Thomas Martinez

Ready to erupt

Courtesy Thomas Martinez will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cain’s Ballroom.

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
3/23/2007

Country singer Thomas Martinez prepares to step into national limelight

Thomas Martinez is excited.

The Cleveland native has a string of developments to talk about, developments that could put him closer to that elusive Big Record Deal he hopes will one day fatten the pockets of his Wrangler jeans.

The bombastic country singer has his first show headlining the Cain's Ballroom Saturday, following three nights at Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon, and he expected the Cain's show to be attended by record label representatives.

"See what happens," said Martinez, in a recent phone interview. "Under promise, over deliver, I guess. It always works out better that way."

Like Garth Brooks before him, Martinez draws upon his love of arena rock and metal to infuse his country music with the kind of performance excitement onstage by some of his influences: Testament, Megadeth and Judas Priest.

Those head-banger elements show in his band, which Martinez boasts is rounded out by a mohawk-sporting guitarist, Ryan Mccullough.

"We even do Metallica in our live show. We play 'Enter Sandman.' We incorporate all our music into that original stuff, because that's

who we are," said Martinez.

In fact, he's got so much rock in his show that even his daughters, 8 and 11, are confused.

"They tell their friends 'My dad's a rock star,' " he said. "They don't even know I play country."

Also like Brooks, most of the material on Martinez's 2006 album, "Promises" which he said has sold more than 10,000 copies, were written by songwriters.

He's already got some of the trappings of big-label success, including corporate sponsorship that netted him a free truck and a car from Dodge.

A few days ago he was asked to fly as a guest of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels at Tinker Air Force Base, he said. He'll fly with the elite flight demonstration squadron in June, and a videotape of his trip will be played onstage at his performance June 9 at this year's Country Fever festival.

"It oughta be interesting. I can't even ride Zingo at Bells. It scares me. But I'm gonna jump in this FA-18 fighter jet."

The odds are stacked against Martinez. The kind of record deal he's looking for is one under which the label pays him. That isn't too common anymore, he said.

But that isn't stopping him. Martinez, 31, is shooting to perform 300 shows this year (he played 280 last year). His wife of 14 years -- his high school sweetheart -- and their daughters help out sometimes at his shows.

If it doesn't work though, his family will settle back on his approximately 186-acre wooded ranch near Cleveland, where the kids can fish and ride dirt bikes and horses.

While being a performer is hard on his family, Martinez knows the decision he made Feb. 21, 2005 to quit his job was the right one. At the time, he was working for an electric co-op in Cleveland as a right-of-way worker, helping clear land for utility lines.

While he still misses the job, Martinez believes his future in music is bright. His all-ages show coming up at Cain's Saturday will be his next step.

"The volcano is getting ready to erupt, man . . . But, it's up to the people. It's not up to me. It's up to the people who really believe in . .t. me," he said.

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THOMAS MARTINEZ

When:
7 p.m. Saturday, with opener Brandon Clark

Where:
Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main St.

Tickets:
$11 in advance, $13 day of show, available at Starship Records & Tapes, Reasor's, www.Gettix.net, Cain's box office, 584-2306

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer