In memoriam: TSOP maestro Bobby Martin
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Bobby Martin was The Sound of Phila-delphia’s resident “maestro” — an arranger, writer and producer of great depth whose roots in jazz, love for country and fascination with four-on-the-floor dance made him a unique force at Philadelphia International Records, among other production houses. Martin’s fondness for rich strings, dense horns and flickering rhythms steered the still-developing MFSB house band and spun gold out of the “Soul Train” theme, Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones,” and countless sides for Lou Rawls, the O’Jays and other masters. Martin was a manager, too; he handled The Manhattans and Larry Graham, and turned Patti Holt into Patti Labelle. Quite a track record for Martin, who died Sept. 6 at age 83.
