User:RuthMcAlistar/sandbox/Lee Martin (Musician/singer/songwriter)

Lee Martin Musician


Lee Martin (singer/songwriter) Marlene Scheepers (maiden name Buitendag), better known as Lee Martin (born 27 July 1982 in a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa), is a New Zealand based singer/songwriter/guitarist best known for her single "I know you're sleeping", released in 2008. Lee Martin released three studio albums I Know you're sleeping (2008) and Late Night Sessions (2016). Her third studio album, was the first album she recorded with her band Southern Soul which was released in 2006 but the band split up soon after. Martin's music received ample radio play for her songs "I know you're sleeping" and "Head on my shoulders" on major South African radio stations before she moved to New Zealand in 2010.

Early Life: Martin is the youngest of two children born to Kobus Buitendag and Marina Steenkamp Cronje, both South African, from Dutch and French decent. Her father, Kobus, has his own Town Planning firm, and her mother Marina was a high school teacher. Lee grew up in Kempton Park, Johannesburg and went to Edleen Primary and Jeugland High School. She has one sister, Antoinette van der Merwe, a lawyer, who is still in South Africa. Lee took up classical guitar at the age of 9 and her finger style of playing is part of what captivates her audiences today. Her Mother and Father (divorced when she was 1) are both musical but her passion for music was born out of her Father's diverse musical collection. Weekends visiting him was spent listening to greats such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Dire Straits and Pink Floyd from her Father's music collection greatly influenced her taste and style in music. She wrote her first song at age 10.

Personal Life: Martin moved to Wellington, New Zealand in 2010 after she married on 23 October 2010 to Charl Scheepers, changing her name to Scheepers. "Lee Martin" has remained her stage name for her career. In April 2011, Martin announced she was pregnant with their first child. A son, Joshua Scheepers was born 10 January 2012. Their second son, Ethan Scheepers was born 6 March 2014. Martin currently lives in Christchurch New Zealand where is actively performing and recording her music.

Education: After finishing school Lee went to the University of Pretoria (TUKS) where she completed her Bachelors in Consumer Science, Clothing and Retail Management (2001-2004). It is here that she met fellow students Zanda Traut and Jonathan Brueton and they formed the band Southern Soul. After completing her first degree she went on to study Graphic design (2005-2007). In 2008 she completed her post graduate Certificate in Education at the University of Pretoria and went on to teach High School Accounting and Business studies at Clapham High School in Pretoria. In 2009 she completed Psychology modules through the University of South Africa towards qualifying for her Masters in Music Therapy (this is yet to be completed). In 2016 Martin received her diploma in Interior Design through the Interior Design Institute in New Zealand.

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