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Veteran comedian William Lee Martin, formerly known as 鈥淐owboy Bill,鈥� is performing at Hyena鈥檚 Comedy Club in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, as part of his 鈥淪eemed Smart at the Time鈥� national tour. 

His sa国际传媒官网网页入口 appearances come on the eve of his 30th year in the comedy business.

鈥淚鈥檓 a fifth-generation Texan, and I started out my career at Hyena鈥檚 in Arlington (Texas) on May 17, 1996,鈥� Martin said. 鈥溾�� So, my weekend in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 鈥� coincides with the anniversary of my very first time onstage. I鈥檓 there the 15th and 16th. And the 17th will be my 30th year (in stand-up).鈥�

Performing at the same comedy club chain that launched his career is a full-circle moment.

鈥淰ery 鈥楲ion King鈥�-ish,鈥� he quipped.

Martin described his comedy style as autobiographical storytelling.

鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely a storyteller. I鈥檓 not a setup-punch guy,鈥� he said.

Martin often folds tales of tragedy into his comedy 鈥� an approach popularized by Dave Chappelle, Hannah Gadsby and others.

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing that style of comedy way before Chappelle made it cool,鈥� Martin said.

His current set ends with a piece about writing an obituary for his father, who died four years ago.

鈥淭he last 10 minutes of my show is not the funniest, but it鈥檚 the stuff that鈥檚 the most impactful,鈥� Martin said.

He said writing his father鈥檚 obituary made him realize he didn鈥檛 know his father nearly as well as he would have liked.

鈥淚 knew all the stats. I knew when he was born, when he died, how many kids he had, when he married my mom 鈥� the whole thing 鈥� but I actually didn鈥檛 know if he died happy, fulfilled and loved,鈥� Martin said. 鈥�... I don鈥檛 want to give away the whole show, but I teach people in the last 10 minutes how to write your obituary, which can lead you to figuring out those three questions: 鈥楢m I happy?鈥� 鈥楢m I fulfilled?鈥� 鈥楢m I loved?鈥欌��

Martin鈥檚 storytelling is rooted in his life experiences, including growing up around real Texas cowboys and ranchers.

鈥淚 was raised around horses, and my Uncle Leon taught me how to ride and rope,鈥� Martin said.

His family also taught him to value 鈥渉onest hard work,鈥� which has paid off in his career, he said.

鈥淚n this business, you better have some discipline, or you won鈥檛 make it,鈥� Martin said. 鈥�... I tell young comics all the time 鈥� I鈥檒l hold up my thumb and finger and make a little U shape, and I鈥檒l say, 鈥業f you just work that hard, you鈥檝e already beat everybody from my thumb down to the ground鈥� 鈥� because people won鈥檛 even put in that much work.鈥�

Martin calls himself a 鈥渃lean-ish鈥� comedian, although his shows are 21 and up.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 get vulgar, and I don鈥檛 drop the F-bomb,鈥� Martin said. 鈥�... But there鈥檚 a reason why I鈥檓 not on the church circuit. I鈥檓 a Christian, but my life has had a lot of bad decisions in it. That鈥檚 why the tour is called 鈥楽eemed Smart at the Time.鈥� The bad decisions usually make the best stories.鈥�

While Martin鈥檚 set explores some dark themes, he said it鈥檚 still a comedy show at the end of the day.

鈥淚t鈥檚 funny. And I really want the audience to leave feeling lighter, especially with everything going on these days,鈥� Martin said.

Logan Royce Beitmen is an arts writer for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口. He covers visual art, music, fashion, theater and more. Reach him at lbeitmen@abqjournal.com or on Instagram at .