Eric Martin (musician)
| Eric Martin | |
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Martin in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Lee Martin |
| Born | October 10, 1960 |
| Origin | Long Island, New York, US |
| Genres | Hard rock, pop rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar, drums, bass |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Labels | Capitol |
| Associated acts | Mr. Big, Tak Matsumoto Group, Scrap Metal, The Eric Martin Band / EMB / 415, Kid Courage, Jun Senoue, The Power Rangers Orchestra, Avantasia |
Eric Lee Martin (born October 10, 1960 in Long Island, New York) is an American rock singer/musician active throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands. He earned his most prominent success as the frontman for the hard rock band Mr. Big, a supergroup (currently reunited) who scored a big hit in the early 1990s with "To Be with You," a song that Martin wrote during his teen years.
A local of the San Francisco Bay Area, Martin first started his career in the music industry in 1978.
Eric is the son of Frederick Lee "Pepper" Martin and Iris Martin. He has three younger siblings Dan, Joan and Laurie; and is half-Irish, half-Italian.
Musically, Eric Martin was first influenced by his father, Frederick Lee "Pepper" Martin. Pepper Martin had a gig as drummer for the band "The Buzz". This first gig would actually be an opener for Sérgio Mendes, a renowned jazz/ bossa nova artist in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
Martin was a drummer only for a while. Realizing it fit his personality better, he opted for the position of front man / lead vocalist in the next bands he was in. He played in a handful of teen rock groups such as "S.F. Bloodshy" and "Backhome" while attending Foothill High School in Sacramento, California. Eric performed in a punk band in the mid 70s called 'The Innocents' with Connie Champagne and Ric Walz-Smith. Also in 1974–75, Eric played a lot of college clubs with Jim Preston in a band called The J.C. Michaels Band. He started to make it big when he joined a band called "Stark Raving Mad" (which also included future Winger guitarist/keyboardist Paul Taylor) in Santa Rosa, California. Stark Raving Mad, which also included Donavan and Brian Stark, cut a Demo with Bearsville Records that was produced by Chris Nicks, brother of Stevie Nicks.
During the summer break in 1974, Martin joined a Musical Comedy Workshop held at Mira Loma High school in Sacramento. He auditioned for the part of Judas, but wasn't given the part. Instead, he was made the understudy.
Martin credits the honing of his voice to his teacher, Judy Davis. She taught him diction, stamina, and breath-control.
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