▁Martin elli ▁( born ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 5 2 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁R & B ▁and ▁pop ▁record ▁producer . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁many ▁R & B ▁and ▁pop ▁music ▁artists , ▁some ▁of ▁them ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁UK . ▁Act s ▁he ▁has ▁worked ▁with ▁include ▁Lo ose ▁End s , ▁Ph yll is ▁H yman , ▁Five ▁Star , ▁Steph anie ▁M ills ▁and ▁Regin a ▁Belle . ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁Martin elli ▁cut ▁his ▁teeth ▁as ▁a ▁te en ager ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁in ▁the ▁Ch ips ▁w are house , ▁an ▁independent ▁record ▁distrib utor ▁for ▁Mot own . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁w are house ▁manager ▁as ▁he ▁developed ▁an ▁understanding ▁of ▁distribution ▁and ▁ret ail ▁sales . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Mot own ▁reward ed ▁Nick ' s ▁dil ig ence ▁by ▁giving ▁him ▁additional ▁respons ib ilities ▁handling ▁dance ▁promotion ▁for ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁region ▁covering ▁the ▁territory ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁Washington . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁clubs ▁that ▁Martin elli ▁found ▁an ▁out let ▁to ▁express ▁himself ▁cre atively — be hind ▁the ▁tur nt ables . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁WM OT ▁Records ▁h ired ▁him ▁for ▁a ▁national ▁sales ▁position , ▁transition ing ▁to ▁an ▁A & R ▁position ▁a ▁year ▁later . ▁This ▁enabled ▁him ▁to ▁sign ▁and ▁develop ▁new ▁talent ▁on ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁scene ▁at ▁the ▁time .