Today we’d like to introduce you to William Martin.
Hi William, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started stand-up comedy nearly 30 years ago after reading *Live Your Dreams* by Les Brown while helping take care of my grandmother during the final days of her life. At the time, I was doing what a lot of people do — working jobs, raising a family, and trying to figure life out — but I knew deep down I wanted to chase something bigger. So I walked into an open mic in Texas and never really looked back.
For years, I toured as “Cowboy Bill Martin,” performing in comedy clubs, theaters, casinos, and on cruise ships across the country. Along the way, I had the opportunity to open for artists like George Strait and Brad Paisley, as well as all four of the Blue Collar Comedy guys — Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, and my still very good friend, Bill Engvall. Those years on the road taught me that audiences connect most with honesty — the real-life stories about marriage, parenting, mistakes, faith, and trying to survive all of it with a sense of humor.
Over time, the act evolved into something more than just punchlines. Today my show, *Red Dirt Comedy Presents: William Lee Martin – Seemed Smart at the Time Tour*, is a fully produced comedy experience built around storytelling, grace, and the idea that most of our worst mistakes “seemed smart at the time.” I’ve released multiple comedy specials, written songs and screenplays, hosted podcasts, and founded Cowboys Who Care, a nonprofit that supported children battling cancer and life-threatening illnesses.
At this stage of my life, I’m just grateful. I know I have more days behind me than in front of me, so every show feels like an opportunity to connect with people, make them laugh, and maybe remind them to give themselves — and others — a little grace along the way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not. It’s been a beautiful road, but definitely not a smooth one.
I grew up in a tough environment. My mom battled addiction to prescription drugs, my dad had multiple heart attacks, and by the time I was about 15, I was pretty much on my own trying to figure life out. I’ve failed at businesses, relationships, and plenty of decisions that — at the time — seemed smart. That’s honestly where a lot of my comedy comes from.
Comedy itself is hard. There’s no clear roadmap. You spend years driving all night for little money, performing for half-empty rooms, missing birthdays, holidays, and family moments while trying to build something people may never fully understand. There were times I questioned whether I should keep going at all.
I also learned the entertainment business can be brutal. Not everyone you trust has your best interests at heart. I’ve had business partnerships go sideways, opportunities fall apart, and moments where I had to rebuild from scratch. But every setback taught me something.
The biggest lesson through all of it has been grace — learning to forgive yourself for your mistakes and realizing your parents, your spouse, your friends… everybody is kind of making it up as they go. That idea eventually became the heart of my current show, *Seemed Smart at the Time*.
Looking back now, I’m grateful for the rough parts too. The struggles gave me perspective, empathy, and stories to tell. And honestly, they made me funnier.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a stand-up comedian, storyteller, writer, actor, songwriter, and producer, but at the core of it all, I tell honest stories about real life. For nearly 30 years, I’ve built a career around finding the humor in marriage, parenting, faith, mistakes, getting older, and all the chaos that comes with being human.
Today I headline theaters across the country with *Red Dirt Comedy Presents: William Lee Martin – Seemed Smart at the Time Tour*. It’s more than a traditional stand-up show. It’s a fully produced comedy experience built around laughter, storytelling, and ultimately grace — the understanding that most of us are just doing the best we can, even when life doesn’t go according to plan.
I think what I’m most known for is being relatable. People leave my shows feeling like they spent the night with someone they know. I don’t do politics, I don’t try to shock people, and I don’t rely on vulgarity. My comedy is real, heartfelt, and funny because it comes from lived experience. I’ve learned over the years that audiences connect more deeply with honesty than perfection.
Outside of comedy, I’m proud of the creative life I’ve built. I’ve released multiple comedy specials, written songs and screenplays, hosted podcasts, and founded Cowboys Who Care, a nonprofit that supported children battling cancer and life-threatening illnesses. I’m also proud that after all these years, I still genuinely love creating and performing.
What sets me apart is probably that my shows don’t just aim for laughs. People laugh hard, but they also leave thinking about their own lives, relationships, and mistakes a little differently. Somewhere along the way, the comedy evolved into something with heart — and I think audiences feel that.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happiest these days is pretty simple — connection. Sitting around a table with family, hearing a crowd laugh together, writing a song or a joke that feels honest, playing golf on a Monday afternoon, or having someone tell me after a show, “I needed that tonight.” Those moments mean more to me now than chasing fame ever did.
I also love creating. Whether it’s stand-up, songwriting, screenwriting, podcasts, or building a tour from the ground up, I enjoy the process of taking an idea and turning it into something real. Creativity has always been how I process life.
And honestly, gratitude makes me happy. I know I have more days behind me than in front of me, so I wake up every day thankful that I still get to chase a dream for a living. There were a lot of moments in my life that could have taken me down a very different road, so I don’t take any of this for granted.
Most of all, I think happiness comes from realizing nobody has life completely figured out. Once I stopped trying to be perfect and started giving myself — and other people — a little more grace, life got a whole lot lighter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://williamleemartin.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/williamleemartin
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/comedianwilliamleemartin
- Twitter: https://x.com/@wlmartincomedy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@williamleemartin
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@williamleemartin
