Martin’s got pluck

The funnyman with powder-white hair has worn a lot of hats over the years - stand-up comedian, actor, novelist, screenwriter, playwright, juggler - but his latest might as well be a straw one.

An earnest banjo player since he was 17, Martin finally this year released his debut music album, “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.’’ More astonishing, he has embarked at 64 on an adventure he never expected: His first tour, including a stop at the Citi Wang Theatre on Wednesday, backed by the respected bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Neither feat is much of a surprise for Martin’s longtime fans. His early comedy routines often featured his banjo picking, which might explain why so many people wonder whether he’s serious about his latest direction. He is.

A cursory listen to “The Crow’’ - which features such heavy hitters as Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, and Tony Trischka - allays any skepticism. A collection of originals written by Martin (some of them as early as the late ’60s), the album is a fine contemporary, mostly instrumental, banjo record that showcases Martin’s strident playing, but also his writing chops on stealth party tunes (“Pitkin County Turnaround’’) and heartfelt ballads (“Pretty Flowers’’).

When we caught up with Martin last week on the eve of his first tour date at Nashville’s fabled Ryman Auditorium, he sounded ready, as if his 17-year-old self was finally stepping out.

Q. So how does a nice guy who grew up in California get interested in the banjo?

A. Well, it was in the early ’60s, and I was in Orange County. There was a big folk-music revival. Before that, all these clubs were beatnik clubs, and then that died out and there were all these clubs sitting there. They started to be filled with folk music, and that’s where I started hearing banjo, people like Earl Scruggs.

Q. What did you like about the sound of the banjo?

A. I loved its range, from fast and exciting to very melancholy. I just think it’s a beautiful instrument, and there are so many good players, which is daunting but also fantastic.

Q. Did it come naturally to you?

A. No, not really. I was not musical at all. I still don’t understand chords and all that.

Q. That’s surprising to hear because of how advanced your compositional skills sound on this new album. How did you hone those if you don’t consider yourself a musical person?

A. It’s just sitting around doodling. I think it especially helps to not know [composition] sometimes. And I think that’s why my songs come out a little different somehow. I guess it’s just making the sounds I like to hear.

Q. Anyone who has followed your career knows the banjo has been part of your comedy act, and you’ve made occasional appearances with other banjo players. When did you want to be taken seriously in your own right?

A. Not until now, really. I recorded “The Crow’’ on a Tony Trischka album, and it sort of became this minor hit. I thought, well, I’ve got all these other songs. Maybe I should do them. So I just put together the session real fast, and it turned into a huge commitment with promotion and touring. I never thought I’d be touring.

Q. Did you have any trepidation making the leap from a casual player at home to a featured performer?

A. Quite a bit. I had played on stage enough in my life - in my comedy act, and I perform with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band every once in a while - but this is completely new to me. That’s why I like to play my own songs, because I’m really comfortable with them.

Q. But why are we just now hearing a full banjo album from you?

A. I think I just get interested in something. I really didn’t think I’d be touring, but it just sort of came up. I did a few dates just to see if the audience liked it. My agent suggested a tour, and I thought, I don’t even know if I can play for 45 minutes on stage. I don’t know if my fingers will give out. So we really started small, playing 100-seaters to see if we had anything.

Q. When I mentioned that you’re touring behind a new banjo album, a lot of my friends wanted to know if it was “funny banjo’’ or “serious banjo.’’ Do you get a lot of that?

A. Yeah, a lot of people think that the banjo is a comedy instrument. That has a tradition going back to the minstrel shows. In the ’20s and ’30s, [banjo legend] Uncle Dave Macon did comedy. There’s a story that when Uncle Dave Macon first heard Earl Scruggs in the ’40s, he said, “Well, he’s a good player, but he ain’t a damn bit funny.’’

James Reed can be reached at jreed@globe.com.