He joined the United States Air Force in May 1949, and served as a flight engineer on the B-29 Super Fortress during the Korean War in the early 1950s.

In San Jose, California, Martin attended a talent show as "Boxcar Willie" and performed under that nickname for the first time.

This operation provided critical in-flight refueling services for fighter aircraft assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe for 10 years.

In the late 1970s, Martin traveled to Grand Prairie, Texas, where he purchased hundreds of 8-track tapes pre-recorded with his music to sell later in various places.

[needs context] Martin entered American mainstream pop culture consciousness due to a series of television commercials for record compilations of artists who were obscure in the United States, yet had large international followings, such as Slim Whitman and Gheorghe Zamfir.

[5] Traveling around the world with Martin's band was his steadfast and trusty steel guitar player Chubby Howard, radio show host and musician for many years.

On February 23, 1992, Martin was featured on the second-season premier of Tracks Ahead in which he performed with his band at the Boxcar Willie Theater.