Billie Ray Martin

Infobox musical artist
Name = Billie Ray Martin

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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Birgit Dieckmann
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1970|9|14
Died =
Origin = Hamburg, Germany
Instrument = Vocalist
Genre = Soul music, Ambient, Electro, House, Vocal Trance
Occupation =
Years_active = 1990-present
Label = Mercury/PolyGram Records
Sire/WEA Records
Associated_acts = Electribe 101
S'Express
URL = http://www.billieraymartin.com/
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Billie Ray Martin (born Birgit Dieckmann, 14 September 1970, Hamburg, Germany) is a female singer noted for her elegant, soulful voice as much as her avant-garde persona.fact|date=August 2008

Career

She has had numerous worldwide dance and pop hits in various collaborations and as a solo artist. Initially a guest singer for S'Express (she appears in the video for the song "Hey Music Lover"), she went on to much greater success and prominence with the electronic/pop/house-music group Electribe 101. Although their only album "Electribal Memories" was critically acclaimed, Electribe 101 disbanded before they released the second album. The group's enigmatic reputation rests mostly on its signature tune and hit "Talking With Myself". Other hits from the album included "Tell Me When the Fever Ended," "You're Walking," and "Inside Out." Many songs recorded for a planned second album made it onto Martin's solo album — these include “Hands Up & Amen” and “Running Around Town,” amongst others.

The singer went on to forge her own solo career. Her first single for WEA was the worldwide hit "Your Loving Arms". Originally the song only managed to peak at #38 in November 1994, however on re-release the song peaked at #6 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1995, the song struck the Billboard Hot 100 twice, peaking at #87 in 1995 and at #46 a year later. The song was also a success across Europe, reaching #1, and remained on European charts for many weeks. It also topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Follow-up singles included "Running Around Town", "Deadline for My Memories," "Imitation of Life", "Space Oasis" and "You & I (Keep Holding On)". All six songs are featured on her album "Deadline for My Memories". The album was followed by the single, "Honey". Originally released in the UK in 1999, it debuted stateside courtesy of Nervous Records four years later. "Honey" peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play despite sporatic radio airplay. Her UK deal with React Records, the record label that originally released "Honey", included plans for a follow-up "Don't Believe A Word", but this fell through. More encouraging chart success was to be found in Italy with her collaborations with Italian dance producers, Datura: "Mystic Motion"; "The Passion"; and "Devotion."

Since then Martin has worked with Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas and members of Aretha Franklin's band on her album "18 Carat Garbage", performed her "Repulsion" show (a live score to the Roman Polanski movie) at both the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road and at London's Institute of Contemporary Art, and she continues to release electronic music, such as her releases "No Brakes on My Rollerskates" and "Dead Again". In 2005/06 she released collaborations with DJ Hell and Slam.

Another single, "Undisco Me", was released on Rebirth Records in April 2007, and reached #6 in the UK Dance Chart. She also began a second career as a disc jockey. Her current nightclub "Komputerliebe" in Frankfurt (and soon to be launched in Berlin, where she now lives) is flourishing.

In 2008 Martin formed a new project. Under the banner of The Opiates, she (and Robert Solheim on production) have finished their album "Hollywood Under The Knife". The Opiates made their live debut at Rough Trade, Brick Lane, London in March, to coincide with their first release "Anatomy Of A Plastic Girl" EP out on Kudos UK.

Albums

* Electribe 101 - "Electribal Memories" (1990)

* "Persuasion Ep" (with Spooky - 1993, reissued 2003)
* "Four Ambient Tales" EP (1993, re-released 2000)
* "Deadline for My Memories" (1996) - #47 UK
* "18 Carat Garbage" (2001)
* "18 Carat Garbage Demos" (2002)
* "Brm New Demos" (2003)
* "Recycled Garbage" (2006)

ingles

* "Persuasion" (Billie Ray Martin featuring Spooky) (1993)
* "Your Loving Arms" (1995) - #6 UK #46 US
* "Running Around Town" (1996) - #29 UK
* "Imitation Of Life" (1996) - #29 UK
* "Space Oasis" (1996) - #66 UK
* "You And I Keep Holding On" (1997)
* "Pacemaker" (1998)
* "Honey" (1999) - #54 UK
* "I'm Not Keen" (Mikael Delta featuring Billie Ray Martin) (2002)
* "Systems Of Silence" (2001)
* "Where Fools Rush In" (2001)
* "18 Carat Garbage" (2002)
* "Honey '03" (2003)
* "Disco Activisto - The First Two Singles" (2004)
* "No Brakes On My Rollerskates" (Hot Skates 3000 featuring Billie Ray Martin) (2005)
* "Undisco Me" (2007) #20 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play

Remixes

"Imitation Of Life" was remixed by Grammy Award winning remixer David Morales. Brian Transeau (aka BT) produced remixes for the singles "Space Oasis" and "Running Around Town". Almost all of Billie Ray Martin's singles have been remixed by Junior Vasquez, including "Your Loving Arms", "Running Around Town", "Space Oasis", "Systems Of Silence", and "18 Carat Garbage". "Your Loving Arms" and "Imitation Of Life" were remixed by Brothers In Rhythm. Roger Sanchez and Todd Terry both remixed "Your Loving Arms" edits - it was hoped the latter would replicate the stateside success enjoyed by Everything But The Girl's #2 hit "Missing." "Honey" was remixed by Above & Beyond, Chicane, and Deep Dish. "Pacemaker" was remixed by E-Smoove.

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

* [http://www.billieraymartin.com Official website]
* [http://www.billieraymartin.com/discoactivisto Disco Activisto]