Bobby Martinez (@Bob__Sharp) is a musician with an extensive taste that spans classical, metal, choral, Celtic, bluegrass, EDM, and many other genres. From a young age, he immersed himself in the beauty of orchestral compositions, the energy of metal music, the emotive power of choral harmonies, and the enchanting melodies of Celtic traditions. This diverse musical journey has shaped his perspective and instilled a deep appreciation for the universal language of music and helped him recognize that music has the ability to transcend boundaries and unite people from all walks of life.
Today, Bobby is a driving force in a developing music culture in St George Utah; he is a music theory teacher, a cofounder of Wednesday Night Jam Night, and a beast on just about any instrument you put in front of him. Legends claim that he once played a solo that caused every rose within 5 miles to bloom out of season. It is also said he can drive his car by the pitch of his voice, and some swear they have seen him quietly sing the brown note into the ears of his enemies and walk away as the poor fool that chose to get on Bob’s bad side started to steep their socks. Some even believe he wrote the original Real Book.
Should you ever meet him on the street, be sure to give him a wave and make a song request, he will almost always oblige ya if he isn’t in a hurry!
Heres the silly questions we made him answer:
What do you play?
I would say that guitar is my main instrument, but I love to play the mandolin, the bass, the drums, the melodica…
What is your favorite instrument?
I truly believe that the guitar is the coolest instrument ever made. Barring that, I would have to say that I love classical stringed instruments, like the Cello or the Violin.
How long have you been playing and how did you start?
I’ve been playing for about 16 years, and I started because I would see my mom’s guitar (which she used as a camp counselor in her youth) and I kept asking her about it. She offered to pay for lessons and then I was off!
Where are you from?
I’m from the land of 10,000 lakes!
What do you do for fun outside of jam?
Other than playing music, I like to slackline, longboard, and skateboard (if I’m feeling extra courageous).
What is your favorite thing about your favorite instrument?
The guitar is so versatile. You can make it sound like other instruments, and it can be modulated to the point of sounding like something completely alien.
What’s your favorite Song?
In the Beginning - Aaron Copland
Greatest musical influence?
Protest The Hero, Dr. Renee Clausen (and the Concordia Choir), Plini, Metallica, Owane are some of my greatest influences.
What’s your favorite drug?
MARY JANE
What’s the best live show you ever saw?
Either the Eric Whitacre singers or August Burns Red on their 10th anniversary tour for Messengers
What’s your favorite thing about jam night?
Seeing people feel the music we’re creating is pretty surreal.
What’s your favorite jam night memory?
There was a jam night where like half of Mr. Ok and the Last Last Light was jamming with us, and it was epic. Also that time I didn’t realize Bobo was present, and then she emerged from the kitchen mid-jam with her saxophone.
What’s your best musical advice?
Listen and trust your ear.
What’s your best life advice?
Don’t strive for happiness, strive for purpose.
If you could have 1 superpower what would it be and why?
Flight. Imagine never having to buy a plane ticket again…
How many highly tactical kung-fu raccoons could ward off with a baseball bat? Be honest. (Ty says 55)
If Ty says 55, I say 56!
Would you rather have a magic van that can teleport you anywhere you want and time travel anywhere you want, or a magic ring that when it touches a book you absorb all the knowledge inside?
Magic ring. If you absorbed all of the knowledge from all of the books, who’s to say that you wouldn’t be able to build such a van yourself?
If you had to live in a cage for the rest of your life, would you rather the bars be horizontal, or vertical?
Vertical. If you had to pee or poo through the bars, the horizontal bars would get nasty.
Would you rather have bananas for fingers or pineapples for feet? They regenerate each day (this one is 50/50 on 60 surveys at station 2)
You can’t play the guitar with banana fingers, so…. PINEAPPLE FEET
Would you rather own a hamster the size of a rhino or a rhino the size of a hamster.
A hamster the size of a rhino would be an epic mount.
Would you rather be able to speak to all animals or all humans?
All animals. Maybe that way I could gather sacred knowledge of the earth which us humans cannot possess :o
Would you rather orgasm every time “all-star’ by smashmouth comes on, or have “all-star’ by smashmouth come on every time you orgasm?
I’d rather orgasm every time I hear my favorite song of all time, duh.
Would you rather be able to tell your past self one thing or be able to ask your future self one question?
I’d ask my future self “what’s the next Tik Tok?”
He also paid his cat tax: Follow @ghostmalone_kitty on instagram!
