Martha Alguera: The Making of a Music Maven By Kimmie Tubre New Orleans, with its long and vast musical history, has given birth to some of the greatest and most influential musicians of all time. Their names are legendary and the list is still growing. But, not everyone associated with the New Orleans music scene is a musician. Much of the city’s world-renowned musical reputation can also be attributed to the people in the music industry: those who work alongside the musicians, skillfully guiding them into the forefront. They include record company executives and producers, lyricists, talent managers, special event organizers, venue owners, music writers and many other behind-thescenes enthusiasts who love music so much that they find a niche that allows them to be involved with it. One such person is Martha Alguera who has spent over a decade in the industry. In addition to hosting a popular radio show, Martha has also found her niche writing about music and some of the city’s top-name musicians. She organizes second-lines and other music-driven special events and has become an activist for many other worthy causes in the community. Today, as Martha bumps Prince on her car radio . . . and everything else from Latin-rooted bachata to PartyNextDoor on Spotify . . . her love for music has become the foundation for some of her favorite endeavors. “I’m a music fanatic,” Martha proudly proclaims. “I have many interests that connect music and community. Music is such a powerful medium to bring people together and affect change.” Martha was born in Granada, Nicaragua but she came to New Orleans at just three weeks old. “My parents already lived in New Orleans but my mom wanted to have me in Nicaragua,” she explained. While Martha didn’t grow up in a musical family, she seemed to have an ironic connection to her late grandfather Alonso Fajardo: a man she never met. He had a traveling orchestra in Central America. “He passed away before I was born,” Martha said. “He played cello, violin, bass and piano.” Growing up in Mid-City, Martha recalls music always being a part of her daily life. “Music was always around,” she said. “My mom would play records on Sundays, which was our cleaning day.” Being a part of a culture surrounded by music, Martha found her place in it at an early age. “As a child I sang in the school choirs and in church. I started to learn drums but, really, my voice is my only instrument.” After high school, Martha enrolled at Loyola University. During that time she attended both Loyola and Tulane universities with hopes of pursuing a career in public relations. However, a life-changing event caused Martha to withdraw from both universities. “I had to leave from college to work full time and support my daughter,” she recounted. Now with two daughters, 18-year-old Alexis Ariel and 5-year-old Lola Elenora, Martha has no regrets. “They are my biggest motivation,” she said. “They have impacted my life in a great way. They inspire me to be a better woman and are great little human beings. They are so creative and fearless.” With her daughters by her side, Martha hasn’t let the lack of a Bachelor’s Degree detour her from her dreams and goals. In 2004, she began building the foundation for her first music business company, Music S y n e r g y , which was licensed l a s t year. 12 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 7
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