Bobbi Martin

Barbara Ann "Bobbi" Martin (November 29, 1939 – May 2, 2000) was an American country and pop music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She grew up in Oslo, Minnesota and began her singing career in Baltimore, working her way up from local venues onto the national nightclub circuit.

Martin was born to Virginia Chaney (1919-1971) and an unknown father. Her mother refused to tell her the name of her birth father, something that haunted Bobbi her entire life. When Martin was 5, her mother married Allen C. Paulson (1920-1983) in Temple, Texas, whom she met while they were both in the military, and the family lived in his hometown of Oslo, Minnesota, on the North Dakota border. Bobbi had a half-brother, Terry Paulson, born in 1946. Martin was in the habit of representing herself as being four years younger. Hence, she was 60 when she died.

Martin recorded for Coral Records for several years before releasing her debut album, Don't Forget I Still Love You. The title track was a hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 2 on the Easy Listening (adult contemporary) chart and No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. A follow-up single "I Can't Stop Thinking of You", first introduced on the nationally televised Dean Martin Show won her the Cashbox Disc Jockey Poll as Most Promising Female Vocalist of 1965. While popular at nightclubs in Miami Beach, New York, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico, and on TV appearances with the Jackie Gleason, Ronnie Dove, Tonight, and Dean Martin Shows, it would be 5 years before she scored another hit with "For the Love of Him", from the album of the same name. This song went to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 13 on the Hot 100. The singer charted many smaller regional, Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Easy Listening chart records up to 1972.

Martin died of cancer on May 2, 2000 at the Brighton Wood Knoll medical facility in Baltimore. Martin had one daughter, Shane Clements.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 29, 1943 (Brooklyn), Died May 2, 2000 (Baltimore)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1961 - 1966

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-56 of 56 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 13426 4/22/1965 Don't love me Bobbi Martin vocalist  
Decca NA 14084 5/20/1966 Just as much as ever Bobbi Martin vocalist  
Decca NA 14085 5/20/1966 It's a sin to tell a lie Bobbi Martin vocalist  
Decca NA 14086 5/20/1966 How long Bobbi Martin vocalist  
Decca NA 14087 5/20/1966 You have no idea Bobbi Martin vocalist  
Decca NA 14088 5/20/1966 Oh, lonesome me Bobbi Martin vocalist  
(Results 51-56 of 56 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Martin, Bobbi," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/329941.

Martin, Bobbi. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/329941.

"Martin, Bobbi." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/329941

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