SUMNER — Martin Gibson (known by many in his younger years as Gregg Niemann) passed away on December 3 at the age of 72, in a tragic fire at his home in Sumner, Maine. 

Gibson was a gifted musician, writer, teacher and deeply private soul whose life was shaped by music, diverse life experiences and a complex past. 

Born on September 24, 1953 and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Martin found his voice early through his grandfather, who gave him his first guitar. What began as curiosity became a career: performing over 1,000 concerts and guitar and songwriting workshops at festivals, colleges, public and private schools, libraries, museums, and special events. He released two full-length albums and also composed a complementary musical, for which he wrote the complete book, music, and lyrics.

Like many artists, his life was complex. He carried depth, contradictions, and challenges that left him navigating the end of his life in solitude. Yet through it all, music remained a steady companion—a way to process the world, to communicate what words could not. In his own words, he was a “prisoner perpetually seeking parole from boredom.” 

No service is planned, but if you would like to remember or honor Martin, his family encourages you to acknowledge his legacy through his music, which can be found on his website: https://martin-gibson.com/