Martin Briley

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Martin Briley, a London, England born singer/songwriter/guitarist/keyboard player, began playing and writing music when he was 10. At the age of 17, he and his band "Mandrake Paddlesteamer" (later shortened to "Mandrake") signed their first record deal with Parlophone/EMI, and subsequently had the honor of recording at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Martin was later signed to George Martin's AIR group of companies and then went on to become an important part of the London studio scene as an arranger, vocalist and one of the most sought after session guitarists around.

After a brief stint with the British art rock band Greenslade, Martin moved to New York where he immediately found work as a touring and session musician for such artists as Meat Loaf, Ellen Foley, and Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. He then signed as a solo artist to Mercury Records winning critical acclaim for his three self-penned albums, though he is probably best known for his top 40 and MTV hit single "Salt in My Tears".

Since then Martin has become one of the most prominent writers in America, he has received orchestral commissions, and has written songs for such artists as Céline Dion, *NSYNC, Dream, Michael Bolton, Kenny Loggins, Pat Benatar, Jessica Andrews, 5-Star, Jeff Healey, Rebecca St. James, Nana Mouskouri, Willie Nile, Gregg Allman, and Barry Manilow, to name a few.

As an instrumentalist he has recorded and/or performed with Julian Lennon, Bonnie Tyler, Neil Sedaka, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Engelbert Humperdinck, Lulu, Mick Jones, Donna Summer, Dan Huff, Cliff Richards, Charlie Pride, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Mathis, Michel Legrand, the Hollies, Anton Fig, Chris Squire, Meat Loaf, Tom Jones, Albert Hammond, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Andy Williams, G.E.Smith, Jim Steinman, Charles Aznavour, and Jimmy Webb.

As a back-up vocalist he can be heard everywhere, from recordings by Céline Dion and Marc Anthony to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.