I’m devastated by the loss of my friend, Andrea Martin. We met in 1990 when a colleague at BMI said Eric there is a young woman with an extraordinary voice singing in the lobby. You should go and talk to her. I did and she proceeded to sing song after song a cappella in my office. I was blown away. She reminded me of a young Gladys Knight but with the unmistakable energy of a native New Yorker. Her lush honey coated voice is still one of my all time favorites. We sorted out her performing rights paperwork and kept in touch. A few years later she would be the first songwriter I ever signed as a music publisher at Rondor. From there she wrote hits for En Vogue, Monica, SWV and Toni Braxton among others. She recorded her own album for Arista records as well. There was a time when the hits slowed down and she had some health concerns but she always kept writing and singing. It’s what she loved most. I hope now she’s collaborating in the afterlife with other greats we’ve lost over the years. Oh how I’d love to hear those songs. I miss you Andrea. But thank you for the joy, the memories and the music you’ve left behind.
