Loretto Resident Don Martin and his brother Dave were recently inducted into the SAMMYS Hall of Fame to commemorate their over 60 years performing styles as varied as doo wop, blues, R&B, country, classic rock, and jazz music in the Syracuse area. The SAMMYS are an annual event that recognizes the achievements of local musicians, educators, and industry contributors.

Don and Dave’s family received the recognition on their behalf on March 5 at the SAMMY Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held on March 5 at Middle Ages Brewery in Syracuse. Don’s family hosted a family reception at Loretto Health & Rehabilitation, where he lives, to celebrate his induction.

Don’s music career began when he was 13, learning to play by ear on a $39 Silvertone Danelectro guitar he bought from Sears & Roebuck.

In the early 1960s, he was the founding member of The Concepts, who quickly became known as the go-to band for high school dances and fraternity parties.

In 1964, The Concepts gained notoriety for opening for The Animals, an English rock band known for their hit “The House of the Rising Sun” at the Onondaga War Memorial.

In the mid-1970s, Dave and Don formed the band Company with Art Robinson and Carmen Liberatore and played with many of Central New York’s best musicians, including Bobby Green, Roosevelt Dean, Scotty Trudell, and Dave Hanlon. Don also played in a group called the Generators, made up of colleagues from Niagara Mohawk (now called National Grid), where he worked.

Don’s love for jazz led him to form The Don Martin Trio, which was a sought-after group for Syracuse events and fundraisers. The Don Martin Trio performed at the M&T Jazz Fest in 1998, 1999, and 2004, receiving favorable reviews from local media, including Mark Bialczak, staff writer at the Syracuse Post-Standard. He said Don was “Syracuse’s answer to Wes Montgomery, and for those too young to remember Wes…Syracuse’s answer to George Benson. His smooth, classic full-body sound and straight-ahead style, backed by a veteran trio who have been with him forever, make this set irresistible. This is Jazz guitar a la Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, and Jim Hall. And I’d rank Don up there with all of them. The cat is simply great.”

Don continued performing until his retirement in 2019 following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Today, Don’s son, Jeff, and his brother Dave’s son, Don, are musicians who play guitar and bass, respectively, in the Syracuse area. Both are proud to continue their fathers’ legacy of playing and celebrating music.