Sexton glad his career has grown slowly without frequent highs, lows

Singer/songwriter Martin Sexton says he is happy with the direction his career has taken.

"It's been a long, growing process," Sexton said by phone while waiting for a flight in St. Louis, Mo. "I mean it's been a gradual process — kind of like watching the grass grow. But at the same time there have been no dips, no flashes in the pan. And I'm still doing what I love doing.

"I mean there are other musicians that I know who've had hit songs a few years ago and now they're painting houses," Sexton said with a laugh. "I don't want to paint houses. I hate painting houses. I am fortunate that I'm doing something that I love. It's like playing Frisbee golf and getting paid for it."

Martin Sexton will perform on Wednesday with actress/singer Minnie Driver at the Depot, the newest addition to Salt Lake City nightlife.

The Depot is located in the historic Union Pacific Railroad depot at the Gateway. The lower floor of the 37,000-square-foot Depot features a 220-seat fine-dining Butterfly restaurant (originally on San Francisco's prestigious Embarcadero). The second and third floors will feature the performance stage, tiered seating and VIP boxes.

Soul pioneer Isaac Hayes was scheduled to perform on Sunday, but had to cancel due to a health problem. Refunds for those tickets can be obtained at points of purchase.

For Sexton, playing in a new place is always nice. "I like coming to Salt Lake. You've got some music lovers there. And to hear about the new venue is that much more interesting."

Sexton did have some high expectations for himself when he first began playing music. "I wanted to be a rock star. I wanted to sell millions of albums, play arenas, have 20 supermodel girlfriends and own a Cadillac. But then I grew up.

"I began playing music in subways. When you're doing that, you can't afford all the things supermodels want. And you sure as hell can't afford a Cadillac. But I loved playing in the subway. I loved playing music."

For more than a decade, Sexton has been honing his craft. And with six albums under his belt, including a holiday disc released last year, he has been building his audience. "It feels good knowing that some people who hadn't heard about me five years ago are starting to take notice. It feels natural."