Ike grew up a Southern boy from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Classically trained on viola, he naturally embraced mandolin as well as guitar, bass, banjo, brass and keys. His musical influences include Classical, Americana, Rock and Bluegrass. Martin is a transplanted Englishman who grew up in London around folk musicians. He studied piano at an early age, then guitar, learning every single Beatles song he could: then the Who, then Pink Floyd…When you add all of this up, you get a repertoire of over 1000 songs, any of which Ike & Martin can recall instantly.