Read the full tribute piece by Casey Rafter at Sacramento News & Review
In a cramped radio station studio at Sacramento State, Pinkie Rideau sang the last few words of “Bring Me Sugar,” signaling blues musician Mick Martin to beam his vibratious harmonica across the airwaves. From his seat next to the console in April 2023, Martin lowered his instrument after his solo, took a breath and heard Janis Joplin’s “One Good Man” fade in.
Behind him, a condensed version of the Mick Martin Big Blues Band gathered in the small space: singer Rideau, bassist AJ Joyce and guitarist Andrew Little were tuning up and observing the space as Martin flashed a smile and pivoted quickly into a story about Joplin.
“You know, I’m one of the few people who could actually say that I was friends with Janis Joplin,” Martin began.
Martin went on to describe watching people mill about one morning in October 1970 when Joplin was found at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood, overdosed on heroin. A story easily dismissed, if told by anyone but the oracular Martin. But fans, friends and bandmates all know the story: He was there.
A journalist, author, musician, tutor, radio show host and co-founder of the Sacramento Blues Society, Martin — who died the morning of Sunday, July 13 — had reportedly been everywhere. Martin was 76 years old.