Martin Briley

Martin Briley is a british born singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist. Briley began playing and writing music when he was ten years old. At the age of seventeen, he and his band "Mandrake Paddle Steamer" (later shortened to Mandrake) signed their first record deal with Parlophone/EMI, and subsequently recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Briley was later signed to George Martin's AIR group of companies and went on to become an important part of the London studio scene as an arranger, vocalist and sought-after session guitarist. He also had a brief stint with the British art rock band Greenslade. Briley moved to New York, where he found work as a touring and session musician for numerous artists, including Meat Loaf, Julian Lennon, Bonnie Tyler, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Engelbert Humperdinck, Lulu, Mick Jones, Donna Summer, Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Hollies, Tom Jones and Albert Hammond. Briley signed a deal with Mercury Records as a solo artist, releasing three self-written albums. Of his solo work, his single "Salt In My Tears" is probably the best known. He has also performed as a back-up vocalist on many recordings. Briley 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.