Is Bobby Martin The Granddaddy Of Rhythm And Blues?
Bobby Martin is the Grammy Award winning R&B producer that
dominated the airwaves for nearly three decades with his signature
sound. He is a legend in the music industry, and he is well known
around the world. Martin's fellow Jehovah's Witness brothers and
sisters often refer to him as Brother Martin. In addition to being
a Grammy Winner, he is famous and respected as The Granddaddy of
R&B music. His signature sound was called R&B, and in the
1970's it was known as The Sound of Philadelphia.
As far as Bobby Martin is concerned, younger R&B artists
often sample and produce remakes of his songs. A good example of
this is the song "Da Butta". WILL SMITH and LIL' KIM collaborated
with Bobby Martin by using one of his productions. The music track
and beat were taken from Bobby Martin's studio recording of (Every
Time I Turn Around) "Back in Love Again", by L.T.D. GEORGE BENSON
also recorded a cover of an L.T.D. song, called "Love Ballad".
Most of us have heard SEAL, and SIMPLY RED sing "If You Don't
Know Me By Now", which was originally arranged in the studio with
Bobby Martin. KANYE WEST sampled "Show You The Way To Go", using
Bobby Martin's recording of THE JACKSONS.
Martin's success in the music industry has broken the stereotype
that Jehovah Witnesses do not participate in any of the arts. In
fact, some of the most prolific icons in entertainment just happen
to be Jehovah's Witnesses, like PRINCE, KATHERINE JACKSON (Michael
Jackson's Mother), SERENA and VENUS WILLIAMS, GEORGE BENSON, LARRY
GRAHAM (Drake's Uncle), RONNIE LAWS just to name a few.
Jehovah's Witnesses are happy and joyful people that want to
live a clean life. Yet they enjoy music, as long as it is clean
music. Jehovah's Witnesses dance at their gatherings, and they all
sing songs to Jehovah at all of their meetings. One of Bobby
Martin's fans, Camille Szalma, had the opportunity to take a photo
with Bobby and the Latin Music legend "TITO PUENTE", at a celebrity
mixer. Surprisingly, Camille Szalma just happened to be a faithful
Jehovah's Witness herself, also showing that Jehovah's Witnesses
represent some of the music industry's fan base. Jehovah's
Witnesses purchase music and they enjoy live performances.
Martin has even collaborated with many of his Christian brothers
that are known in the entertainment world, such as THE JACKSONS,
GEORGE BENSON, LARRY GRAHAM, JEAN TERRELL, BENNY GOLSON, HUBERT
LAWS, and many others.
Bobby Martin is best known for arranging and producing the music
of the top icons in the music industry including MICHAEL JACKSON,
THE JACKSONS, QUINCY JONES, WILL SMITH, CLIVE DAVIS, WHITNEY
HOUSTON, PATTI LABELLE, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, LOU RAWLS, HERB ALPERT,
THE BEE GEES, GAMBLE & HUFF, and so forth.
Martin worked heavily in producing, and arranging music with
GAMBLE & HUFF (Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff). Most of the
classic Philadelphia R&B hit songs were arranged or produced by
Bobby Martin, songs like "Let's Just Kiss And Say Goodbye".
Bobby Martin, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff were a close family
of music executives. Martin learned about Jehovah's Witnesses from
Kenneth Gamble's mother (Ruby N. Gamble), who was a Jehovah's
Witness. Martin was later baptized with Jehovah's Witnesses in the
year 1976 in Woodland Hills, at an assembly hall where The
Jackson's would attend their assemblies.
Martin has produced artists at Capitol Records, Columbia Records
with Clive Davis, A&M Records with Quincy Jones, and
Philadelphia International Records with producers Gamble and Huff,
to name a few. Martin has produced and arranged multiple hits and
has accumulated thousands of Gold & Platinum record awards.
Bobby Martin is a Grammy winner as well. He won a very significant
Grammy Award for the Soul Train theme song, named TSOP (The Sound
of Philadelphia).
Martin's classic productions are heard on radio stations around
the world, and he is presently working in the recording studio on
new songs to soon be released in 2013.
For more information, search online for Grammy Winner Bobby
Martin, Producer Bobby Martin, Arranger Bobby Martin, and Bobby
Martin Productions!