The doors to success can open in unlikely ways. Kentucky native Marilyn Martin began singing when she was a child, and by the time she was 18 was already fronting a cover band and traveling the country. In 1975, she met her husband, guitarist Greg Droman, who was a childhood friend of Joe Walsh. They recorded backing vocals for his drummer Joe Vitale on his 1981 album Plantation Harbor. Two years later, a chance encounter with Vitale in Miami led them to opening for the lengthy Joe Walsh/Stevie Nicks tour, and Martin was afforded the opportunity to sing backing vocals for both artists. Her life had begun to change. She had no idea how much it would.
A Powerful Ally and a Big Breakthrough
Atlantic Records president Doug Morris heard Martin sing background on Nicks’ yet-to-be released album Rock a Little and asked her to record a demo. The blonde singer then recorded the unreleased 1972 Nicks song “Sorceror” (with Nicks herself singing backup) for the 1984 movie soundtrack for Streets of Fire. Impressed with that performance, Morris offered Martin a two-album deal and then worked his magic to get her a duet with Phil Collins on his cover of the Stephen Bishop song “Separate Lives” for the 1985 Gregory Hines/Mikhail Baryshnikov film White Knights. The track was inspired by Bishop’s breakup with actress Karen Allen.
“I was signed to Atlantic Records just before Phil turned in his No Jacket Required album,” Martin told Kickin’ It Old School (aka Rediscover the ‘80s) in 2013. “He had recorded ‘Separate Lives’ and loved the song but it didn’t seem to fit the rest of his album. When Doug Morris, the label head, heard it he thought it would make a great duet. To this day I haven’t a clue as to how he convinced Phil to sing it with me, but thank God he did! The first time I met Phil was the night before I was to record my half of the duet. A friend arranged a dinner for us with Phil at Eric Clapton’s house. … What an amazing night, Phil and his wife, the Claptons, and my friend and me!”
“Separate Lives” became a trademark Phil Collins power ballad with big choruses. He had scored a chart-topping success with the theme song to Against All Odds in 1983, and this song would also become a smash, hitting No. 1 in America in late 1985. Martin was suddenly thrust into the spotlight in a way she hadn’t anticipated, with the duet giving her major recognition and a chance to showcase her robust vocal prowess. Martin had also been heard on recent songs like Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” (another movie tune) and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Don’t Come Around Here No More.”
Making Her “Night Moves”
But now it was Martin’s time to shine. In January 1986, her eponymous debut album emerged, breaking the Top 30 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart with the moody “Night Moves” hitting No. 28 on the Hot 100 singles chart. That song bore a strong similarity to the Corey Hart song “Sunglasses at Night,” but it had a wilder guitar solo and Martin exuded a more powerful presence. The track was a little edgier and got promoted through a video influenced by the David Bowie vampire film The Hunger.
Martin’s debut was a solid collection of pop-rock tunes invigorated by many moments of hard rock guitar. The album included an unexpected cover of “Body and the Beat” by Dragon, the Australian icons who deserved to have more success here than they did. Other standout tracks included the energetic “Turn It On” and angsty “Beauty or the Beast,” the latter co-written with John Parr, who also co-write the title track. Martin and Parr also dueted on “Through the Night” from the Quicksilver movie soundtrack, which emerged a month after her debut. It would have been interesting to hear an entire Martin album written by the two of them. They made a great team.
While Martin’s first solo album made some waves, her second, This Is Serious (1988), floundered, even with the lead single “Possessive Love” being co-written by Madonna. The album subdued a lot of the rock guitar flavor in favor of perkier pop and R&B sounds, although that former element helped make her debut stand out. But Martin has said she was more of a pop than a rock singer. Martin continued doing vocal backup work in the studio and on tour. One of the highlights was singing on Madonna’s “Cherish” in 1989.
By the mid-1990s Martin stopped touring, and her country album, Through His Eyes (1994), was shelved. She has since made it available through her website. Martin recorded a piano ballad duet with David Hasselhoff in 1997 called “I Live for Love” (among other songs with him), and in 2012, she released a Christian album called Trust, Love, Pray. Along the way, she also started a ceramics business and became a real estate agent.
Back to Where She Shines
Then something unexpected happened again. She was asked to sing for Joe Walsh once more in 2011, so her road adventures started up again. Five years later, Martin reconnected with Stevie Nicks after her other backup Sharon Celani reached out to her, and she has been singing live backup again for the famed singer (along with Fleetwood Mac in 2016 and 2019) ever since.
“I don’t know that I was ever comfortable being the focal point,” Martin told Rolling Stone in 2023. “I love being in the background and giving my all to a main singer where everything is on their shoulders. As long as I’m doing my job, I’m golden.”
It’s great that Martin remains active and now, thanks to the streaming era, more listeners can discover the music that may have eluded them back in 1986. While she loves being a team player, it would be great to see Martin do a solo show again sometime. Some of us missed those night moves the first time around.
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