William G. Martin Biography
My
name is William G. Martin. The nickname (Billy) came
from the Yankees baseball club of New York City. For
your information I was born in the Bronx, the oldest
of five foster children, I was told by my grandmother
that my father passed when he was 18 years of age. My
mother in her youth could not care for us so I became
father and brother of the family along with my loving
uncle George who is four years my senior and brought
up by 'Fat
Momma' as
we affectionately called her.
You would think with a family that large, we could not
survive, but she managed to find a way, working as a
nurse's aide
at night and cleaning the church over the weekends, then
caring for us during the days. My grandfather to make ends
meet, worked in another state for a large drug company only
to see us on the weekends and holidays. My mother at this
time attended the Juilliard School of music, I guess
that's where
I got my gift of song. I remember singing in the Catholic
Church most of my young life, then in the Baptist faith
praising God with music and learning how to control my high
voice.
As time goes on which it always has, I met in junior high
school three extraordinary young gentlemen (who nicknamed
me Brother Peabody). Earl Woodard, Randy Armstrong and last
but not least, Bobby Singleton. These young men had a dream
that changed my life. The group was called
'A taste
of perfection'. We
sang Motown tunes and Philly sound tunes and everything
else played on the radio that was sweet. When we could not
work clubs, we put on our own shows in schools, churches,
community centers and any place that we could put on a
show. All of my junior high school years and into high
school, we worked on our craft singing in the project halls
and practicing in Bobby's
basement or Earl's living
room. As long as we were doing music we never got into
trouble, we never had the time. I learned music from
listening to 45 inch records, singing with my mother and
singing in church.
I learned how to meet girls with the fellows. My only other
influences were my good friend and brother, Louis Merrill,
his mother, his crazy sisters and his dad the real
'Mr.
T'. They
were my other family. You may never know how grateful I am
to have known you. When Mr. Cuba Gooding Sr. was singing by
Black Bird in Webster's
bowling ally talent shows and rap was born around the
corner in the Bronx with 'RUN
DMC' and
Curtis Blow and the guys. Who knew I was there, I knew you
then?
Now the only date I'll give
you is 1969, I was in the U.S. Marine Corp. and spent time
in Vietnam which makes me fifty plus,
that's all
you'll get.
Upon returning home, I spent ten years in the land of get
high, which nearly killed me. God in his wisdom blessed me
by allowing me to meet my Lord Jesus the Christ and I never
looked back. I returned to the church and began to teach
voice and sound control, co-directing with Mr. Robert
Singleton, yes the same one I grew up with singing in
churches around the tri-state NY area.
With a small group (the fellowship) and being married with
three children, it took a toll on my marriage, which ended
after 26 years. But I have been blessed with two married
daughters, Veonous and Leondra, and a son William Jr. and
to date three grandchildren. What's up
Will? In 1972 I did go back to school to complete my
education in technical engineering in office products.
After working with large corporations, I started my own
business in NY, then moved to East Orange, NJ. I met the
love of my life Lois Walker and married her. I also have
two adopted sons, John and Dominick. After opening a copier
store on Central Avenue in East Orange, who walks into my
store one day? None other than Mr. Reginald Haynes. I
joined the singing group you know as 'The
Legendary Escorts' and
worked for the next five years on what you see today.
We're still
here going on twenty years now with Mr.
La'Grant
Harris and R.P. Haynes. God has truly blessed us.
P.S. We still rehearse three times a week.
The rest is history...