Martin, Bogan & The Armstrongs

Violinist, storyteller, and philosopher Howard Armstrong was a member of the remarkable African-American string band Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs. In their prime, Virginia-born guitar and mandolin blues artist Carl Martin, guitarist Ted Bogan, and string player Howard Armstrong, the group enjoyed multiple incarnations, starting in the 1930s as the Four Keys, then morphing into the Tennessee Chocolate Drops and then the Wandering Troubadours, before they stuck with the name Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs. They played individually and collectively throughout the mid-South on the radio, at medicine shows, and at country jukes before eventually making it to Chicago in the late '30s and '40s, where they made records but mostly supported themselves by what Armstrong calls "pulling doors." This meant going into different cafes and taverns and playing for tips if they weren't thrown out. Playing various ethnic neighborhoods, the group took advantage of Armstrong's gift with languages and learned to sing in a variety of tongues. Best-described as an acoustic string band (violin, guitar, mandolin, bass), the group played blues, jazz, pop, country, and various non-English favorites. As skilled musicians eager to earn tips by playing whatever their audiences wanted, they built up a large repertoire. Having gone their separate ways, the group reunited as Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs in the early '70s and enjoyed substantial blues revival acclaim. After Carl Martin died, Bogan and Armstrong continued -- the duo were still the greatest living exponents of the African-American string-band style, equally at home playing blues, swing, jazz, ragtime, and older Black string band material. Armstrong, who spoke seven languages, was a National Heritage Award winner in 1990. What made trio's music so wonderful -- in addition to their energy, flawless presentation, and their personable good humor -- was their ability to remind audiences that good music transcends classifications and a skilled artist can draw from many streams.
© Barry Lee Pearson /TiVo