Marty Raybon was born Dec. 8, 1959, in Sanford, Fla., but was raised in Jacksonville, Fla. He started in show business at age 8 when he appeared on a local talent show. His musical aspirations blossomed after hearing a Mel Street song on the radio when he was 15. By age 20, he was focused on pursuing his calling, performing with various club bands before joining the country group Shenandoah. The band's No. 1 hit singles included "The Church on Cumberland Road," "Sunday in the South," "Two Dozen Roses," "Next to You, Next to Me" and "If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too)." In 1997, the award-winning group disbanded, and Raybon pursued other projects.
In 1995, he released a self-titled gospel CD on Sparrow Records. In 1997, he teamed with his brother Tim to record an album, which featured the Grammy-winning song, "Butterfly Kisses." In 2000, Tri-Chord Records released a self-titled country album. In 2003, he released Full Circle on Doobie Shea Records.
In 2006, Raybon returned with two releases -- a bluegrass album The Grass I Grew Up On and a country album, When the Sand Runs Out. He now lives in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Rarely is a voice heard that is not just unforgettable, but it is undeniable. A voice filled with emotion and compassion that not only comes from a melody or a great lyric, but from the heart. A voice that draws you in with trepidation and makes you laugh at the shear elation of hearing it. And when you do hear that voice, you realize that God has placed a precious gift in someone’s life. He can take a lyric and put heartbreak into the melody like no other singer before him.
Rascal Flatts’ lead vocalist, Gary LeVox, called Marty “the greatest singer on the planet to this day” and country music historian Robert K. Oerman said “Marty Raybon’s voice is truly one of Nashville’s greatest treasures.”
After hearing his latest work, you will understand that Marty Raybon is not just one of the greatest singers around, he is also a man of unwavering faith and extraordinary vision.
