Charlotte Ann Martin(born October 31, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performs predominantly on the piano. She has published several studio albums, two of which have received mainstream commercial releases: 2004'sOn Your Shoreand 2006'sStromata.In 2009, she issued an instrumental piano album titledPiano Trees,which was followed byDancing on Needles,on February 1, 2011.[1]
Charlotte Martin | |
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 Martin performing in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 31, 1976 Charleston,Illinois, US |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
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| Website | charlottemartin |
Personal life
editMartin grew up inCharleston,Illinois. Her father is a music professor atEastern Illinois University.[2]Martin won theMiss Illinois Teen USA1994 title on June 26 and went on to compete in theMiss Teen USApageant inBiloxi, Mississippi,on August 16.[3]She graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in vocal performance,[4][5]majoring in opera.[6]In 1999, she moved to Los Angeles.[citation needed]On September 30, 2005, she married musician/producerKen Andrews.Their first child, a boy, was born on May 4, 2008; their second, a daughter, on March 9, 2011.[citation needed]
Following the birth of her first child, Martin suffered fromintercostal neuralgiathat left her incapacitated for the better part of a year, causing lengthy delays to the writing and recording process of her albumDancing on Needles.[1]
On August 11, 2017, Martin filed for divorce from Andrews.[7]
Career
editEarly material
editPrior to the release of her major-label debut,On Your Shore,Martin had composed two full-length albums and twoEPs.Her first foray into songwriting came in the form ofMystery, Magic & Seeds(1998), an album Martin wrote as a result of a friend's death, which she now considersjuvenilia,but which is available for download fromarchive.org.Her second album,One Girl Army,remained unreleased, though an EP of the same name containing a few selections from the full-length record was published independently in 2000, and Martin still performs some of its content live. Themastersfor this album are now owned by Martin's former label,RCA Records.
In 2002, Martin independently released a limited-edition EP containing eight tracks, calledTest-Drive Songs,which is now out of print but still available for download on her official website.
In 2003, Martin released another EP, titledIn Parentheses,on RCA. It contained four tracks, one of which ( "Your Armor" ) would later be included (with an added string arrangement) onOn Your Shore.
On Your Shore
editOn August 10, 2004,On Your Shore,Martin's first full-length album on a major label, RCA, was released. A video for the single "Every Time It Rains" was also issued.
To help promote the album, Martin toured on the Chicks with Attitude tour withLiz Phair,the Cardigans,andKaty Rosein 2004.
Darkest HourandVeins
editWhile touring, two EPs were released in preparation for Martin's second album,Stromata.The first,Darkest Hour,included a cover ofDepeche Mode's "Judas". The second EP,Veins,came out in November 2005.
On May 1, 2006, a DVD of Martin's live recordings, titledSomething Like a DVD,was published viaMusictoday.
Martin co-wrote and contributed vocals to "Glass Breaker", a song bythe Crystal Method,included on the soundtrack to the 2005 romantic drama filmLondon.
Stromata,Orphans,andPiano Trees
editOn September 12, 2006, Martin issuedStromataon her husband's label, Dinosaur Fight Records.
Martin co-wrote and contributed vocals to the song "Sweet Things" onTiësto's 2007 album,Elements of Life.She also co-wrote and contributed vocals and piano to the song "Is This How Love's Supposed to Feel" onBen Lee's 2007 album,Ripe.She co-wrote and contributed vocals to the song "Feed the Monster" byBT.The original song was never released, but a remix byBlue Stahliwas.
On November 11, 2008, Martin released the EPOrphansand followed it a year later with the instrumental albumPiano Trees.
Dancing on Needles
editOn February 1, 2011, Martin issued her fourth full-length album,Dancing on Needles.[8]Produced by her husband, Ken Andrews (who had previously worked withPete YornandBeck), the record traces Martin's struggle with intercostal neuralgia, a nerve disorder that had left her incapacitated for much of the previous year.[1]"It was the most difficult period of my life", Martin stated. "The pain was excruciating. I saw countless doctors, was misdiagnosed countless times and prescribed countless medications. Nothing seemed to help. Forget about not being able to work; getting out of bed was a major undertaking. Worst of all, I couldn't nurse, or even lift, my baby. As a new mother, that was devastating".[1]
The album was released on Martin's Test-Drive Records and was preceded by the single "Volcano".[8]
Water Breaks Stone,Rapture
editOn February 25, 2014, Martin publishedWater Breaks Stone.
On March 27, 2017, she announced that she would no longer be touring: "At this point in my life, it's not possible for me to mount any long tours or even short ones. I've chosen to be a mommy and that's my first priority. I still plan to be involved in music though and will do one-offs here and there if the timing's right... [T]his is right for me and my family." She held a farewell tour between March and May and releasedRaptureon May 12, 2017.
Clear Blue Sky,Monotonous Night,andDawn
editOn October 5, 2018, Martin released the second of her instrumental piano albums, titledClear Blue Sky.The following year, two more albums in a similar vein were issued:Monotonous Nighton March 8 andDawnon December 27. Her latest release is the 2023 EPKnives & Bouquets.
Discography
editStudio albums
- Mystery, Magic & Seeds(1998)
- Solo(2000)
- On Your Shore(2004)
- Stromata(2006)
- Reproductions(2007)
- Piano Trees(2009)
- Dancing on Needles(2011)
- Hiding Places(2012)
- Water Breaks Stone(2014)
- Rapture(2017)
- Clear Blue Sky(2018)
- Monotonous Night(2019)
- Dawn(2019)
EPs
- One Girl Army(2002)
- Test-Drive Songs(2002)
- In Parentheses(2003)
- Darkest Hour(2005)
- Veins(2005)
- Stromata(EP version) (2006)
- Rarities#1-#6 (2006–2009)
- Orphans(2008)
- Knives & Bouquets(2023)
Singles
| Year | Song |
|---|---|
| 2003 | "Your Armor" |
| 2004 | "Every Time It Rains" |
| 2006 | "Stromata" |
| 2007 | "Keep Me in Your Pocket" |
| "Christmas Is Near" | |
| "Sweet Things" | |
| 2011 | "Volcano" |
| 2017 | "Rapture" |
DVDs
- Something Like a DVD(2005, re-released in 2007 as dual DVD/CD set with B-sides fromOn Your ShoreandStromata.)
- "Hiding Places" (2012 dual DVD/CD: live show and documentary plus 8 B-sides)
Additional credits
edit- Martin's song "Beautiful Life" fromOn Your Shoreappears in theMaxiscomputer gameThe Sims 2: University(The Sims 2expansion pack), translated into the game's fictional language ofSimlish."Keep Me in Your Pocket", fromStromata,appears in the same fashion inThe Sims 2: Bon Voyage.
- Martin co-wrote and recorded "Glass Breaker" withthe Crystal Method.The song appears on theLondon Movie Soundtrack.
- Martin has released six "rarity" EPs, called theRaritiesseries, available for purchase only at live shows. These contain previously unreleased or hard-to-find material.
- Martin's voice is featured on theMaealbumThe Everglow,on the tracks "Prologue" and "Epilogue".
- Martin is the vocalist/pianist and a co-writer in the song "Greater Lights" on the soundtrack of the video gameAdvent Rising.
- Martin recorded "Bring On the Day" for the filmSweet Home Alabama.
- Martin is credited with additional vocals on the song "Inhuman" byThousand Foot Krutch,from their 2007 album,The Flame in All of Us.
- Martin's songs "Veins" (from theVeinsEP), "The Dance" (fromStromata), and "Wild Horses" (fromOn Your Shore) were used during the third, fourth, and ninth seasons, respectively, of the television showSo You Think You Can Dance.
- Martin co-wrote and played piano on the song "Is This How Love's Supposed to Feel" on the 2007Ben LeealbumRipe.
- Martin co-wrote and sang "Sweet Things" on the 2007TiëstoalbumElements of Life.
References
edit- ^abcd"Charlotte Martin // Bio".Charlottemartin.RetrievedOctober 7,2018.
- ^"Charlotte Martin".Bmi.September 13, 2004.RetrievedOctober 7,2018.
- ^Welcome to missillinoisusaArchivedMarch 27, 2007, at theWayback Machine
- ^Huey Freeman (January 10, 2003)."Not 'going Hollywood': Area native says she's in recording business just to make music".Jg-tc.RetrievedOctober 7,2018.
- ^"EIU Alumni Bulletin – August 2006".Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2007.RetrievedMarch 19,2007.
- ^"The Daily Eastern News".Archived from the original on March 25, 2007.RetrievedMarch 19,2007.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^"Martin, Charlotte Ann vs Andrews, Ken".UniCourt.UniCourt Inc.RetrievedJune 29,2019.
- ^ab"Charlotte Martin // News".Charlottemartin.RetrievedOctober 7,2018.
External links
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