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The Celtic Martins, a family band from south-eastern Pennsylvania, is an exciting, energetic group that features traditional Celtic music as well as Irish step dancing.
A performance by the Celtic Martins will feature the musical ability of the six Martin children, ranging in age from 21 to 6, accompanied by their parents on guitar and bass, and drummer, Elijah Roeder. Although the fiddle is the dominant instrument in a performance by the family, shows also include several other instruments such as the Irish whistles, mandolin, bagpipes, and percussion. Their shows also feature some Irish step dancing by the Martin sisters, which is always a crowd favorite.
Previously known as the Martin Family Band, the family has been performing music since 2004 and has quickly become a musical sensation, performing throughout the region at various fairs, festivals, and other venues such as Bethlehem Musikfest, McLain Celtic Festival, Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, Kutztown Folk Festival, Southern Maryland Celtic Festival, and at theaters such as the Miller Center in Reading PA, and the Kirkland Arts Center in Clinton, New York.
The Celtic Martins are:
Nelson Martin- guitar
Elaine Martin- bass guitar
Emily (Martin) Roeder-fiddle/bagpipes/Irish dance
Melissa Martin- fiddle/mandolin/Irish whistles/Irish dance
Brian Martin- guitar/percussion
Christy Martin- fiddle/bagpipes/Irish dance
Zach Martin- fiddle
Alex Martin-fiddle
Elijah Roeder- drums
Name: Nelson Martin (Dad)
Instrument: Guitar
Favorite Pastime: Canoeing, hiking, camping, playing music with my family, reading James Herriot Books, riding bike
Vacation Spot: Adirondacks
Food: Beef!
Restaurant: The Black Dog Cafe
Book of the Bible: Ephesians
Football Team: The Phillies
Musicians: Larry Carlton, Phil Keaggy, and Eric Johnson
Season: Spring
Little Known Fact: My first language was Pennsylvania Dutch
Occupation: Painter, siding installer, and musician
Name: Elaine Martin (Mom)
Instrument: Bass guitar
Favorite color: Today it's burnt orange
Pastime: Rug braiding, drawing, hiking the Appalachian Trail with Brian, going on walks, playing bass guitar, homeschooling the kids, canoeing, camping, gardening, reading, going out on dates with Nelson, scrapbooking, and hanging out with my goofy family.
Vacation Spot: Adirondack canoe area
Band: Gamut
Food: Korean Steak
Game: Probe
Season: Spring
Book of the Bible: Galatians
Music I've been listening to lately: I don't.
Other Musical Ventures: I play music with my family and that is an adventure!
Little Known Fact: I walked through the drive-thru at the bank once.
Occupation: I pull double shift as a mom
Name: Emily (Martin) Roeder
Instruments: fiddle, bagpipes
Favorite color: yellow and orange
Pastime: inventing cookie recipes, sleeping, being a private pilot, flying airplanes (especially the stunt plane!); dates with my husband, Elijah; bicycle rides, cooking, reading Nancy Drew books, performing, having parties in the back yard, playing and dancing in hoedowns...
Musicians: Eileen Ivers, James Riley, and Micheal Cleveland
Food: Chocolate
Game: Dutch Blitz
Awards: 2009 and 2010 Berks County Fiddle Champion
Little known fact: played fiddle and recorded with a punk band when I was about 11
Current Occupation: Stay at home mom
Name: Zach Martin
Age: 12
Instrument: fiddle
Favorite Color: Blue
Pastime: Playing in the sandbox, shooting bb guns and bows and arrows, hiking, swimming, wrestling with Brian, fishing, swinging, playing in the cabin, gardening, reading, playing cowboys...
Vacation Spot: Camping almost anywhere
Musician: Charlie Daniels
Food: Hotdogs (especially when they are made over a fire)
Game: Piggy wants a motion
Season: Spring
Book of the Bible: John
Awards: 2011 1st place winner in the 10 and under in the Berks County fiddle competition
Book: The Hatchet
School: I'm homeschooled and in the 6th grade
Name: Melissa Martin
Age: 20
Instruments: fiddle, mandolin, Irish whistles, accordian
Favorite color: Yellow and pink
Pastime: crocheting, reading, listening to polka, pesting Alex, writing mysteries, reading old band journals, taking Pennsylvania Dutch lessons, watching the Lawrence Welk Show...
Vacation spot: “The gray cabin”
Musician: Butch Imhoff and Joanie Madden
Food: Stir-fry
Dessert: Peanut Parfait Pie
Game: Dutch Blitz
Book: Little Women
Music that I've been listening to recently: Myron Floren, basically just Myron Floren. I listen to lots and lots of accordian music!
Little known fact: Played the National Anthem with a Suzuki class at a Reading Phillies game
School: 2010 graduate from homeschooling.
Awards: 2009 2nd place winner in the Berks County Fiddle Competition
Current Occupation: fiddle and Irish dance teacher
Name: Christy Martin
Age: 14
Instruments: fiddle, bagpipes, piano
Favorite Color: yellow, green, and orange
Pastime: shooting bow and arrow, canoeing, swimming, listening to ice cream trucks, Irish dancing, crocheting, camping, playing with Faith, Emme, and Lydia, ice skating and sledding...
Vacation Spot: The cabin
Band: Leahy and Cherryholmes
Food: Egg rolls
Game: Phase Ten
Season: Spring
Book of the Bible: Matthew
School: I'm homeschooled and in the 10th grade
Awards: 2009 1st place 10 and under winner in the Berks County Fiddle Competition
Earl Pyles, a.k.a. Gramps, enjoys all styles of music and plays guitar and drums. A drummer since the age of 10, he prefers playing Roland TD-20 digital drum kits for their versatility and he brings a wide variety of musical styles from rock, jazz, folk, and blues to the band's performances. Earl lives with and cares for his Father in Lebanon County and volunteers with On-Fire Youth Ministries, a local ministry outreach program in Myerstown, PA. In his spare time, Earl's other interest is trying to eat Brian's chickens (YUM!!!!!)
Name: Brian Martin
Age: 17
Instruments: Guitar, drums, fiddle
Color: Blue
Pastime: Fishing, hunting, yard work, raising chicks and rabbits, hanging out with Calvin and Bryce, woodworking, wrestling with Zach...
Vacation Spot: The cabin
Musician: Earl Scruggs
Food: I like almost any food
Game: Can't Stop
Season: Springtime
Book of the Bible: Matthew
School: I'm homeschooled and I'm in 11th grade
Little Known Fact: I like bluegrass better than Celtic
Other Musical Ventures: I'm a drummer with the Quittapahilla Highlanders
Name: Alex Martin
Age: 7
Instrument: fiddle
Favorite Color: Yellow
Pastime: Playing, playing toys, working, coloring, running, trying to play the fiddle, riding bike on the road with Brian and Zach, building stuff in the sandbox and reading books.
Song: Up Kitty Down Kitty
Book: Stories about Thomas the Tank Engine
Food: Cookies
Game: Checkers
Photo by Matt Wlasniewski
Photo by Matt Wlasniewski
Nelson
Elaine
Emily
Melissa
Brian
Christy
Zach
Alex
Earl
The Drum Dance
Click on the magazine to read Kelly Watson's
article on the Celtic Martins
Bio
Elijah
Name: Elijah Roeder
Instruments: Drums
Favorite Color: Green
Pastime: fixing up old cars; drumming for church, the Celtic Martins, and the Quittapahilla Highlanders; flying; swing dancing; hunting; and of course taking my beautiful wife, Emily, on dates.
Vacation Spot: definitely Acadia National Park in Maine!
Food: Hamballs and anything Italian
Favorite Bands: Leahy and the Glengarry Bhoys
Current Occupation: painter
