Photo: AP PhotoThe last time Steve Martin took the stage in Chattanooga, it was all about laughs. When he returns to the Scenic City May 26 he’ll bring his banjo, a top-notch bluegrass band…and the same sense of humor.
Martin has now grown accustomed to the shock. After all, the only other comedians who’ve been able to make successful segues into music careers are Charlie Chaplin and Steve Allen.
“Sometimes when actors try to become musicians there’s a great resistance,” admits Martin. “But it’s not that they’re trying to become musicians – they’re trying to become rock stars. And that’s always kind of ludicrous. It’s like they’re not paying their dues.”
Since recording his first album, “The Crow,” Martin has been welcomed into the music world with open arms, winning a Grammy in 2010. Even so, he’s most proud of the album’s six IBMA nominations, considering it the “toughest group to pass muster with.” Audiences have also been bowled over by the funny man’s very serious talent.
“There’s something about the banjo,” explains Martin. “It looks and sounds very difficult. And it is. So you play a three-finger banjo thing at lightning speed and suddenly, they’re not laughing.”