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 Elenor Maguire (born October 12, 1969) is an American musician. She is a founding member of the popular country band The Chicks. She also formed the country bluegrass duo Court Yard Hounds.
Martie won awards for playing the fiddle when she was a teenager. She can play many instruments, including the mandolin, viola, double bass, and guitar. Martie has written or helped write many of The Chicks' hit songs. She also sings harmony and backing vocals, and creates string arrangements for the band's music.
Martie learned several instruments when she was young. She practiced with her younger sister, Emily Strayer, and two friends. They played together for over five years in a bluegrass quartet while in high school. After high school, Martie and Emily joined two other women to form a band. They played bluegrass and country music, performing at festivals for six years.
Later, the band changed its members and its musical style. This new trio became very successful in country music. They had 19 songs on the Billboard Country Charts. They also won 13 Grammy Awards. In 2003, Martie supported her bandmates when they faced criticism for speaking about George W. Bush. This led to some country radio stations stopping playing their music.
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Early Life and Music
Martha Elenor Erwin, known as 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. At age 12, she began learning to play in the "fiddle style" after getting fiddle lessons as a birthday gift. She also played in her school orchestra.
Her sister Emily also loved music and showed early talent. Both sisters learned many instruments and practiced singing together. Martie is famous for her harmony vocals and amazing fiddle playing. She also plays the viola, guitar, mandolin, and double bass. Martie helps write songs and arranges how string instruments are used in the band's performances.
Starting Her Career
By 1983, Martie was performing with her sister Emily and their school friends, Troy and Sharon Gilchrist. The sisters loved playing music in small places and going to bluegrass festivals.
From 1984 to 1989, while still in high school, the four students formed a teenage bluegrass group called "Blue Night Express." Martie said they would play music on the streets of Dallas to earn money. She also performed at Six Flags Over Texas during a summer.
In 1987, Martie won second place for fiddle playing at the National Fiddle Championships in Winfield, Kansas. After high school, she went to Southwestern University for a year. She played in the school orchestra and competed in the national fiddle championships again, earning third place.
Becoming The Chicks
In 1989, Martie and Emily joined Robin Lynn Macy and Laura Lynch to form the band The Chicks. At first, they mostly played bluegrass music and classic country songs. Martie played the fiddle, mandolin, and viola. She also sang harmony with Emily.
Martie started writing songs for their first independent album, Thank Heavens for Dale Evans. In 2001, a song she co-wrote called "Pink Toenails" was used in the movie Don't Say A Word.
When their second album had a more polished sound, Martie said they had to make a living. She explained that they couldn't do that just playing bluegrass.
Later, Natalie Maines became the lead singer of The Chicks, and the band became incredibly successful. Martie said that Natalie brought a rock and blues influence to their music. This allowed Martie and Emily to try new things because they loved those types of music too.
Martie co-wrote the song "Cowboy Take Me Away" for her sister Emily. It was a tribute to Emily's relationship with country singer Charlie Robison. In 2000, Martie was named Songwriter of the Year by BMI. This was for co-writing "Cowboy Take Me Away", "Ready To Run", and "You Were Mine". The sisters wrote "You Were Mine" about their parents' divorce.
In 1999, The Chicks performed two songs for the movie Runaway Bride. They covered "You Can't Hurry Love" and performed Martie's song "Ready to Run". In 2003, Martie was nominated for a Tony Award for helping create the music for the play Urban Cowboy. The play used her song "Cowboy Take Me Away".
After their first two major albums, the band had disagreements with their record company about their music style. Martie said they never fully trusted the music industry in Nashville.
Martie and Emily often seem quieter than Natalie Maines. However, the three have always stood together on important issues. Martie once said she would rather have a smaller group of loyal fans who understand their music. She preferred this over fans who might not truly appreciate their unique style.
Court Yard Hounds
When Natalie Maines took a break from music, Martie and her sister Emily started a new project. In 2010, they announced their new band, Court Yard Hounds. Emily became the lead singer for this group. The band played their first live show in March 2010 and released an album in May 2010.
Martie's Family Life
Martie married Ted Seidel in 1995 and became a stepmother to his son. They later divorced in 1999.
Martie then met Gareth Maguire, a teacher and actor from Northern Ireland, at her bandmate Natalie Maines' sister's wedding. They got engaged in 2001 and married on August 10, 2001, in Hawaii. They later had a special blessing ceremony in Gareth's hometown in Northern Ireland for family and friends. Martie changed her last name to Maguire after this marriage.
Martie and Gareth had three daughters together. Their third daughter was born in 2008. The couple divorced in 2013. In 2022, it was shared that Martie is married to Clem Moore.
Awards
Discography
- Martie played fiddle on the song "Somewhere Down The Road" on the album Deryl Dodd by Deryl Dodd.
- Martie also played fiddle on The Flatlanders' song "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 Cass County album by Don Henley.
Images for kids
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Martie Maguire in 2010
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Martie Maguire's signature
See also
In Spanish: Martie Maguire para niños
