Mick Martin & the Blues Rockers

Mick Martin & the Blues Rockers were one of Sacramento's best-loved blues bands, fronted by harmonica player, singer, and bandleader Mick Martin. Martin played in Sacramento bands from the late 1960s and led iterations of the Blues Rockers for roughly four decades, touring internationally in Italy, Belgium, and England. He shared the "Best West Coast Blues Harmonica Player" award with Mark Hummel in 2001, recorded more than 20 albums (including releases on UK label JSP Records), and performed at Carnegie Hall in 1994 with jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Beyond music, Martin hosted the long-running radio show "Mick Martin's Blues Party" and worked for years as a film and music critic for the Sacramento Union. Martin died in July 2025 at age 76; the band remains a Sacramento blues institution.