Martin Lee (born 26 November 1946) is an English singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group

Brotherhood of Man Brotherhood of Man are a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with " Save Your Kisses for Me". Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer Tony Hiller, Brotherhood of Man was initi ...

Early career

Lee was born Martin Barnes in Purley, Surrey, but spent five years of his youth in Australia. As a teenager, he had a great interest in music and after learning to play guitar he formed his first band. In the early 1970s, he came to the attention of songwriter and publisher

Tony Hiller Anthony Toby Hiller (30 July 1927 – 26 August 2018) was an English songwriter and record producer. He was best known for writing and/or producing hits for Brotherhood of Man, including " United We Stand" (1970) and "Save Your Kisses for Me" (19 ...

, while he was working as lead singer with the Johnny Howard Band. Hiller signed him up to his company, Tony Hiller Music initially as a writer. On discovering that he could sing as well, he asked him to be part of the group he managed, Brotherhood of Man. The group had recently disbanded and Hiller was keen to put a new line-up together. Along with

Lee Sheriden Lee Sheriden (born Roger Pritchard; 11 April 1944 in Horfield, Bristol) is an English singer/songwriter and musical director, best known as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man. Early career As a child, Roger Pritchard learned the piano and ...

and

Nicky Stevens Nicky Stevens (born Helen Maria Thomas in Carmarthen, Wales, 3 December 1949) is a singer, famous as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man. She is the only Welsh person to have won the Eurovision Song Contest. Early career Nicky Stevens be ...

and later

Sandra Stevens Sandra Stevens (born 23 November 1944, Leeds, Yorkshire) is an English singer and member of pop group Brotherhood of Man. Early career Sandra Stevens first entered into a singing career in the 1960s when she joined the club band, The Track (w ...

, the new line-up was born. Lee had already released a solo single by this time, a song called "Cry José", but it failed to gain much interest. Working alongside Hiller and Sheriden, he began composing new songs for the group during 1972. The following year they released their first single and the year after, their first hit. Lee quickly emerged as the lead singer of the group, taking the lead on many of their songs, including that first hit "Lady".

Eurovision win

In 1975, Brotherhood of Man scored their first European No.1 with the song "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby", again with a Martin Lee lead vocal. Later that year, the writing team set about composing a song they would enter for the Eurovision Song Contest. The song they came up with was "

Save Your Kisses for Me "Save Your Kisses for Me" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed for the by Brotherhood of Man in The Hague, Netherlands. The lyrics and music were written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, and Martin Lee, the latter two ...

" and featured Lee on lead vocals. The song went on to win the Eurovision and made No.1 in several countries including the UK, where it became a million seller. Lee received three

Ivor Novello Awards The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...

for this composition. The group continued this run of success over the next three years with two more UK No.1 hits " Angelo" and " Figaro" - both co-written by Lee. Lee still performs with Brotherhood of Man today as they regularly tour the UK and appear on television throughout Europe.

Personal life

Martin Lee spent five years of his early life in Australia. His mother died when he was young and with his father, he returned to the UK. Soon after she joined the group in late 1973,

began a relationship with Lee, and they were living together by the time of their Eurovision win in 1976. Lee married Stevens in August 1979. They live in Surrey.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Martin 1949 births Living people English male singers People from Purley, London Eurovision Song Contest entrants for the United Kingdom Eurovision Song Contest winners Ivor Novello Award winners Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1976 Brotherhood of Man members