Martin Briley

Martin Briley (born 1950, London, England) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.

He has recorded with and written for a variety of well-known musicians, as well as releasing four solo albums.

Music career

Beginnings and early bands

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 (British rock band)|Mandrake) signed their first record deal with Parlophone/EMI, and subsequently recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. However, the group's published output during their lifetime was limited to two singles, one of which was released only in Sweden.

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 progressive rock band Greenslade.

Session work in America

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, The Hollies, Tom Jones and Albert Hammond.