Keith Martin (musician)

Infobox musical artist

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Img_size = 150
Name = Keith Martin
Birth_name = Keith Eric Martin
Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Born = 1966
Washington, D.C., USA
Origin =
Genre = R'n'B
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist
Instrument = Vocals, Keyboards, Bass guitar, drums, Percussions
Years_active = 1995–present
Label = Sony, Ruffhouse, Orchard, EMI, Galaxy
URL =

Keith Eric Martin (born 1966) is an R'n'B singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, currently living & working in Stockton, CA. Keith is best known for writing and singing romantic love songs [ [http://muhammadreza.multiply.com/journal/item/38] Interwiew with Keith Martin by Muhammad Reza] . He is also an accomplished musician, holding the keyboards, the bass guitar, drums, and percussion.

Career

Early years

Keith Eric Martin was born in 1966 in Washington DC [ [http://www.soul-treasures.com/featurearticles/keithmartin/keithmartin.htm] Interview with Keith Martin] . Growing up, Keith Martin listened to a lot of Glenn Louise, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Stevie Wonder. He was also influenced by jazz and gospel music [ [http://www.aplus.co.id/gallery_keith_martin.html] Celebrity Gallery - Keith Martin] . He started playing piano, drums and singing when he was 10 and started writing music when he was 19.

Keith was a force among local artists in the late 80s, working and performing with such artists as Johnny Gill and Stacy Lattisaw. He was a part of the group Masqerade, which included twins Art & Scott Powell, Sharif Walters and D'Extra Wiley, who later became a member of the 90's new jack R&B group II D Extreme.

Con Funk Shun founder and drummer Louis McCall saw Keith and immediately signed him to his Gaithersburg, MD artist management company owned by he and his wife Linda Lou McCall, a music business consultant and songwriter. Linda Lou was hired by MC Hammer in 1990 to help set up his corporate operations and administration in Oakland, CA. When she became Vice President of Hammer's artist management company, she and Louis arranged for Keith to come to California and got him on as part of MC Hammer's "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" and "Too Legit to Quit" world tours.

When the McCalls relocated to Los Angeles in 1992, Keith followed, enabling him to work with Boyz II Men, Shovani and Buster, Grammy award-winning songwriter and producers Marty Sharon and Danny Sembello, Oji Pierce, Ian Prince, and the The Time's Jesse Johnson. He also honed his already impressive vocal skills under Kenny Lattimore and Johnny Gill, then part of New Edition.

First album

Seeing how prolific Keith is with his songwriting, one of the Boyz Michael McCary finally brought Keith to Sony, where he eventually put out his first album, "It's Long Overdue" in 1995 [ [http://www.titikpilipino.com/news/?aid=427] Titik Pilipino - Keith Martin: "I'm Not Alone"] , which peaked at #82 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=83987&model.vnuAlbumId=285870] Albums chart information on Billboard] . His first single "Never Find Someone Like You" (which was also independently recorded by Backstreet Boys) peaked at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100and at #43 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=83987&model.vnuAlbumId=285870] Singles chart information on Billboard] and was included in the platinum-selling Bad Boys soundtrack [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112442/soundtrack] Bad Boys soundtrack on IMDB] .

For the next decade Keith stayed busy in the music business, producing and writing, and even making time to release several successful solo CDs, gaining him a large fan base throughout the world. His ballad, "Because Of You", is still a major favorite in the US and Asia. [ [http://www.myspace.com/keithericmartin] Keith Martin's MySpace] .

Move to Philippines

In 2004, he came to the attention of EMI, who hired him as in-house producer in Manila, Philippines, producing and writing for artists in the Philippines and Indonesia. He collaborated with Filipino singer Kyla on her "Not Your Ordinary Girl" and "Heartfelt" albums, with Gloc 9 on his "Ako Si…" album, with Agnes Monica on her "Whaddup, A'..?!" album, with Gary V., 604 and others [ [http://www.titikpilipino.com/news/?aid=503] Titik Pilipino - Keith Martin Hits The Mall] .

Back in US

In May 2008, Martin was brought back to the United States by his first manager, Linda Lou McCall, and her business partner, Ruben Harper. He is currently signed to harperMcCALL OmniMEDIA for management. He lives in Stockton, California and is chief producer/songwriter for the harperMcCALL "Rhyme Scene Unit"™ production team.

Discography

Albums

*1995 It's Long Overdue (US album)
*2003 All the Hits (US album)
*2004 Love of My Life (Filipino album)
*2004 Validated (US album)
*2005 I'm Not Alone (Filipino album)
*2007 Let Me Take Control (Filipino album)

ingles

*1995 Never Find Someone Like You
*1995 Moment in Time
*2004 Because Of You
*2004 Love of My Life
*2004 Coming Home
*2004 Whateva U Need
*2005 I Don't Wanna Think About It
*2007 Lady

References