Marilyn Martin

Last updated

Marilyn Martin
Also known as"Minnie"
Born (1954-05-04) May 4, 1954 (age 70)
Tennessee, U.S.
Origin Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1970–present
Labels Atlantic
Website marilyn-martin.com

Marilyn Martin (born May 4, 1954) is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 1985 hit duet with Phil Collins, "Separate Lives", which reached number one on several charts.

Contents

Early life

Marilyn Martin was born on May 4, 1954, in Tennessee but raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She was exposed to different genres of music as a child. Her father was a country and bluegrass fan, her mother liked R&B and her grandmother sang gospel. At age 18 she started singing with different bands, eventually joining one from Akron, Ohio. After five years of club gigs, the band had an opportunity to tour with Joe Walsh, who was headlining with Stevie Nicks. Also on the tour were Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, and Kenny Loggins. After the tour, Martin moved to Los Angeles, California, and began a prolific career as a backing vocalist for artists including Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Tom Petty and Kenny Loggins. [1]

Career

Martin became a protégée of Doug Morris, the then-head of Atlantic, who had heard her backing vocals on Nicks' album, Rock a Little, and was impressed enough to ask for a demo. She recorded the Nicks' song "Sorcerer" (on which Nicks sang backing vocals) for the Jim Steinman soundtrack of the 1984 film Streets of Fire . Morris signed Martin to a two-album recording contract and connected her with Phil Collins for "Separate Lives," part of the soundtrack for the 1985 film White Nights . The song was a number one hit in the U.S. and a Top 5 hit in the United Kingdom. [2]

Martin's self-titled debut album was released in January 1986, reaching number 72 on the Billboard 200, with the single "Night Moves" reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. [3] Two other singles were also released from the album, "Body and the Beat" and "Move Closer," but neither charted. Her second album, This Is Serious , was released in 1988, with its lead single "Possessive Love" written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. The single "Love Takes No Prisoners" was released as well, with the ballad "Quiet Desperation" as the B-side. The same year, Martin recorded the duet "And When She Danced", used in the movie Stealing Home .

Neither the singles nor the album were commercially successful, and Atlantic dropped her. She continued her career as a backing vocalist into the 1990s. [4] In 1993, Martin moved to Nashville where she recorded a country album, Through His Eyes, for Atlantic in 1994. The album was never released, but is available through Martin's official website. it wasn't released for 30 years until it was released in 2024

In 1997, Martin recorded a duet "I Live for Love" with David Hasselhoff, which appears on his album Hooked on a Feeling. [5]

On September 14, 2012, Martin released the album Trust, Love, Pray , a Christian music album featuring songs written by Martin, including "Every Way and Always", which received airplay on Christian, Praise, and Worship stations. [6]

Marilyn reunited with Stevie Nicks in October 2016, singing backup vocals for the 24 Karat Gold Tour and filling in for Lori Nicks. She continued working with Stevie Nicks, touring as a backing vocalist with Fleetwood Mac in 2019. [7]

Personal life

Martin has been married to guitarist, music producer and engineer Greg Droman since 1976. [8] The pair lived in Nashville in the 1990s and 2000s, where Martin was small business owner and a real estate agent. [8] [9] The couple later moved to Los Angeles and as of 2023 live in Healdsburg, California. [8]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Notes

  1. ↑ previously unreleased in 1994.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevie Nicks</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1948)

Stephanie Lynn Nicks is an American singer-songwriter known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pretenders</span> British rock band

The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers. Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martina McBride</span> American country singer

Martina Mariea McBride is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Carnes</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1945)

Kim Carnes is an American singer and songwriter born and raised in Los Angeles. A veteran writer of many of her own hits, as well as those for numerous other artists, she began her career as a songwriter and performer in the early 1970s, playing in local clubs. She also worked for several years as a session background singer with the famed Waters Sisters, Maxine Waters Willard and Julia Waters Tillman, who were later featured in the acclaimed 2013 documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom). In 1971, after she signed her first publishing deal with Jimmy Bowen, Carnes released her debut album Rest on Me. Released in 1975, Carnes' self-titled second album primarily contained self-penned songs, including her first charting single "You're a Part of Me," which reached No. 35 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. In the following year, Carnes released Sailin', produced by the legendary Jerry Wexler, which featured "Love Comes from Unexpected Places." The song won the American Song Festival and the award for Best Composition at the Tokyo Song Festival in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Crawford</span> American jazz and R&B singer (born 1952)

Veronica "Randy" Crawford is a retired American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has appeared on the Hot 100 singles chart twice. The first time was in 1979 as a guest vocalist on the Crusaders' top-40 hit "Street Life". She also dueted with Rick Springfield on the song "Taxi Dancing", which hit number 59 as the B-side of Springfield's hit "Bop Til You Drop". She has had five top-20 hits in the UK, including her 1980 number-two hit, "One Day I'll Fly Away", as well as six UK top-10 albums. Despite her American nationality, she won Best British Female Solo Artist in recognition of her popularity in the UK at the 1982 Brit Awards. In the late 2000s, she received her first two Grammy Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Bailey</span> American musician (born 1951)

Philip James Bailey is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael McDonald (musician)</span> American musician, singer, and keyboardist (born 1952)

Michael H. McDonald is an American singer, keyboardist and songwriter known for his distinctive, soulful voice and as a member of Steely Dan (1973–1974), and the Doobie Brothers. McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with the Doobie Brothers, including "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute", and "Takin' It to the Streets." McDonald has also performed as a prominent backing vocalist on numerous recordings by artists including Steely Dan, Toto, Christopher Cross, and Kenny Loggins.

<i>Bella Donna</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Stevie Nicks

Bella Donna is the debut solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks. Released on July 27, 1981, the album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 in September of that year. Bella Donna was awarded platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 7, 1981, less than three months after its release, and in 1990 was certified quadruple-platinum for four million copies shipped. Bella Donna spent nearly three years on the Billboard 200, from July 1981 to June 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Bishop (singer)</span> American singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor (born 1951)

Earl Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist. His biggest hits include "On and On", "It Might Be You", and "Save It for a Rainy Day". He contributed musically and appeared in many motion pictures including National Lampoon's Animal House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Russell</span> American singer-songwriter

Brenda Russell is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and keyboardist. Russell has a diverse musical range which encompasses R&B, pop, soul, dance, and jazz. She has received five Grammy nominations.

Linda Kaye Scott is an American country music singer. Before beginning a career as a solo artist, she had three minor country singles in the charts as one half of the duo Skip & Linda. In her solo career, Davis has recorded five studio albums for major record labels and more than 15 singles. Her highest chart entry is "Does He Love You", her 1993 duet with Reba McEntire, which reached number one on the Billboard country charts and won both singers the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. Her highest solo chart position is "Some Things Are Meant to Be" at No. 13 in 1996. Davis is married to the country singer Lang Scott; her daughter is Hillary Scott of Lady A.

<i>Rock a Little</i> 1985 studio album by Stevie Nicks

Rock a Little is the third solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks, released on November 18, 1985, by Modern Records.

<i>Enchanted</i> (Stevie Nicks album) 1998 box set by Stevie Nicks

Enchanted is a three-disc box set of material by American singer-songwriter and Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks, which encompasses her solo career from Bella Donna (1981) to Street Angel (1994) and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop Draggin' My Heart Around</span> 1981 single by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" is a song recorded by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and released as the first single from Nicks' debut solo album Bella Donna (1981). The track is the album's only song that was neither written nor co-written by Nicks. Written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell as a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song, Jimmy Iovine, who was also working for Stevie Nicks at the time, arranged for her to sing on it. Petty sings with Nicks in the chorus and bridge, while his entire band provides instrumentation with the exception of Ron Blair, who was replaced by bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn for the recording.

Sandy Stewart is a songwriter, singer and keyboardist from Houston, Texas, USA. She is mostly known for her album Cat Dancer, and her association with Fleetwood Mac vocalist and solo act Stevie Nicks. Stewart's first single, "Saddest Victory" was released in 1984. Its video played on MTV for several weeks, but the song was never a big hit. The single peaked at No. 105 in the Bubbling Under Hot 100. Stewart and Nicks also sang a duet for the song "I Pretend", which featured on Cat Dancer. A 12" single was released to promote Cat Dancer. The single featured a large close-up photo of Stewart on its album cover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Wait (Stevie Nicks song)</span> 1985 single by Stevie Nicks

"I Can't Wait" is a song by American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks from her third solo studio album Rock a Little (1985). Written by Nicks, Rick Nowels, and Eric Pressly, the song was released as the album's lead single in Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and as the second single in the United States and Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Possessive Love</span> 1988 song by Marilyn Martin

"Possessive Love" is a song by American singer Marilyn Martin, released by Atlantic in February 1988 as the lead single from her second studio album, This Is Serious. The song was written by Patrick Leonard, Madonna and Jai Winding, and was produced by Leonard and Michael Verdick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whenever I Call You "Friend"</span> 1978 single by Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks

"Whenever I Call You 'Friend'" is a song written by Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester, which Loggins recorded for his 1978 album Nightwatch. Issued as a single, "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'" reached No. 5 in the autumn of 1978.

<i>Trust, Love, Pray</i> 2012 studio album by Marilyn Martin

Trust, Love, Pray is the fourth studio album from American singer Marilyn Martin, released independently in 2012. The album is a collection of original songs of trials, temptations, love, and faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Night Moves (Marilyn Martin song)</span> 1986 song by Marilyn Martin

"Night Moves" is a song by American singer Marilyn Martin, which was released in 1986 as the lead single from her debut studio album Marilyn Martin. The song was written by Martin, John Parr and Jon Astley and produced by Astley and Phil Chapman. "Night Moves" peaked at No. 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

References

  1. ↑ Who Am I, archived from the original on November 18, 2015, retrieved September 19, 2015
  2. ↑ "Separate Lives by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin". Songfacts.com. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Night Moves by Marilyn Martin". Songfacts.com. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Marilyn Martin Biography". ARTISTdirect Music. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  5. ↑ "I Live for Love by David Hasselhoff and Marilyn Martin". discogs. 1997. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Marilyn Martin | Trust, Love, Pray". CD Baby. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ Introduced by Mick Fleetwood at the Toyota Center in Houston February 5, 2019
  8. 1 2 3 Andy Greene. "Marilyn Martin Scored a Number One Hit. Then Her Life Took Some Very Unexpected Turns." Interview with Marilyn Martin. Rolling Stone. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Marilyn Martin, Nashville Realtor". Nashville City Living. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012.
  10. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Singles - October 15, 1988" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Sweet Memories (1991, CD) by Various Artists". Discogs . September 21, 1991.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.