If there is one area in which the Great American Songbook is sorely lacking, it’s the absence of tender ballads about clowns in love.
Chattanooga’s Marty Bohannon hopes to correct this problem with Fall City, the first single from his upcoming solo album titled A Scar is Born.
“It’s a song about a clown that relocates from Chattanooga to Louisville to try and start his clown life over,” Marty explained during a quick break from his duties at the Cherry Street Tavern. “The clown lost his clown love and so he’s trying to start over with a new clown lady.”
Much like our interview itself, the recording of A Scar is Born had to fit into the busy schedule at the Cherry Street Tavern. Marty’s been running the place since it opened during the pandemic, and has steadily built its reputation for great live shows and affordable foil-wrapped cheeseburgers.
In what little free time he found between work and family, Marty made trips down the studio in Mississippi to chip away at his songs. “There’s some sad bastard stuff in there, but also some uplifting songs,” he laughed.
A Scar is Born will be released by Cornelius Chapel Records and was produced by Bronson Tew. He also also played guitar on the recording. “Bronson worked at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, and he started a studio in Brooklyn Mississippi. He brought a lot of colors to the album through his approach.” Chattanooga musicians Eric Elmore and John Kveen contributed drums and bass.
After so many years of collaborating with his brother Matt on songs for the Bohannons, Marty initially felt a little outside of his comfort zone to be working without him. But his relationship with Tew developed quickly, and the positive energy generated by the project has led them to consider opening a studio together here in Chattanooga.
“Hopefully we can find a space around midtown or MLK,” Marty explained. “The idea is to create a multi-tiered operation and feed the studio through the bands we have at the bar, and offer live recording services in the studio or on the stage.”
Unlike a lot of musicians, Marty’s actually a pretty savvy businessman. He was among the original owners of Exile Off Main Street, and under his leadership the Cherry Street Tavern quickly established itself as the linchpin for our local music scene.
“We’re very lucky to be here in the city at this time working with some of the best up and coming artists in the country,” he says. “It’s really where my heart is. If somebody gave me a stadium to run, it wouldn’t be that much fun. But if you give me 2 thousand square feet it’s a much more tactile experience.”
And because Marty Bohannon is an extremely humble guy, he hastened to add that he wouldn’t be able to do any of it without the help of others on the team like bar manager Lauren Majors, sound wizard Joey Harvey, co-owner George MacEwan, or his brother Matt.
But here’s the other really lovely thing about Marty Bohannon – when heaping praise on gratitude on others, he didn’t stop there. He went on to talk about how much he loved other Chattanooga venues like Sluggos, JJ’s Bohemia, Lo Main, and the Boneyard.
“I learned pretty quick that competition doesn’t work for this crossroads of art and commerce,” he said. “It’s gotta be cooperation. When you come to Cherry Street, it’s a complete date night because you can also go to Unknown Caller or CBC and have a genuine experience.”
The artists who perform at Cherry Street Tavern reap the benefits of Marty’s investment in community. There’s a wide family of local bands who consider Cherry Street Tavern to be their home. And there’s a strong built-in audience of regulars to see the touring acts. When bands leave at the end of the night, they’re usually surprised at how much they’ve earned from the cover charge — and that makes them want to return to Chattanooga.
“We aren’t getting rich, but the quality of life is high and we’re making payroll,” Marty laughed before returning to work at the bar. Whether he’s serving drinks at the Cherry Street Tavern or writing tender ballads about clowns in love, it’s all coming from the same place.
Marty Bohannon will perform this Thursday March 14th at the Woodshop Listening Room in St. Elmo. He will be joined by Rachel McIntyre Smith and Alex the Band. Doors open at 7, music starts at 8, and there is no cover charge.