Josh Martin is giving an acoustic spin to his spiritual song, “Between God and Me,” by joining up with some of Nashville’s finest instrumentalists. The back-to-basics arrangement reflects Martin’s own desire to live life with a clear conscious and peaceful vibe.
The original version of the song appears on his 2019 album, Nothing Holding Me, a project that shows his talent for songwriting, his affinity for roots music, and his rugged vocal delivery. Take a look at the Kentucky native’s new video, directed by Steve Condon and filmed at Nashville’s Sound Stage Studios on Music Row. Then read our Q&A with Josh Martin below the player.
What do you remember most about the shoot for this video?
Steve was having some issues with the video camera, so he had to call in reinforcements to fix the problem. He didn’t think it would take very long at all to fix the camera after the technician got there, so in the meantime, me and the guys started the recording process of the song.
We had not rehearsed or even discussed how to approach it with the all-acoustic lineup, so we really had no clue how long it would take for the vibe to gel. We ended up keeping the third take, 15 minutes later, and rushing the video guys back in to start capturing the band footage. It is absolutely astonishing how quickly great musicians can wrap their heads around a song!
How does the video bring your song to life?
I love this video for a couple of reasons. The whole concept of the song is based around living your life the way you know how, not letting the “Joneses” living next door or that blogger who gave you a bad review affect the peace of mind you get from being your genuine self.
This video captures me in my element. There’s nothing flashy about it and it shows how much fun it is for a group of pickers, who deeply respect each other’s abilities, to get together and just play music.
What message do you hope your fans take away from the video?
I hope that the video and the song send a strong message out to folks to never discount the value in a clear conscience and peace of mind. For me, that lies in the daily conversations I have with the “big man upstairs.” All the money in the world doesn’t even compare to the joy I’ve found in the life’s little moments. Talking things over with Mom and Dad, calling up an old friend out of the blue, hearing your little girl whisper “I love you,” that’s where the gold is.
How did it feel to see the finished product for the first time?
Total amazement. Huge thanks to Steve, John Palmieri, who engineered the session and mixed the audio, and Courtney Gregg for getting all of these amazingly talented people in one room for a day! It was a special session.
Songwriters: Josh Martin, Wynn Varble; Director: Steve Condon of the 1010 Creative Group via:: CMT News
