The kids, then ages 15, 16, and 17 were singing a capella in an empty civic center after being rejected by a local record company who told them to go back home and forget about trying to make it in "the business.
Originally from Hamburg, Arkansas, near the Louisiana border in Ashley County,[3] the vocalists grew up firmly and proudly planted in the Southern gospel tradition, so it is not surprising that, as they have matured, a broad range of influences have entered their musical mix.
Billboard magazine describes The Martins as "breaking down walls and blurring the lines that separate Southern gospel from inspirational, adult contemporary, and other popular Christian music formats.
"[citation needed] Rather than resting in a single niche among the numerous Christian music genres, the Martins have rummaged freely through a stack of style books, grabbing whatever interests them.
While their eclectic style draws from a variety of musical genres, the Martins are often framed and presented as a cultural phenomenon rooted in the rural Southern United States, specifically in Arkansas.