Martin Curtis

Martin Curtis is a leading New Zealand folksinger and songwriter.

Originally from England, Martin and his wife emigrated to Australia in 1969, and after a few months in Perth they then lived in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) for several years. They decided to move to New Zealand in 1975 and ended up living in the Cardrona Valley in Central Otago. They loved the place, and stayed. After 46 years in Cardrona, in 2022 they sold up and moved to Earnscleugh, just outside of Alexandra.

Martin ran the renowned Cardrona Folk Festival from 1977 to 2022, and in 2024 hosted the inaugural Earnscleugh Folk Festival. He is also responsible for organising many tours of New Zealand by top folk musicians, mainly from Britain, but including Eric Bogle from Australia and Jeremy Taylor from South Africa.

He has produced a number of albums. His 1982 debut album, Gin and Raspberry, is recognised by the New Zealand Recording Industry Association as the best-selling New Zealand folk music album. His 2008 album Sea to Summit was one of three contenders for the 2009 Tui Award for the best New Zealand folk music album of the year.

1982: Gin and Raspberry

1985: Back from the Hills

1990: The Daisy Patch

1994: Save the Wilderness

1996: Off to the Dry Cardrona

1998: Below the High Country

2000: Let's Sing a Kiwi Song (children's album)

2002: Beyond a Climber's Moon

2004: Otago, My Home (DVD)

2008: Sea to Summit

2013: Live at Greendale

2017: Where the Peaks Meet the Skies

2018: High in the Himalaya

2018: The Sound of the Warning

• List of folk musicians

Martin Curtis Home Page: http://www.martincurtis.co.nz/

Earnscleugh Folk Festival: https://www.martincurtis.co.nz/earnscleugh-folk-festival

Cardrona Folk Festival Commemorative Album: https://www.martincurtis.co.nz/cardrona-folk-festival-commemorative-album

Folk musician's chance for glory, p. 48, Otago Daily Times, 24 Jan 2009