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GRRM Clears the Air: "I'm Not a Lord, Just a Guy from New Jersey"
11 Oct
Summary
- GRRM mistaken for late Beatles producer Sir George Martin
- GRRM had to clarify he's "not actually a lord" in 2016
- GRRM says he's "the farthest thing from a lord" as he's from Bayonne, NJ

Nine years ago, in 2016, acclaimed author George R.R. Martin found himself in an unusual situation – people thought he had died. This was due to the passing of Sir George Martin, the renowned English record producer sometimes referred to as the "fifth Beatle."
At a recent New York Comic Con panel, GRRM reflected on this "disconcerting" case of mistaken identity. "I don't wanna shock anyone, but I'm not actually a lord. I'm not even a knight," he said with a laugh, referring to the confusion surrounding Sir George Martin's death. GRRM, the author of the beloved "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy book series, had to release a "Not Dead Yet" blog post to clarify that he was very much alive and well.
Now, in 2025, GRRM elaborates further on the differences between himself and the late Sir George Martin. "I'll never be a knight because I'm not British, but what I am is from Bayonne, N.J., which is right across the water," he told the audience. "I lived in the projects and I went to public school, so I'm the farthest thing from the lord that you could do."