Bobby Martin is The Granddaddy of Rhythm and Blues! He was one of the first African American executives to produce, arrange, compose and publish songs in the music industry! Martin took over the music scene in Philadelphia in the late 1950's with a new urban sounding music which was different from Soul and Rock and Roll.

Robert L. Martin (Bobby Martin) was born on May 4, 1930 in Ohio. He was mentored and taught by Jazz legends Frank Foster and Lionel Hampton, and Martin began playing the vibraphones professionally throughout the late 1940's with The Lynn Hope Orchestra, a Rhythm and Blues group.

By the year 1950 Bobby Martin had made a name for himself in music as a famous vibist (vibraphone player) and as an arranger for The Lynn Hope Orchestra. Bobby Martin signed a recording deal with The Lynn Hope Orchestra in Philadelphia, and the group moved to Philadelphia before Motown existed in the mid 1950's.

Motown was founded in 1959, and Soul music was acknowledged a few years later. Rhythm and Blues music came after Soul and Rock and Roll music, and Rhythm and Blues was acknowledged in the late 1960's. However, Bobby Martin had been recording Rhythm and Blues music professionally with The Lynn Hope Orchestra long before Motown and Motown Soul music existed.

Martin was often ridiculed, persecuted, and disliked for his strange new sounding music that was so different from Jazz and from Rock and Roll. In 1956 Bobby Martin made and attempt to produce Rhythm and Blues groups in Philadelphia, but lacked the funding to promote and record artists, but in 1958 he was given the opportunity to produce, arrange and compose Rhythm and Blues music.

And so he did just that, under different name titles since he was known as Robert L. Martin, Robert L., R. L. Martin, B. Martin, Robert Martin, Bobby Martin and Robert M. at the time. And so he built up a great success with his artists until he discovered Patti LaBelle in 1959.

After producing, arranging, composing and publishing the Rhythm and Blues legend's (Patti LaBelle's) first album, Bobby Martin's career took off. Everything Bobby Martin touched turned to gold, as far as music was concerned. Yet Rhythm and Blues was not acknowledged as music yet, Bobby Martin's music was Rhythm and Blues music without a title, and Motown's Soul music was just starting to get popular.

After Motown and Soul music made big names for themselves in the early 1960's, Rhythm and Blues came about, around the year 1970. This was when Bobby Martin, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell teamed up to form Philadelphia International Records. Bobby Martin produced or arranged all of Philadelphia International Records biggest hit songs.

Not only was Bobby Martin playing, producing, composing and publishing Rhythm and Blues before any one else, he was good at what he was doing! This is what made Bobby Martin the king of R&B. Bobby Martin produced and arranged platinum hits on all of the top Rhythm and Blues artists, including Michael Jackson and The Jackson's.

Bobby Martin eventually changed American music with his signature sound, and producers and arrangers began copying Bobby Martin's sound. He eventually took his Rhythm and Blues to Hollywood and to the major league record labels. He then formed his famous production company named Bobby Martin Productions.

The multi Grammy winner and ex bandleader of the legendary MFSB had become much more than only a legend in the music world that changed music, he had become a celebrity producer and household name. And he was the top Rhythm and Blues producer in the world by the late 1970's, while working at A&M records in Hollywood with Quincy Jones.

Bobby Martin remains active with music productions in 2013. He was named The Granddaddy of Rhythm and Blues because he definitely is The Granddaddy of Rhythm and Blues music. If it wasn't for Bobby Martin and his contributions to music, we would not have Rhythm and Blues.

The Grandaddy of Rhythm and Blues is a legend in the music industry and a celebrity in Hollywood. The younger Rhythm and Blues artists of today have a great level of respect for Bobby Martin. He's known for mentoring and consulting younger Rhythm and Blues producers and artists, and he likes to keep a low profile.

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