Veteran producer-singer-songwriter MANDI MARTIN has made a career out of making, and breaking, records. But not the kind you listen to.
The former Columbia, RCA and Epic recording artsit -- who produced and sold her first record in the early '60s when she was still in high school -- just happens to be the reigning Guinness World Record holder at pinball endurance.
MARTIN was indoctrinated to the game in the early '70s by some of its most avid players: Waylon Jennings, Tom Pall Glaser, and Tennessee deejay Captain Midnight, who would face off in the wee hours of the night between writing and recording sessions while she was a staff songwriter for ABC Music Publishing (MCA) in Nashville. The trio taught her the nuances of flipper control, and she soon began showing them how to play all night on a single quarter.
Her pinball prowess followed her to Los Angeles in the mid-'70s, and with entertainment industry-wide encouragement, she set a Guinness pinball playing record in 1978 with a time of 140 hours and 32 minutes. A year later, she shattered the existing record of 216 hours with a 505-hour performance that still stands today.
Incredibly, MARTIN will attempt to break her mark with the 555-hour MANDI MARTIN'S MilleniuM Pinball Marathon" coinciding with her 55th birthday in March 2000. The event will benefit the charitable MusiCares, Gilda's Club, America's Breast Cancer Ride and Havenhills.
Her successes at pinball and in music have mirrored each other to the point MARTIN recently sat (10 of the last 12 years) on the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Chapter of The Recording Academy, which annually bestows the prestigious GRAMMY® Awards. She is also on the Board of Directors for LAWIM (Los Angeles Women in Music).
MARTIN began her professional music career in 1961 when, as a senior at Montebello (CA) High School, she wrote, produced, sang and sold the record "Picture of Love"/"Then You'll Know I Care" to American Records. While still a student, she graduated to singing background with industry giants Sam Cooke and Ricky Nelson.
Before the decade was over, she'd managed Tangerine Music Publishing for Ray Charles (who taught her how to engineer and honed her production skills) and, as an artist, had signed recording contracts with Candix, Columbia, RCA, and Epic.
In 1971, MARTIN landed on the country charts with her self-penned/self-produced "Nice Girl" on Prince Records. By this point in her musical career, the songstress' tunes had been published by some of the biggest names in Nashviille and L.A.: Pat Boone's Cooga Mooga Music, Al Gallico, April-Blackwood, Almo/Irving, and Criterion.
While under contract as the first signed staff songwriter for ABC Music (MCA) in Nashville, MARTIN relocated to Los Angeles in 1973, and began producing country, folk and R&B artists, including veteran Len Chandler and newcomer Oleta Adams.
MARTIN next began a 23-year association in 1974 with the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase that saw her co-produce (with Showcase co-founders John Braheny and Len Chandler) 22 annual Songwriter Expos, the flagship event of the internationally renown organization. She worked as the associate editor of LASS' monthly Songwriters Musepaper trade publication during this time, and from 1978-79 served as president of the Organization of Women in Music.
In 1982 the multi-talented Miss MARTIN married the love of her life, pioneering holographer Jerry Fox. Thirteen years and one day after their wedding, he suddenly collapsed and died on June 28, 1995.
Since husband Jerry's passing, MARTIN has remained ever-active in the music community, whose members she credits with helping during her time of mourning. She was elected to the Los Angeles Chapter of The Recording Academy's Board of Governors in 1987. She served three 2-year terms, took two years off and was re-elected in 1995. She completed her fifth 2-year term in 1999.
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From 1996-97, MARTIN managed a six-piece Eagles-style band. In late 1997, she formed her own music publishing and production companies. In 1998, she re-focused on songwriting and producing, working wth country artists/writers Kate E. Oyler and Robin Bolden. Recent studio projects include production work for Kate E. Oyler, John Beland, Robin Bolden, Deanna D'Amico, Joseph Boman Scruggs, and the hard rock band Dead & Dreaming from Long Island. |
On top of all this, she is working on a book-CD project on the subject of loss.
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I have known Mandi Martin for more than 20 years. Mandi is recognized in the music industry as a renowned backup singer, recording artist, songwriter and producer as well as a consummate business woman. Mandi Martin has had recording contracts with Columbia, RCA, Epic, and Prince Records. She produced and sold her first recording in 1961 while she was still in high school. She was a backup singer for artists including: Sam Cooke, Ricky Nelson, Jan & Dean, Chad & Jeremy, Barry Goldberg, Johnny Rivers, The Seeds, Brian Wilson and Jimmy Buffett among other greats. She was Ray Charles' right arm as his head of publishing, and studio engineer and producer. She was the President of the Organization of Women in Music, is a member of the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, better known as the GRAMMY® organization, was the producer of 22 National Songwriter Expos, was the Associate Editor of the songwriter magazine's Musepaper, and to top it off, is a gifted songwriter and producer. In the early '70s, Waylon Jennings, Tom Pall Glaser and infamous Nashville DJ, Captian Midnight, taught her how to play pinball in Nashville and while in the studio producing Oleta Adams in Los Angeles, she found herself playing pinball in every free moment of her time. In 1978, the industry encouraged her to break the Guinness World Record at pinball and she took the challenge and succeeded. One year later, she once again broke the world record of 216 hours by playing an incredible 505 hours (3 weeks and 1 hour). In the Millenium Year of 2000, Mandi will once again attempt to break the Pinball World Record and the entire music industry, including myself, will rally to her support. Please join us in this worldwide media event and watch our Mandi Martin play continuous pinball for a record 555 hours (3 weeks, 2 1/2 days). Sincerely, Julie Horton |
