yard Hounds. In this group, Emily sings lead vocals. The band released their first album in 2010.
Personal Life
Martie married Ted Seidel in 1995, and they divorced in 1999.
In 2001, she married Gareth Maguire, an actor and teacher from Northern Ireland. They had a small wedding in Hawaii, followed by a larger celebration in Ireland. The couple has three daughters. Martie and Gareth divorced in 2013.
In February 2022, it was announced that Martie is married to Clem Moore.
Martie and her sister Emily co-wrote a song called "So Hard," which is about their personal experiences with infertility. They have spoken openly about the challenges they faced while trying to have children.
Awards
Discography
- Martie played fiddle on the song "Somewhere Down The Road" on the album Deryl Dodd by Deryl Dodd.
- She played fiddle on The Flatlanders' version of Woody Guthrie's "Sowing on the Mountain" from their 2009 album Hills and Valleys.
- As part of the Court Yard Hounds, Martie played fiddle and sang harmony on the song "She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune" on the album Cass County by Don Henley.
See also
In Spanish: Martie Maguire para niños
