Martin Gerschwitz
A versatile multi-instrumentalist who traded his classical violin training for the rock and roll life, touring the world with major acts.
Born 1952 (age 74)·Musical artist·Birthday: June 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Martin Gerschwitz took a road less traveled by classically trained musicians. After formal violin studies in Germany, he found his true calling not in concert halls but on rock stages. His formidable keyboard and violin skills, combined with a powerful voice, made him a sought-after sideman in the world of classic rock. He is best known for his long tenure as the keyboardist and violinist for the American rock band Iron Butterfly, but his resume reads like a who's who of touring legends. Gerschwitz spent years on the road with Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and later became an integral part of the live bands for both The Animals and Eric Burdon. More than just a backup player, he brings a fiery, virtuosic energy to every performance, seamlessly blending classical technique with the raw power of rock and blues.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Martin was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Martin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Martin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the longtime keyboardist and violinist for the psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly.
- Toured extensively as a key member of Sammy Hagar's live band throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
- Performed and recorded with British Invasion legends The Animals and Eric Burdon.
- Released several solo albums showcasing his skills on violin, keyboards, and as a vocalist.
Did You Know?
He was a child prodigy on the violin, giving his first public performance at the age of seven.
Gerschwitz is also a skilled painter and has exhibited his artwork.
He composed the score for the 1983 German horror film 'The Deathmaker' ('Der Todesking').
Beyond rock, he has performed and recorded in genres ranging from jazz to traditional German folk music.
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