Michael McMartin

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Michael McMartin
Born
Michael Arthur McMartin

(1945-03-12)12 March 1945
Died31 March 2024(2024-03-31) (aged 79)
NationalityCanadian, Australian
Alma materLoyola College, Montreal
Occupation(s)Music manager, music businessman
Years activec. 1970s–2024
SpouseSaskia McMartin
Children1
AwardsAPRA Music Award (2007)
HonoursMedal of The Order of Australia
(2015)

Michael Arthur McMartin OAM (12 March 1945 – 31 March 2024) was a Canadian-Australian music manager and businessman.

Early life and education[edit]

Michael Arthur McMartin[1] was born on Vancouver Island on 12 March 1945. McMartin graduated from Loyola College in Montreal, majoring in political science. He relocated to Australia in 1971.[2]

Career[edit]

A few years after relocating to Australia, McMartin co-founded Trafalgar Records with Charles Fisher, a studio that signed artists and bands including Radio Birdman, Robyn Archer, 1927 and Gyan Evans.[2]

In 1985, McMartin founded Melody Management, whose first client was the Hoodoo Gurus. McMartin was the manager of the band until stepping down in February 2024 due to health issues.[2]

McMartin was a founding member of the Australian Music Managers Forum. He served as chairman and then executive director of the International Music Managers Forum. McMartin was a board member of the Support Act, a music industry charity, for 19 years,[2] from 1997 to 2016.[3] McMartin was a lifetime member of Australian Music Managers Forum and a patron of the Association of Australian Artist Managers. He was a member of LEADR, a mediation association.[4]

McMartin received the APRA Ted Albert Award in 2007[2] and the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2015.[5] His long-term clients Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007.[4][6]

Personal life and death[edit]

McMartin resided in Cambewarra, New South Wales as of 2015.[7] He was married to Saskia and had a son, along with two grandchildren. McMartin died at a hospital in Berry, New South Wales on 31 March 2024, at the age of 79, after a long-term cancer diagnosis.[2][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Artists recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours". Limelight. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Michael McMartin, Celebrated Artist Manager, Dies at 79". Billboard. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  3. ^ "About Support Act". Support Act. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b "The Backing Group | » About The Backing Group". www.thebackinggroup.com. Retrieved 2 April 2024. n.b. Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007 not 2009 and does not include their talent manager per criterion 3: "Membership into the ARIA Hall of Fame is reserved exclusively for the creators of recorded music - the writers, the recording artists, and in some cases, the producers;"
  5. ^ Brandle, Lars (1 April 2024). "Michael McMartin, Artist Management Great, Dies at 79". The Music Network. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  6. ^ "ARIA Presents the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame" (PDF). APRA AMCOS. 6 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2024. n.b. McMartin, as a talent manager, was not eligible for induction in the ARIA Hall of Fame.
  7. ^ Warden, Hayley (7 June 2015). "OAM is music to Michael McMartin's ears". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  8. ^ Green, Stephen. "Industry Legend Michael McMartin Passes Away". The Music. Retrieved 2 April 2024.

External links[edit]