Guitarist Martin Belmont began his professional musical career as the lead guitarist for the pub rock band Ducks Deluxe. The Ducks toured the U.K. constantly during the mid-'70s and released four albums before breaking up in 1975. Belmont moved on to Graham Parker's backing band, the Rumour. For the next five years, he was part of the Rumour, who supported Parker on tour and on his records and also recorded three albums on their own. Following the Rumour's disbanding, Belmont played in supporting roles for various artists, including on records by Carlene Carter, Paul Carrack, and John Hiatt before eventually becoming the guitarist for Nick Lowe's mid-'80s group, the Cowboy Outfit. Once the Cowboy Outfit bit the dust, Belmont continued to support a number of artists, including an appearance on Billy Bragg's 1988 album Worker's Playtime. In the late '80s, he recorded his only solo album, Big Guitar, which was released on the Demon label. During the '90s, Belmont quietly faded from the spotlight, but in the 2000s, he appeared as a sideman on albums by Los Pistoleros and Hank Wangford, and in 2007, he was part of a Ducks Deluxe reunion concert at London's 100 Club. The reunion gig led to new rounds of recording and touring for the group, and Ducks Deluxe released the EP Box of Shorts in 2009 and the album Side Tracks & Smokers in 2010. As Ducks Deluxe returned to action, Belmont released his second solo album, 2009's The Guest List, which featured guest spots from several of his old mates, including Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Paul Carrack, and Carlene Carter. In 2012, Graham Parker & the Rumour reunited for an appearance in Judd Apatow's film This Is 40, with Belmont reclaiming his place on guitar, and the group went into the studio and cut a new album, Three Chords Good, that came out the same year. An international tour followed, and in 2015 Parker & the Rumour were back with a second reunion set, Mystery Glue. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine