Welp, you've made it. Tonight is the Houston Press Music Awards ceremony, otherwise known as Music Christmas, otherwise known The Opposite of the Holocaust, otherwise known as The Day Jesus Says "Fuck. Yes."
We figured we'd sneak in one more HPMA-themed Artist of the Week column. Meet, Clory Martin, nominated thrice times this year (Best Folk, Best Songwriter, Best Song).
There isn't much left to say about Martin; she's received effusive praise here ever since showing up from Austin. Here's what HP writer Matthew Keever wrote about her last week prior to her performance this past Saturday:
She grew up singing in choirs and playing piano, but eventually chose the guitar, and now her simple chord progressions blend with her strong alto voice and come forth as indie-folk with a bluesy feel -- "a smokier Norah Jones," as Press Assistant Music Editor Craig Hlavaty once wrote. Martin has been spending her Wednesday nights at Last Concert Cafe (opening for jam band institution Potroast), and her debut album, Summer Spent, was released in December 2010.
Now you're all caught up. To the interview, bros and broettes.
Sunshine - Clory Martin
Rocks Off: First, tell everyone everything they need to know about Clory Martin in exactly six words.
Clory: Enthusiastic, cautious, scattered, eager, sincere, pleaser.
RO: Second, are you of any relation to Doc Martin? Because, y'know, everyone loves free boots.
C: Doc used to be my middle name, so, there you go. But I'm all out of boots now. Unfortunately, it's how I made friends in middle school.
RO: Okay, so these questions are coming to you before Tuesday's award ceremony but they likely won't be published until after it, so let's hit both options:
(a) How surprised were you when they called your name as winner yesterday? Did you want to turn a back flip? Do you even know how to turn a back flip? Did you practice back flips before the show? That's pretty awesome of you.
C: I was beyond surprised. Getting nominated for Houston Press awards I thought was awesome enough. But to win an award is a freaking dream. Just being on the same ballot with so many talented artists that I've become a fan of was huge for me. So I did a cartwheel, but in my head, and there were a bunch of fireworks that went off too in my head. If there were a pool, I totally would have done a back flip into the pool.
RO: (b) How surprised were you when they didn't call your name as winner yesterday? Did you want to turn a back flip? Do you even know how to turn a back flip? Did you practice back flips before the show? That's pretty awesome of you.
C: I was disappointed but it was awesome to get nominated. It was great to see all my friends and fans show their support for me and for what I'm trying to do. Houston Press put on a really great event. I'm looking forward to who gets recognized next year.
RO: Are you ever tempted to just start singing in places that don't require it? Like, it'd be totally neat if you were getting hosed by a cashier or a customer service representative and started singing, "Hey, uh, fuuuuccckkkkkk yoooooouuuuuuu" in this delicate, gorgeous little voice.
C: If I was going to tell someone off, it'd be pretty awesome to do it in song, right then and there. But no, I've never been tempted to do that but the idea intrigues me. I have been planning, though, to crash a 24 Hour Fitness or someplace similar and sing "Exercising is Good" to unexpecting joggers. That's one of my songs on my EP Summer Spent. Of course, I'd be wearing my sweat band, you know, to fit in.
RO: Care to plug something? Go for it.
C: Caroline Sessions, Dec 17th, 2-8p.m. Chase Hamblin, Benjamin Wesley, Melissa Savcic and others will be there. So live music + potluck BBQ + BYOB + a pet-friendly event = it's gonna be awesome. Plus, it's the anniversaryof the release of my EP Summer Spent (coincidentally). So I'll definitely be celebrating.