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Martin Luther

Martin Luther McCOY a guitarist, singer and songwriter, makes his acting debut with the role of Jo-Jo in Across the Universe.

Recording under the name Martin Luther, he will release his next album, Serial Thriller, early in 2008. In the meantime, he is releasing Live from Arlene's Grocery this fall exclusively on iTunes.

Luther's most recent album, Rebel Soul Music, was released in September 2004 to much critical acclaim. The Associated Press named it number 4 on its Top Ten Albums of 2004 and People Magazine named it a Critic's Choice, rating the album 3.5 out of 4 stars. He was the first independent artist given the privilege of recording a performance session for MTV Live on MTV.com. He was also named the VH1.com You Oughta Know artist on 2 separate occasions. His music video for the single Daily Bread debuted on the VH1 Soul network and was in their top-10 rotation for four months. Rebel Soul Music sold over 20,000 copies in the US, spurring releases of the album in Europe and Japan.

Luther has performed over 100 shows since the album's release, traveling with his band throughout the US, Europe and Japan. He has toured as a solo artist on the same bill as Jill Scott and The Roots and has also performed for audiences numbering in the thousands as a featured member of the Roots.

Like the legend for whom he was named, Martin Luther was raised on a diet of choir hymns and stringent rules set forth by strict, religious parents. As a youngster, he was forced to take traditional piano lessons so that he could one day play in church. Exposure to the psychedelic sounds of Parliament Funkadelic by his brother set him on the path to finding his own voice as an artist. Continuing to play the keyboard, he added the drums to his musical arsenal and finally mastered his secret weapon -- the guitar.

Luther's independently released debut album, The Calling, sparked the interest of worldwide fans and critics alike for its uplifting lyrics and fresh mix of rock and soul.

His rendition of This Christmas was recently featured on Target's 2005 Christmas album. He also wrote a special song for O, The Oprah Magazine, which was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He has appeared on The Chris Rock Show and performed alongside George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Jill Scott, Eric Benet, and Cody Chestnutt, to name a few. He also gave an unforgettable performance with Dave Matthews at the NAACP Image Awards. A native of San Francisco, Martin Luther is a graduate of Morehouse College, with a degree in Media Arts and a concentration in Entertainment Law and Marketing.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2007.

Martin Luther Facts

Birth Name Martin Luther McCoy
OccupationMusician

Selected Filmography

Martin Luther
Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story
In the Footsteps of Martin Luther
Empires
Here I Stand: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther
Here I Stand: Martin Luther
Martin Luther: A Journey to the Heart of the Reformation
Continue » Find more details on the Martin Luther Movies page