www.billmartinsongwriter.com/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_MartinBusted! www.billmartinsongwriter.com/gallery.php?gazpart=view&gazimage=26Okay, now I'm interested! www.billmartinsongwriter.com/gallery.php?gazpart=view&gazimage=64I'm beginning to
see the light smell a rat:
www.billmartinsongwriter.com/gallery.php?gazpart=view&gazimage=121www.billmartinsongwriter.com/gallery.php?gazpart=view&gazimage=1his bio: www.billmartinsongwriter.com/career.php"I was born WILLIAM WYLIE MACPHERSON in a tenement building in Govan Glasgow Scotland 9 yards
from the Fairfield Shipyards.
I lived and worked in Govan from when I was born until I was 21.
I left Govan High School at 15 to start as an Apprentice Marine Engineer at The Alexander Shipyard in Govan.
From 15 I played Junior Football in Scotland for the likes of Blantyre Celtic and had trials for
professioinal soccer with Partick Thistle.
When I left Scotland at 21
for South Africa I played Professional Soccer for Johannesburg Rangers –
whenever my Father was asked in Scotland who I played for – he used to say “The Rangers”.
No one ever checked!
I had always wanted to be a Songwriter from the age of 10 but at 21 I thought the name
WYLIE MACPHERSON was too Scottish so I changed it to BILL MARTIN. I regret it now but the
name brought luck. Lots of people changed their names in those days – Lionel Bart, Cliff Richard,
Adam Faith and even Elton John .
I had my first song accepted in London by a major London Music Publisher in 1960 it was called
“THAT’S THE ONLY WAY” – it never found it’s way out of the contract stage to a record but it
gave me the confidence to save up and fly back from South Africa to London some 2 years later.
I had my first song released on record, words and music by BILL MARTIN in 1963 by TOMMY QUICKLY
called “KISS ME NOW”.
Tommy was managed by The Beatles Manager Brian Epstein. I think Quickly was
Epstein’s only failure! The song "KISS ME NOW" was actually a hit in Australia with an Australian
band so it spurred me on.
As BILL MARTIN – The Songwriter – I have been awarded 3 IVOR NOVELLO’S, including one as
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, 3 ASCAP AWARDS, THE ANTIBES SONG FESTIVAL AWARD FOR THE
BEST SONG IN 1971, THE RIO DE JANEIRO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE in 1967 & 1969,
THE JAPANESE YAMAHA BEST SONG AWARD in 1978, SCOTLAND’S SONGWRITER OF THE DECADE
in 1980, THE VARIETY CUB SILVER HEART IN 1979 for MUSIC CHARITY, The first British Winner
of THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST with
[glow=yellow,2,300]“PUPPET ON A STRING”[/glow]
in 1967 and recipient of many SILVER, GOLD & PLATINUM DISCS.
In 1964 I started a song writing partnership with TOMMY SCOTT.
As SCOTT & MARTIN we had success with various artists including THE BATCHELORS, TWINKLE,
THE DUBLINERS, VAN MORRISON and SERGE GAINSBOURG.
In 1965 I met PHIL COULTER – then the MARTIN-COULTER era was born. We had records with
KEN DODD, GENO WASHINGTON, LOS BRAVOS, DAVE DEE DOZY etc, THE TROGGS, MIRIELLE MATHIEU,
GEORGE HARRISON, DICK EMERY,TONY BLACKBURN, CLIFF RICHARD, SANDIE SHAW,
ELVIS PRESLEY and many more.
From 1967–1976 I had 4 UK Number 1's –“PUPPET ON A STRING” “CONGRATULATIONS”
“BACK HOME” and “FOREVER & EVER”. Lot’s of top 10 hits like the BAY CITY ROLLERS - “SHANG-A-LANG,
KENNY -“FANCY PANTS”, SLIK -“REQUIEM”, CILLA BLACK -“SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SORROW”
to name but a few.
I went to No 1 in 1976 in America with “SATURDAY NIGHT” by THE BAY CITY ROLLERS which gave
me a hat trick of No 1’s IN AMERICA “THANKS” by BILL ANDERSON and “MY BOY” by ELVIS PRESLEY
they were AMERICAN Country No 1’s.
“MY BOY” by ELVIS was Presley's last Top 20 hit whilst he was still alive – No3 UK No15 USA.
I also wrote songs for Films and TV -- “THE WATER BABIES” “CARRY ON" films and
the "SPIDERMAN" tv show and others.
As BILL MARTIN I have had No1s in every country of the world with million selling records as a
Songwriter, Record Producer and Music Publisher.
Apart from being a Songwriter/Record Producer of my own songs,
I started my publishing company in 1970 by winning the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
again with “ALL KINDS OF EVERYTHING” by DANA, yet another No 1 in the UK and all over Europe.
This led to BILL MARTIN the Music Publisher signing songwriters such as VAN MORRISON, BILLY
CONNOLLY, CHRISTIE MOORE, DONAL LUNY, ERIC BOGLE, SKY, MIDGE URE, B.A. ROBERTSON,
THE EAST MEMPHIS CATALOGUE and of course BILL MARTIN and PHIL COULTER along with
many future talents.
I have successfully built up and sold a Major Music Publishing Company, a Marketing Company
and a Property Company.
In 1983 I sold my Music Publishing company to EMI MUSIC.
Over the years I have appeared in many diverse TV shows such as TOP OF THE POPS and even
on the BBC NEWS CHANNEL to discuss that year's EUROVISION SONG CONTEST.
In 1983 I produced a Musical JUKEBOX. The Musical ran in the West End and it also received
the acclaim of being chosen for THE ROYAL VARIETY SHOW that year and was the forerunner of
musicals like BUDDY, MAMMA MIA and THE RAT PACK.
I served on the BRITISH ACADEMY OF SONGWRITERS in the 60s and in the 90s becoming a
VICE-PRESIDENT and I was also a Director of the PERFORMING RIGHTS SOCIETY from 1977 to 1989
and a Founder Member of THE SOCIETY OF DISTINGUISHED SONGWRITERS (SODS).
(oink!)I still continue my career as a Songwriter and have written with many other Professional Songwriters
including ROGER GREENAWAY, ROGER COOK, LES REED, MIKE STOCK AND MATT AITKEN, and
ALAN HAWKSHAW.
As a Music Publisher, Record Producer and Songwriter I continue to be active with ANGUS PUBLICATIONS
and my favourite song in my catalogue is the old FRANKIE MILLER hit
“DARLIN’".
I am a Freema
(so)n of the City of London, a Freeman of the City of Glasgow,
a member of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, a member and Past Golf Captain of the RAC Country Club,
a member of St. George's Hill Golf Club and a member of the MCC.
Since 2000 I have been involved with Richard Rowe and R2M Music acquiring Music Publishing
catalogues throughout the world.
From 2006 I have been by invited by Cunard, P&O, Fred Olsen and Page & Moy to talk on Cruise Ships
around the World, and on TV, as well as various clubs & venues in the UK, with my 24 one hour talk
shows “SONG SECRETS" telling THE STORIES BEHIND THE SONGS” with such diverse songwriters
from COLE PORTER to IRVING BERLIN, CHUCK BERRY to ELTON JOHN and ELVIS v. THE BEATLES."
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(All orange insertions mine. Letter B)