Marti Webb
b. 1944, Cricklewood, London, England. In 1963, at the age of 19, singer Marti Webb was ‘plucked from the chorus’ of the London production of Leslie Bricusseand Anthony Newley's hit musical, Stop the World—I Want To Get Off, to star opposite Tommy Steele, in HALF A SIXPENCE. In the subsequent 1967 film version she dubbed the singing voice of her replacement, actress Julia Foster. In 1965 Webb played Nancy in a national tour of Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, and re-created the role in a major West End revival in 1967. In the early '70s, Webb appeared in one of the in vogue ‘biblical’ musicals, GODSPELL, with a superior cast which included Jeremy Irons, David Essex and Julie Covington. She also featured in a musical adaptation of J.B. Priestley's THE GOOD COMPANIONS, with a score by André Previnand Johnny Mercer. Much better all round, was THE CARD, with songs by Tony Hatchand Jackie Trent, in which Webb impressed with her duet with Jim Dale on Opposite Your Smile, and the solo, I Could Be The One. It was in the '80s, however, that she came to prominence after successfully replacing Elaine Pagein EVITA. In 1980 she appeared in an invited concert and a television broadcast of a ‘song cycle’, TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, with a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Don Black. This spawned both a studio and television soundtrack album, and Webb took one of the show's songs, Take That Look Off Your Face into the UK Top 10. Two years later, when an expanded version of TELL ME ON A SUNDAY was joined with VARIATIONS to form the two part ‘theatrical concert’, SONG AND DANCE, Webb's 50 minute solo performance was hailed as a ‘remarkable tour de force’. She also took over various roles in other Lloyd Webber productions, including his longest-running British musical, CATS. Webb's singles included Didn't Mean To Fall In Love, Ready For Roses Now, Ben (UK Top 5), and three popular television themes: Always There from HOWARD'S WAY (UK Top 20); Someday Soon from THE ONEDIN LINE and a duet with Paul Joneson I Could Be So Good For You from MINDER. In 1991 Webb toured the UK and the Channel Islands with THE MAGIC OF THE MUSICALS, co-starring with television's OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS winner Mark Rattray.