From Rock and Roll, to Christ,

the Solid Rock, and on His Role!

Some of you have asked me to give a history and testimony of my life, so I will try to cover some of it! Some of you have asked me to give a history and testimony of my life, so I will try to cover some of it!

 

My name is Martin James Mallette, I was born in Washington D.C. and lived in Northern Virginia my teenage years.

My Dad was from up State NY and he was raised a Catholic. My Mother was raised a Baptist from the Smokey Mountains, Sevier County, TN.

After my father's death I started playing the guitar and singing in different clubs in, and around Washington DC, I was about 18 or 19 at that time.

While I was working the Night Club scene, I noticed that many friends and well known celebrities in the music and entertainment business were dying, even after they became successful, or what is called "made it big"! For example, my best friend was shot to death; others lost their lives in accidents, many were dying from a drug overdose. I knew that if I didn't leave the D.C. area, that I would get caught in this same dead-end street. I decided to visit my aunt, who at that time lived in Ft. Myers Fla. I headed south toward her house but I never made it.

This was about the year of 1968 or 69. When I reached Fort Myers it was at night and I walked into a Rock Night Club. I sang a song with the band that was playing there. They asked me to work with them and hired me to be their lead singer. It was some months after, that I finally contacted my aunt.

We changed different members of the band as we progressed and started playing in clubs and concerts up and down the east and the west coasts of Florida.

I remember one Club owner in Daytona, I think, that was the place, he shouted at me;

"Turn your amps down,”

you are blowing our ear drums out, You all are as loud as that other bunch that used to play here!" I asked that old grouch, if he remembered the name of that other group. He said, "Allman Joys, or something like that, and two of the members of the band he said, were brothers"

Well, this band changed their name to THE ALLMAN BROTHER BAND, and moved out of Florida to Macon Georgia and, “Made it big”. One of their songs, a blues that they had written and recorded was in 11/4 time, called Whipping Post.

Some of the words said

"Good Lord I feel like I'm dying".

Also one of their Blues, that I sang all the time, had these lyrics in it that stuck in my mind and troubled me every time I sang them.

 

 

..........................................................................

The lyrics were: "if you ride you pay the fare, Satan is on your back and he doesn't care where you come from or where you're going".

.......................................................................... In the early 1970 ties, all the bands were watching the Allman Brother Band, because they were the pioneers of the Southern Blues, Rock and Roll. We were just one of the many bands.

Well, in the fall of 1971, I don't remember the exact Club we were playing; I think it was called the Wooden Nickel, in Sarasota, Florida; but that night someone brought me the bad news about Duane's death.

I think it was a young musician who told us that he was the younger brother of Dickey Betts. He sat in with us that night on a couple of songs and played the guitar.

Then we took our break (20 minute pause in the back), when he said: "Duane was speeding and wrecked his bike in Macon Georgia.

He hit a flat bed truck on his motorcycle, then he bounced up in the air and the bike landed on him. He skidded another 90 feet pinned underneath, crushing his internal organs, and he is dead":

The words of that blues they had recorded came to my mind again.

I was very shocked, I couldn't talk for a while, and I grieved for his family, his brother Gregg and the whole band, but the lyrics of that song kept ringing in my mind.

Then about a year later, Barry, their bass player that played and recorded that same song was killed the same way on his Harley, about three blocks from the same place Duane's death took place! I thought, is this success, and is it really worth it? This was in the fall of 1972 I think! Again I was devastated to hear the news of Barry Oakley, and it really bothered me, but when you are in this type of lifestyle, you cannot get out like you think, especially when you want to! It is like the song says: if you ride you pay the fare, it is like riding a Ferris wheel; you just don't jump off when you want to.

And as the old saying goes, "and the show must go on"! So the Allman Brothers band regrouped, and kept playing.

 

...................................................

I heard that all three of the members of this group were in competition against each other this year for the 54th Grammy music award, and one of them won it. ................................................... I was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the winter of 1973, while playing in a club there, one day I took a walk by myself. I was working at this time with a Drummer named Billy Thomas, from Ft. Myers Fla.

We played and were on the road together in Florida, but we both were living in Ft. Myers! (Billy has been playing drums with Vince Gill for many years and he is also a songwriter and well known musician in the Nashville scene). But as I was saying, this day I was walking down the beach by myself. I was behind the Florida Bible College in Hollywood Fla. It was a cold day in January, and while I was walking I noticed some young people who were singing with tears in their eyes. They were singing Psalms 48, from the Bible, “Great is the Lord”. They were giving out the gospel to those who were walking by. As I tried to sneak my way past them, hoping they would not see me, suddenly they called out to me twice and said; “Sir, please come back!” So I walked back. They began to speak to me about Christ. They told me how Jesus Christ really loved me, suffered and bled on the Cross for me. They said there was a woman in the Bible named Mary Magdalene, who was a prostitute and had 7 devils in her. But one day she humbled herself, and by faith came to Jesus who was in Simon's house eating supper with him.

Mary pushed her way passed her friends, pressing her way through the religious priests, who were mocking her in disdain, wanting to throw her out of the house on the street. But in spite of all the oppositions, she made her way to the feet of the Son of God. She bowed down and started washing His feet with her tears and wiping them with the hair of her head. As she started kissing His feet; many in that room murmured and said: “If Jesus was a prophet; he would have known what kind of woman this was, kissing his feet". Maybe they thought her lips were too dirty and sinful to kiss his feet. Little did anyone know at that time, as they furiously watched her, that those same lips would become an instrument of praise to the Lord, and the first lips to carry the Gospel message of His Glorious resurrection!

These young people were saying to me that Jesus Christ was so merciful that he will never, never refused to save a sinner that will come to Him. As I stood there listening to those young Christians, and as they spoke to me of how the Lord Jesus had died to save and set me free from every sin and every evil spirit that was controlling and destroying my life. I thought to myself, you all don’t have any idea of who I am, and how bad I am, or how much sin is in my life. I was a mess in my heart, and life, and I knew it. I quickly tried to defend myself, but it was as if, Christ was looking beyond all my faults and he saw my need. I was so full of pride that I told them that I was a very good and religious person also, and believed in God. (Boy was I lying!) The only time I touched the Bible was when I hid it in the drawer in the Motel rooms that we were staying at. I told them that I had been baptized when I was younger and that my mother was a born again believer, and that she was praying for me always. I was trying to keep the conversation going, by looking for something that we could agree on. Then they said to me: “Sir, that is wonderful, but all of that won’t save, or help you!” They said that being saved is more than just a mental accent, or a belief in God or Jesus. They continued to tell me that The devils also believe in God and tremble, and that they also know who he is and openly confess “we know thee, Jesus of Nazareth, we know who thou art, The Holy One of God”. Then they told me that Jesus said that my only hope was that I must be born again. They asked me to really trust and turn to Jesus, away from my sins and by faith receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. They asked me again: “Will you give Him your life? Jesus Christ is alive, He arose and He is right here, waiting for you, right now, will you give Him your heart, will you believe and receive Him right now?” At this point, I felt disturbed, uncomfortable, and shaken up in my mind and heart, and but I didn’t want to show it!

So, I cleared my throat loudly, and looked down at my watch nervously, and told them that I was sorry but I had to go; I turned and quickly left, thinking I had gotten away from what had just happened. That night at the club I didn’t feel like singing, and every evil and dirty word that I sang, and every fitly jester that I made, made me feel sick and defiled. I tried to escape this feeling of shame and guilt by drinking and doing the other things. I was trying to forget and shake off the words and thoughts of those young people, but I couldn’t. That night I couldn't sleep and the next day I walked back to the same place that had I met them. I wanted to see if I could see those joyful, loving, peaceful young people.

It wasn't only their words that stirred my heart and conscience up; it was the beauty of Christ that I could see in their heart and life, because it showed on their faces. That is what attracted me. I saw Christ in their lives, and that is what I drew me back! Before this unexpected encounter had happened with these young people, we had been approached many times in the past by those kinds of people. But I always laughed and said they were brainwashed, calling them “religious fanatics”.

The devil is such a deceiver; he is a liar and the father of lies. That is why he distorts the truth about the abundant Christian life, and makes the Christian life look weird, boring, and repulsive, keeping his mocking slaves in darkness, chained to their guilt and sins. For many years I learned how to shake these kinds of people off my back, and get out of these awkward kinds of situation. I could fake a smile, and say “God bless you!” Or act happy and religious on the outside and keep right on walking by them and never stop. After all, I was in showbiz and I knew how to put on the theatrical mask, and hide damaged emotions, and a dirty heart, and broken and empty life. Believe me I had a lot of practice! But something was happening this time, and it was different. This was the day of January the 13th, 1973, when I was 23 years of age; I opened my heart to the Lord and got honest with Him. And by faith I received Jesus, I believed in my heart, and with my mouth I said: “Lord Jesus please come into my heart and life and be my Lord and Savior!” Like the song “Amazing Grace” says: "I once was lost but now I’m found, I was blind but now I see", my whole life was transformed! Everything that I had ever dreamed of, I found in a moment, the moment that I believe with my heart and received Jesus Christ as my Lord. Jesus Christ is greater to me than I ever could express. He is more wonderful to me, than my heart can believe, more than my mind can conceive. He goes beyond my highest hope and dearest dream. He is everything my soul ever longed for! And He is everything he promised and so much more! He is more than amazing, more than marvelous, more than miraculous could ever be...............................................

So after living 63 years, I know the truth and can tell you what real success is. “The Lord was with Joseph. And he was a successful man;”Gen. 39:1-2 It is, being Born Again, and the presence of the Lord Jesus,

..............................................

In your life, that is what makes, You a success!

If you could have all the money in the World and live in the biggest mansion, what good is it, if you are unhappy and don’t have the Peace to enjoy it? What good is it? If you had all the fame in the world but lost your family, health or mind, what good would it be? All these things will not make you successful. One night while I was driving through Arkansas, and trying to stay awake, I started listening to the Larry King show on the car radio. Mr. King was interviewing the personal Body Guard of Elvis Presley; this was the man that guarded Elvis at night at the Graceland mansion.

He said that Elvis had a television in every room, and at night Elvis himself would turn them all on,and run through the house in fear, and began screaming and crying out

“the demons are after me, they are after me!”

Is this true success, was the King of Rock and Roll successful?

Or is this

So, what if you won every Grammy that is known to man, and owned Graceland in Memphis, or the Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara or even if you were the president of the USA and lived at the White House!

What good is all of that stuff, if you lose your own soul and die in your sins, without Christ? "Oh happy day, Oh happy day”! I understand now why the Gospel songwriter wrote this song. When I returned from my walk on the beach, back to the Howard Johnson hotel cottage where we were staying, all the members of my rock group were there waiting for me to rehearse a song. I told them that I had just met the Lord Jesus Christ and that He had totally forgiven me, and washed me clean from all my sins by his blood. He had broken the authority, and grip of sin in my life and had set me free from their powers. I didn’t want or need to smoke, snort, shoot or drink anything. I was feeling so good,

better and happier than I had ever felt in my whole life. Some of the members in the band were angry with me, some were sad and confused, and said" how could you do such a thing”? Your brain is burnout from drugs! But all these words didn't hurt me, what really hurt me, and still astonishes me is the deception and blindness of the human heart that rejects Jesus Christ as their Lord.

I still traveled on the road with the band, and was trying to sing, but I couldn’t perform. I remember that I couldn't sing the blues anymore, because I didn't have any blues. I was telling people over the microphone about Jesus Christ. As I witnessed of Christ Jesus to the people in the clubs, the Owners and the bartenders looked like they were pulling their hair out, crying out to me saying “what is a matter with this religious clown”! Many got very angry. I was so naive in thinking that everybody would want to know the Lord and the joy of being saved. But I soon learned they didn’t. Some folks threaten me, others mocked. My last night in a club was when a waitress stopped as she was passing by me with a tray of drinks in her hand. She stopped, looked up at me with a puzzling frown, and said: “If you are a Christian, what are you doing in a place like this?” It was like someone flipping a light on in my mind. I said to myself, what am I doing in here? I walked out of that club that night; I think the club was called Dino’s, and it was in Tampa Fla. I went back to our band’s motel room on a break and left a note saying “Goodbye”! I got in my car and started driving north and I never looked back.

 

When I left the group I went to Greenville, South Carolina, to go to Bible school. I also received a job at the Gospel Hour, working for Dr. Oliver B. Greene, who was the greatest preacher I had ever heard. What a blessing to have him as my employer, my neighbor because I lived on the “Preacher’s”, property, this is what we all called him. He was my friend! I learned how to print while I was working there in the day time and at night I went to Bible School learning to study the Bible from Harold Sightler. I worked at the Gospel Hour, for the next 3 years until Brother Greene went home to be with the Lord. After this I moved from South Carolina to South Texas with the Church, and we started doing missionary work in Mexico.

When I was 17 years old, living in Virginia, the Lord blessed me with a wonderful son, Anthony Martin Mallette. But at this age I was so wild and irresponsible; I didn’t know how to be a father. The Lord provided a great woman of strength and character to raise him; it was his dear Grand Mother, and she raised him to be a fine young man. So after I got saved and got my life together, Anthony, came to live and work with me at the age of 16. What a blessing from the Lord and what an answer to the Lord’s faithful promise. The Lord had promised me, that one day that He would give my son Anthony, back to me. Anthony helped me do the missionary work in the Sierra Mountain Mexico, among the Totonaco Indians. When we came back to the USA, to be with the Church in Texas, after a few years, Anthony married Kimberly, the sweetest and prettiest girl in the church. I watched her grow up from a baby, what a blessing she is. They still live in Texas and are with the same Church that I was with for over 25 years. They have 4 children, and 6 grandchildren.

In January 1991

while I was in the Church there in Texas, I was called by the Lord Jesus Christ, and sent by the Church to Romania, Eastern Europe! This was one year after the Romanian revolution took place and Ceausescu the dictator and his communist party was overthrown. When I left South Texas it was 87°. When I got to Romania, it was 18 below zero and I almost died from the bitter winter the first few months.

The condition of the country was like going back into the 1920 era or like the Great Depression.

We had to stand in line to get milk, bread, and wait sometimes all night in line to get gasoline for the car. When I came to Romania I sold my part of the farm that I own with Anthony in Texas, and brought my money with me to live on and to invest here in the work of the Lord in Romania. I was told by a very wise brother in South Texas that the greatest investment that I could ever make would be in a soul of a man. So, that is what I did. I started winning people to Christ and planting New Testament Churches.

 

In 1994 my sister called from the USA, and told me that if I wanted to see mama and daddy again, I needed to come back to TN. Because they were very sick and getting weaker. The family doctor had only given them about a month to live. This is what my sister was telling me over the phone and that she also had already picked out their caskets and made all the arrangements with the funeral home. After my real father had died, my mother married a widower named Wally Wood; he was older than my mama, but he loved her and was very good to her. He was like a real dad to me. When I got back to the USA, both of my parents started getting better and lived another couple of years. But one day while my Dad was still living, he told me to sit down because he wanted to talk to me. He said; “Son I am now 91 years old, and I do know a few things, he said, Martin, God made Adam and Eve. Do you understand me? You need to get a wife. You need to marry Daniela in Romania when you go back". I asked him why he said, Daniela. He said: “Because you are always talking about her!” Daniela was a very special sister in the Church. She was single and had never been married; she was editor of the Brethren’s Christian magazine and the English teacher in the Bible School. She also helped me translate and write many Christian articles for her uncle’s weekly newspaper. The same afternoon that my Dad had spoken to me, my sister in TN. called me to her house to talk to me also. She asked me: “Who do you think you are, the Apostle Paul?” I said no! She said: “You need a wife and you should marry Daniela!” I laughed and said I would pray about it.

 

So when I got back to Romania, I spoke to the Leaders of the Church in private. I asked them for counsel about marrying Sister Daniela. They all said it was the will of God. I also knew it was the Lord’s will, so I proposed to Daniela and we were married in 1996. Two years later the Lord gave us a tremendous gift, a son. We named him Elijah. He is now 14 years old and is taller than his mom and I.We live and have a Ministry called Amazing Grace Romania in Bucharest, Romania. Every year I come to the USA to preach and share the work of the Lord in different churches there.