Martin Family Circus gives surprise performance at Hall of Fame induction

My wife and I were privileged to meet Paul and Jamie Martin and their four children earlier this year and we were simply blown away not just by their musical ability but most of all by their genuine faith in Jesus Christ.   I had known of Paul since his days performing with Exile and continued to enjoy his music with Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. I also knew of Jamie, as I had seen her on several country music shows. I was even aware of the Martin Family Circus and was already a fan. However, getting to know them a bit gave me even more appreciation for what they are doing.

The Martin Family Circus was honored to sing Elvira at The Oak Ridge Boys' Medallion Ceremony for their induction in the Country Music Hall of Fame. I received this press release at work and have copied and pasted here. Hope you enjoy!

The Martin Family Circus sings Elvira at The Oak Ridge Boys' Medallion Ceremony inducting the Oaks into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Oct. 25. The performance was a surprise for the Oaks.  From left are Texas, Tallant, Jamie, March, Kell and Paul Martin. (Photo courtesy The Brokaw Company.)

Martin Family Circus Surprises The Oak Ridge Boys,
Including Father and Grandfather Duane Allen,
At the 2015 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony
Press release from The Brokaw Company

The Martin Family Circus achieved their goal of a grand surprise performance of the massive hit “Elvira” as a tribute to their father and grandfather, Oak Ridge Boys’ Duane Allen, and the other members of the group at the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion induction ceremony last night in Nashville, TN. The Martin Family Circus – consisting of Duane Allen’s daughter Jamie, son-in-law Grammy-winning Paul Martin, and grandchildren, March (17), Kell (14), Texas (10), and Tallant (8) – were considered the perfect choice of performers. It was a thrill for all involved.

The performance was a surprise long in the making. The Martin Family Circus was initially invited to perform in May of this year by Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.. The Martins were then asked to keep it a secret for the last five-plus months, which was a feat in itself.

“We were completely blown away to be asked to perform. What a tremendous honor!” said Jamie Martin. “We never envisioned that we would be the ones to get to sing to The Oak Ridge Boys the very song that changed the course of their careers and lives forever, on the night that they received the highest honor possible in country music. We knew we had to give it our all. The toughest part about this was knowing for so long and having to make sure we didn’t let it slip.”

The entire Martin Family is proud of The Oak Ridge Boys and feel that there is no one more deserving of the high honor of induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Martin adds, “They have given our family the greatest example of hard work and determination. There aren’t very many country acts that have been around as long as they have and who are still performing to packed houses over 150 nights a year. That is an incredible achievement. They are our inspiration, and we’re so happy that they are being recognized for their career full of great songs, hitting musical milestones and crossing into multiple genres, supporting lots of charitable organizations—especially our US Troops, selling over 41 million records and still going strong!”

Jamie and Paul Martin have been singing together with their four children as the Martin Family Circus since 2010. Representing four generations of musical heritage, they are a self-contained band, focusing on tight harmony-driven music of many genres that delivers a room full of fun. They were originally dubbed the Martin Family Circus by Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill.

So where did it all begin? Grammy-winning artist Paul Martin, lead singer/guitarist of country-pop group Exile, met and married Jamie Allen, daughter of Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys and Norah Lee Allen of the Grand Ole Opry’s own background vocalists, the Opry Singers. They began raising a family that was exposed to a rich musical heritage from birth. Each of the four children showed God-given musical talents early on, along with the same insatiable passion for music as their parents and grandparents had. All are accomplished musicians as well as singers.

Practice soon led to performances around the region and a successful web-based unscripted podcast-series called “The Martin Family Circus.” They have made appearances on The Oak Ridge Boys’ nationally televised Christmas special for the American Legion and episodes of television shows such as “The Marty Stuart Show” and “Larry’s Country Diner.”

Their first CD project, titled In Training, represented their rich musical roots, as it paid tribute to many of their favorite artists. Now, in 2015, they are recording their second project, Past, Present, Future, which includes classic hits, current favorites, and some brand-new self-penned material.

Jamie Martin sums it up for the family, “We were honored, humbled and elated to be asked to sing “Elvira” for The Oak Ridge Boys on this incredible night. The privilege of singing to Hall of Fame members and music industry friends—it was a night we will never forget. It has given us irreplaceable memories that we have made with our kids, our parents and our grandparents. These memories will last forever.”

As for the surprised father and grandfather, Duane Allen, he proudly commented, “I already knew that Jamie and Paul are great singers, but I am consistently blown away with the kids! I can't believe they were able to pull this off without a word. They made a very special evening even more special.”