1950's
Martin began working for his Dad in the 1950's printing business cards on an offset press and helped put together the Alpine Shoppers Guide Press.
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He also delivered newspapers (El Paso Times, San Angelo Times and the Odessa American) for his Dad into the early 1960's.
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Martin worked for Logan TV in Alpine cleaning out the store and testing tubes. With John King's help Martin obtained his Novice Ham license KN5YCJ in 1957. Through Ham radio his interest developed around electronic and especially recorders.
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1960's
In the early 1960's Martin began delivering magazines and books to West Texas stores for his Dad's business.
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He also spent some time working with John King for Alpine Cable installing cable
and for Big Bend Telephone as a dispatcher. John helped Martin gain his ham radio license
 
Martin ham radio KN5YCJ 1956
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Martin Brewster County rescue Squad
Radio Call List Alpine/Brewster County
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Carol and Martin delivering magazines for Martin's Dad 1963 - 1966. They also picked up the Odessa American papers in Monahans and drove them to Ft. Stockton, Ft. Davis, Marfa, Marathon and Alpine.
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"The
Believers"
Junior/Senior
High School Prom, Alpine, Texas May, 1964
When
the Believers (poster page 1, page
2) played at the AHS Junior Senior prom in 1964, Martin asked for
a copy of the tape recording made on their Roberts recorder (seen above).
The Believers
were a group of Sul Ross State College (now University) students. After the
prom the band members headed for their homes for the Summer of '64. Go
to Believers page
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1964
The creation
of
Highland Sound Company/Phantom Productions, Inc.
In
the early '60s Martin spent a lot of time at Alpine's radio station KVLF with
DJ's Phil Wayne Evensburger, Bob Biel and David Forcheimer (a high school
classmate). He became "hooked' on the music and radio business.
The
photo above was taken in Alpine's KVLF studio at a time RCA was testing new
smaller video cameras. KVLF was only a radio station, however Gene Henricks
(station owner) provided space to enable the trial of the new RCA equipment. The
person at the mike is a French foreign exchange student Claude Guillimet.
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Martin
created a recording company (his Grandmother suggested the name Highland
Sound Company after her Scottish roots). This was later changed to Phantom
Productions created from the idea of phantom powered microphones and the
"behind the scenes" empowering the company envisioned itself performing
through recording and promotion.
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Martin convinced his parents to allow him to turn his and his Sister Peggy's old bedroom into a recording studio (including cutting a hole and creating a sound proofed window between the two rooms).
radio remote at Sul Ross for KVLF (below 1986).
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Highland Sound recorded the regular Alpine school radio program for KVLF. View old movie of studio
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Bob Simonetti and
his band Bob & His Agents were on of several Alpine bands who recorded
at the HSC Studio
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Sony connected Martin with Balco
Sound of Lubbock, Texas. The relationship resulted in Highland Sound becoming
the re-seller for Altec, Ampex, Electro Voice, Shure Sony and many of the
other major manufacturers.
Martin recorded most Sul Ross music events from 1964 to 1968.
Click
here to listen to some of the band
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Listen
to HSC Radio ad
Equipment for sale and literature in studio
Carol in the studio control room |
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Martin also was active in the Air Explorer Boy Scout program and served with the Brewster County rescue squad which assisted in searching for lost deer hunters in the davis mountains and firing range fires in the County
Bud Powers, Ricky Sohl, Martin and Carl Williams
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Martin also spent time riding with Jack O'Donnell with DPS Alpine
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Martin, Carol and their friend Corky Thornton (below) went to work for the joint City of Alpine and Brewster County police dispatch services during 1967 and 1968.
Alpine Police dispatch (North 5th) 1967
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Corky Thornton, Band Dir, Bronte, Texas
Martin graduated from Sul Ross State University with Bachelor of Music degree (with great help from his wife Carol) and planned to become a Texas band director. However, Ft. Davis gave him his first contract and when Martin learned the music program was not going to be continued he worked briefly a a brewster County Deputy Sheriff assigned to Sul Ross. Subsequently, Martin went to work for the Texas Department of Public Welfare.
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Alpine Texas Department of Public Safety Patrol car in 1969
Brewster County Sheriff Carl Williams and DPS Officer Jean Pate
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Brewster County Sheriff Carl Williams - view video
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Sul Ross University Security Chief Bubba Kring
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Brewster County, Texas jail & Sheriff's Office - Carl Williams, Sheriff, George Jones, Chief Deputy
George Jones with barbara, jerry & Jim at their Study Butte stereo
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deputy
Carl & Alice Williams - After serving in the Texas DPS, Carl ran and won the Brewster County Sheriff's office and subsequently became one of the first officers with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education and Standards.
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Martin's Sul Ross police car & Chief's police car
  
Martin's personal used DPS car while working as Sul Ross Officer
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Sul Ross Security Chief's police car dash with speed stop
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Jack O'Donnell with his family in Marfa after taking position with US Border Patrol -
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Martin worked for DPW as a Food Stamp Social Worker, interviewing and certifying eligible families for assistance. His territory included Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio Counties.
With the DPW, Martin first officed in the right hand side of this gas station in downtown Alpine. Interestingly 3 counties were paying the office lease. One day Martin's supervisor (Mr. Simmons) called and said part of the rent hadn't been paid and we were going to be locked out of our offices the next day.  With the help of a couple of friends, the entire office was moved back to Martin's old bedroom in his parents home (it had a street entrance). Clients continued to be interviewed at that location, until the funding was worked out.
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Working out of the Presidio County Courthouse (only a couple of blocks from where he was born) Martin's office was just off the JP's courtroom.
While working for the Texas Department of Public Welfare (beginning December, 1969), Martin always continued to pursue the recording business through Highland Sound Company and eventually Phantom Productions. Inc. He was also allowed to keep his law enforcement radios in Ector County which really provide support for the Child Protective Services work.
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Due to a County funding problem, Martin was temporarily transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation in Alpine. There he interpolated survey data on the road bed between Alpine and Ft. Davis.
 When Martin rejoined Texas DPW, he was assigned to Marfa and worked out of an office  behind the JP courtroom in the Presidio County Courthouse. His co-workers were Lupe Hernandez (pic right) whose family lived along the Big Bend River Road. Her family would alternately host folks passing by that include the US Cavalry, Poncho Villa and the Mexican army. View movie from that area taken in 1969.
Martin's other co-worker was Georgia Kahl whose husband was Fritz Kahl, a pilot (first stationed at the Marfa Army Air Base during WW II.who was instrumental in bringing the glider events to the area.
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1970's Midland Odessa
Martin initially applied to the Midland Police Dept. when he & Carol moved to Midland Odessa. However Martin's loss of a kidney at age 5 made him a high risk for law enforcement, so he continues working for the Texas DHS
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Phantom Productions on location van in Houston for Austin Custom records album production. The music production continued while Martin worked full time at the State as well.
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In late 1970, Martin was able to join the County Child Welfare staff as a State social worker. This was a unique opportunity, as it involved child abuse & neglect investigation, working with families and the Juvenile Court.
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Martin was promoted to Financial Supervisor, however requested he be allowed to take over as the head of the Ector County Child Welfare unit. He served in that position for 5 years.
Martin's office in the Ector County Courthouse
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Martin Child Welfare Supervisor Odessa, 1973
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Martin's Texas Department of Human Services Staffing chart as Chief of Services, Staff Development Division - click for larger version
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While working for the State of Texas full time, Martin continued recording on location around the state for Austin Custom records and recording local bands in the Odessa/Midland area.
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While recording this band in Odessa, Martin was able to set up outside the club in the band's remote truck. The isolation was ideal and some Phantom added their first on-location recording van
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Martin's 1978 remote recording van
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Midland DHS Training Staff 1977
Martin's Midland DHS office. Interestingly, Don Abernathy with the State Office Training staff saw Martin's Child Protective Services scrapbook and encouraged Martin to apply for the Austin job that resulted in his moving to Austin.
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Martin attended Texas DHS social worker orientation in 1968 in Austin. Having spent a month in Austin, he felt it was the place to develop his recording business. After receiving a promotion to training specialist in Midland, he was offered a training position in El Paso. Martin was in El Paso only a short few months before being hired as a trainer in Austin.
 
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Martin in Phantom's recording van with Carol Wilson and DHS News report on Martin's recording
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The CowPokes
(last concert), Viscount Club, El Paso, Texas. Click
here to listen.
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Midland DHS trainers Louie Thorp & Carol Turner at Austin conference
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Martin conducting ECCS Child Welfare Board meeting
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Martin's Odessa office 1977. The orange high back office chair was provided by the County, however caused great consternation to the State Property Manager, as it was not standard issue. (:-)
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Martin was promoted to Training Director in Midland in early 1978 , transferred in that position to El Paso in mid- 1978.
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