With heavy heart  I must announce that my dear friend, producer/songwriter/ pinball wizard Mandi Martin passed away peacefully and quietly on April 30.  

For those unfamiliar with Mandi, here are a few excerts from her website:

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Veteran music producer/singer/songwriter MANDI MARTIN has made a career out of making —and breaking— records.

( But not just the kind you listen to… )

The former Columbia, RCA and Epic recording artist — who produced and sold her first record in the early ’60s when she was still in high school — just happens to be the reigning Guinness World Record holder at pinball endurance.

MARTIN was indoctrinated to the game in the early ’70s by some of its most avid players: Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser, and Tennessee DJ Captain Midnight, who would face off in the wee hours of the night between writing and recording sessions while she was a staff songwriter for ABC Music Publishing (MCA) in Nashville.

The trio taught her the nuances of flipper control, and she soon began showing them how to play all night on a single quarter.

Her pinball prowess followed her to Los Angeles in the mid-’70s, where she set a new Guinness pinball-playing world record in 1978 with a time of 140 hours and 32 minutes.

Within a few months that record had been broken, until MARTIN struck back in 1979, turning in a 505-hour performance that stood for 21 years, until — incredibly — MARTIN broke her record again in March 2000. She holds the current Guinness World record at 555 hours, 55, minutes, and 55 seconds of continuous pinball play.

Martin’s amazing pinball endurance mirrors the success and longevity of her career in the music industry…

Mandi Martin began her professional music career in 1961 when, as a senior at Montebello (CA) High School, she wrote, produced, sang, and sold the record “Picture of Love”/”Then You’ll Know I Care” to American Records.

While still a student, she graduated to singing background with industry giants Sam Cooke and Ricky Nelson, Jan & Dean, Chad & Jeremy, Barry Goldberg, Johnny Rivers, The Seeds, Brian Wilson and Jimmy Buffett among other greats.

Before the decade was over, she’d managed Tangerine Music Publishing for Ray Charles (who taught her how to engineer and honed her production skills); and, as an artist, had signed recording contracts with Candix, Columbia, RCA, and Epic.

In 1971, MARTIN landed on the country charts with her self-penned / self-produced “Nice Girl” on Prince Records. By this point in her career, the songstress’ tunes had been published by some of the biggest names in Nashviille and L.A.: Pat Boone‘s Cooga Mooga Music, Al Gallico, April-Blackwood, Almo/Irving, and Criterion.

While under contract as the first signed staff songwriter for ABC Music (MCA) in Nashville, MARTIN relocated to Los Angeles in 1973, and began producing country, folk and R&B artists, including veteran Len Chandler and newcomer Oleta Adams.

Beginning in 1974, MARTIN began her tenure serving on the boards of several music industry associations and non-profits. She served for 23 years as:

- Co-producer, Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase (LASS), an internationally renowned organization that showcased many top songwriters (including Dianne Warren, Alan O’Day, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham)

- Co-producer, 23 annual Songwriter Expos, the flagship event of LASS

- Associate editor, Songwriters Musepaper, the monthly trade publication of LAS

- President, Organization of Women in Music (1978-79)

- Board of Governors, The Recording Academy (Los Angeles Chapter), which annually bestows the prestigious GRAMMY® Awards (10 years)

- Board of Directors, LAWIM (Los Angeles Women in Music)

In 1982, MARTIN married the love of her life, pioneering holographer Jerry Fox. Thirteen years and one day after their wedding, he suddenly collapsed and died on June 28, 1995. Since Fox’s passing, MARTIN has remained ever-active in the music community, whose members she credits with helping her cope during her time of mourning.

In 1997, MARTIN formed Mandi Martin Productions and re-focused her music career toward music production, songwriting, and (in her weakest moments!) artist management.

Kat Ellis, Mandi Martin, and Toni Koch

(Kat-Man-To)