Who was Mary Martin? Veteran artist manager who transformed Keith Urban's career dies at 85

Veteran record label executive and music manager Mary Martin passed away at Alive Hospice on July 4, 2024, at the age of 85. The news was shared via social media by Kyle Young, CEO of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Mary Martin played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of many juggernauts of the industry in the early days of their careers. She was also the inspiration behind legendary songwriter/guitarist Keith Urban's rise to fame. She inspired him to move to Nashville to pursue his musical aspirations during the early days of his career.

"Time and again, Mary Martin spotted great talents and elevated their careers," the post on The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Instagram account read.

The caption continued by highlighting the big names in the music industry who benefited from Martin's guidance, including Rodney Cowell, Leonard Cohen, Vance Gill, and Van Morrison. Additionally, she helped Bob Dylan connect with The Hawks, who would later become his band.

"At Warner Bros., she signed future Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris, at RCA she helped sign and develop Clint Black and Lorrie Morgan, and she encouraged a young Keith Urban to move from Australia to Nashville. Mary’s unerring feel for songs and performers was legendary, and she was a fierce ally for the artists she represented," Kyle Young concluded.

As of now, no details about a memorial service for Mary Martin have been announced.

---

Exploring Mary Martin's life and career

Born in Toronto in 1939, Mary Martin moved to New York immediately after finishing college at the University of British Columbia in the 1960s. She began her career in the music industry as an assistant executive to Albert Grossman, the veteran manager of big names like Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, and others.

In a 2009 interview at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Martin talked about working with Grossman while being declared a part of the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum.

"Working for Albert Grossman in those days, it didn’t matter how menial the task was. It was that we were surrounded and enveloped by all these great artists," Martin said.

Mary Martin soon became involved with The Hawks and surrounded herself in folk music. In the mid-1960s, she connected The Hawks with the legendary Bob Dylan, who would later join the band. She was also credited with signing Emmylou Harris, Leon Redbone, and The Marshall Tucker Band in 1972 after she joined Warner Bros. Records.

"If you take her out of the equation, my life would be very, very different," Emmylou Harris stated in the trailer for the documentary Martin: Music Maven.

Later, Martin returned to managing artists like Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill at the end of that decade. Her relationship with Crowell extended beyond managing the musician, as she helped him sign other newcomers like Guy Spark, Albert Lee, Rosanne Cash, and Sissy Spacek. She was also responsible for starting a merchandising business for the artists she managed at this time.

Mary Martin transitioned to an executive role when she became the Vice President of RCA Records in 1985, working with big names like Paul Overstreet, Aaron Tippin, Lorrie Morgan, Gill, and Clint Black.

"When Mary believed in someone, she gave her all, and I mean all! She could stand toe-to-toe with anyone and would do so wholeheartedly for those she championed. The word is thrown around far too much, but in this case, it is so accurate: Mary was ‘passionate’ in all she did. I am grateful to have experienced her influence and guidance," Lorrie Morgan said in an interview with Billboard.

In 1991, Mary Martin became the Executive Director of a non-profit called ECO (Earth Communications Office), where she was in charge of fundraising and other necessary facets of the organization. She became the Vice President of Mercury Records in 1999.

Martin won the prestigious Grammy for her contribution to Hank Williams' tribute album Timeless in 2002. The album featured legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, and many others.

Mary Martin was inducted into the Hall of Fame by SOURCE in 2007 and honored at the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum in 2009. Her legacy will live on forever in the hearts of the artists she has helped throughout her illustrious career.