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Dewey Martin 1940 - 2009

9:44 AM GMT 06/02/2009

Dewey Martin 1940 - 2009

Dewey Martin, drummer with '60s west coast legends Buffalo Springfield, has died. It's understood he passed away on January 31. He was 68.

Born Walter Midkiff in Chesterville, Ontario, Canada on September 30, 1940, Martin (pictured bottom-right) grew up in Ottawa where his passion for playing music saw him quickly graduate from the baritone saxophone to the drums. He began playing in a variety of local rockabilly bands before travelling to the US for a stint in the army. On his discharge, Martin rapidly made a name for himself in and around the clubs of Nashville, eventually taking the stage with a brace of country stalwarts including Patsy Cline, the Everly Brothers, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.

A clutch of A&M singles released under the name Sir Raleigh & The Coupons would bring him minor glory, but it was his tenure with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay and Bruce Palmer in Buffalo Springfield that would cement his place within the rock firmament.

After a brief spell with bluegrass duo The Dillards, he joined the fledgling Springfield in 1966, going on to play and sing on all three of their original studio albums. Melding folk, blues and R&B, the band pioneered what would become the country rock sound of Southern California. On meeting Martin, Richie Furay told Springfield biographer John Einarson that Dewey's "out front personality was likeable...friendly and gregarious". "Dewey does not know a stranger," he added. "He was always smiling and you could feel that he enjoyed what he was doing."

After the Springfield split in 1968, Martin went on to form the New Buffalo Springfield - a move that resulted in a legal tussle with his former bandmates. His next venture, Medicine Ball (featuring Springfield bassist Bruce Palmer), released their only album in 1970. The 1980s saw another Buffalo Springfield line-up hit the road. Martin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Here are Buffalo Springfield on US television in 1967.

For What It's Worth

Photo courtesy of Henry Diltz

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 9:44 AM GMT 06/02/2009

Related MOJO content:

Buffalo Springfield , Dewey Martin , Neil Young , Stephen Stills

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