When a band’s first album drops, it’s exciting. When it shoots up to a top three position on the charts – any chart for that matter – something is happening.
That’s exactly what is happening to Ramona & The Holy Smokes whose eponymous debut album landed at No. 3 on the Alt Country Specialty Chart in early October. It has bounced around the top 10 since and debuted at No. 50 on the Americana Music Association charts on October 29.
Founder and front woman Ramona Martinez joined Frank and Falls on Roots Music Rambler the day after the Alt-Country chart spike to talk about the new album, her decidedly old-school country sound, her journey to being an artist and much more. Martinez’s parents were military and diplomacy professionals, so she lived in several different countries growing up. She landed in Charlottesville, Va., where her music career took hold, after several years working in public radio.
The new album is full of Texas-sounding honky tonk drinkin’ and thinkin’ songs. The band’s sound includes multicultural and bilingual numbers as well, underlining Martinez’s South Texas family roots.
Frank and Falls also have their Pickin’ the Grinnin’ selections for new music recommendations and Falls actually joins the show from the radio studio in Pikeville, Ky., where he first broadcast at 14-years-old in 1987.
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Notes and links:
Ramona & The Holy Smokes Online – https://www.ramonaandtheholysmokes.com/
Ramona & The Holy Smokes on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Wa7pgPLsV7kuuO9UIf6ce?si=n3twCaGwQmOyLi0xGimkyA
Ramona & The Holy Smokes on Instagram – http://instagram.com/ramonaandtheholysmokes
Americana Music Association’s weekly album and singles charts – https://americanamusic.org/americana-radio/
Alt-Country Specialty weekly album charts – https://altcountrychart.com/
Appalachian Echoes Online – https://appalachianechoes.com
WXCC-FM Online – https://www.wxccfm.com
The Roots Music Rambler Store – https://rootsmusicrambler.com/store
Roots Music Rambler on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rootsmusicrambler/
Roots Music Rambler on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@rootsmusicrambleon
Roots Music Rambler on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RootsMusicRambler
Jason Falls on Instagram – https://instagram.com/jasonfalls
Jason Falls on TikTok – https://tiktok.com/@thejasonfalls
Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/workmomtravels/
Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations
Trey Headrick on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Nhc6hSYDtqX3hQjYZjJCX?si=lv_B7QDBQhKjTGHbII1qkQ
“Unknown Legend” by Neil Young on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/track/5IFFNFylEfKq5FvOuZUTBa?si=1cdf9468c53845b9
“Unknown Legend” by Lukas Nelson, Sierra Ferrell & The Travelin’ McCourys – https://open.spotify.com/track/3iE5gZUcK2TQ7GpXoPskpl?si=11d0679939e54786
Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.
Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum; Copyright 2025 – Falls+Partners. All music on the program is licensed by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Roots Music Rambler is a member of the Americana Music Association.
