Dolly Parton’s Teeny Martin

After a brief stint in New York City, he settled in Nazareth, Pennsylvania—a town that reminded him of Markneukirchen—where he pioneered the X-bracing design that transformed guitars from quiet parlor instruments into center-stage showstoppers.

More than a century later, Dolly Parton’s uncle, Bill Owens, spotted major talent brewing in his pint-sized niece. Though banged-up instruments were always lying around the Parton household, Uncle Owens gifted Dolly her first real guitar: a petite Martin Model 5-18. She called it her “baby Martin” and strummed her dreams to life on an instrument built in that same Pennsylvania workshop C.F. had founded generations earlier.

Growing up over 4,400 miles and more than a century apart, C.F. and Dolly shared a similar tune—both determined to make music for the world. That baby Martin helped launch a career that would span over 60 years, 110 million records sold, and a legacy far beyond music. Today, the Martin Guitar Company has endured six generations and over 190 years, with each guitar requiring more than 300 intricate steps and a three-month process before it leaves the facility—each one carrying the potential for the next dreamer.