Keith Martin, American R&B Crooner Who Made the Philippines His Home, Dies at 55

Keith Martin, the American R&B singer and songwriter best-known for his ballad “Because of You,” has died. He was 55 years old. 

The news was first reported by the social media page of record label Def Jam Philippines. There was no immediate information about the cause of death.

Music industry friends also posted messages of condolences, including singer Dunacan Ramos and radio DJ Rico Robles.

Martin, who is originally from Washington D.C., rose to prominence in the 1990s after he released his first single “Never Found Someone Like You,” which was included in the soundtrack to the blockbuster hit movie Bad Boys starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in 1995. The song made it to No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Martin quickly followed up that success with his first album, released the same year, called It’s Long Overdue. Working with established hitmakers like Michael McCary of Boyz II Men, John Oates of Hall & Oates, and Bobby Brown, Martin’s debut peaked at No. 82 on Billboard’s Top R&B and Hip-Hop albums.

The album spawned the single “Because of You,” which was a major hit in Asian countries, including the Philippines. It was included in a Best-Of album called All the Hits in 2003. Martin worked behind the scenes for much of the ‘90s and early 2000s, and made repeat visits to the Philippines where he eventually settled. He is also popular in Indonesia, where he lived for three years.

Martin worked as a producer in Manila and worked with several Filipino artists like Nina, Kyla, Gloc-9, Gary V., Jake Zyrus, and many others. He also released several albums in the Philippines, including Love of My Life (2004), I’m Not Alone (2005), and Let Me Take Control (2007). In 2019, he posted in his Facebook page that he started working as a songwriter and producer at local label Polyeast Records.

But undeniably, Filipinos will best remember Martin for “Because of You,” a song that has become so popular it’s a staple videoke number in nearly every street corner. Martin also performed that song in countless live production numbers and television appearances. In an interview, Martin said he first performed it while singing for a choir in Philadelphia. A sound guy recorded him performing the song and it began circulating within the community, before he eventually included it in his debut album.

“Good music is good music,” he said in an interview with The Freeman. “And if it translates to people, and they relate to it, they give it to you back.”