One Armed Banjo Player Early Years of Country Music with Emory Martin By Linda Lou Martin Kentucke Imprints 1991 64 Pages ISBN:  0-935680-52-7

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Excerpt from Foreword by Patricia Hager Rucker, Associate Professor Sociology Country music, originally of interest in the rural south, has grown into one of the great American success stories. Part of the reason for such success is that the music speaks of the people who love it. It speaks of time and place—of social, economic, religious and political events. It voices love, joy, anger, fear, hunger, birth and death. No social problem or shift in society is safe from song. As country music has mirrored the culture of the time and place, it has provided solace, entertainment, and humor to its performers and its listeners. Even during the Great Depression when people couldn't' afford necessities, they somehow found a few pennies to buy a record or go to a "country show". For the fans, music made both hard times and good times better. Emory Martin was one of those entertainers who made a difference. In the "One Armed Banjo Player", his wife, Linda, records his musical success in working with such greats as Uncle Dave Macon. Some of his personal strengths and successes are included. The "One Armed Banjo Player" provides an inside look at country music and its transition into a thriving commercial industry. It reflects love and respect for the music and loyalty of fans. Camaraderie of those within the profession is apparent, as is their willingness to cooperate and work with each other. Sense of group is strong. The book witnesses the power of human spirit. Finally, it shows the author's pride in her spouse and the contribution he has made—in fact, that they both have made—to society.