Chris Martin - member of Coldplay

Born in Exeter on 2nd March 1977, Chris Martin is a member of the award winning group, Coldplay. His partner, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to their first baby, a girl named Apple, during May 2004. Chris is the eldest of five brothers and sisters, of whom, one sibling is a DJ and one a nurse. His parents live at Whitestone, near Exeter although his father originates from Countess Wear and is life president of the Countess Wear Cricket Club. His mother is a teacher and his father a chartered accountant and magistrate with interests in ADP & E Farmers, ADP being his initials.

Chris Martin's grandfather founded Martins Caravans near Clyst St George in 1929, which was sold by his father in 1999 to an employee for £8,825,000, adding £5 million to the family fortune, already acquired from the sale of land around Countess Wear. His grandfather was Sheriff of Exeter and in 1968, Mayor of Exeter. To reinforce the family's Conservative respectability, several of Chris Martin's cousins are grandchildren of Sir Winston Churchill through his Aunt Elizabeth's marriage to Julian Sandys, Churchill's grandson.

Martin started his education at the preparatory Exeter Cathedral School before moving on to the private Sherborne School in Dorset. Between 1990 and 1995 he was a member of a couple of school bands called Crises and the Rockin' Honkies. He met the other members of Coldplay, in the first week at University College, London in 1996. It was in January 1998 that they had their first 'official' practise session. Coldplay played a few gigs at the Cavern Club, Gandy Street during the late 1990's. Chris is associated with the FairTrade organisation, dedicated to fair prices for farmers in the third world. When Martin and Paltrow visit his parents, they have been known to visit the Royal Oak pub at Nadderwater for an alcohol-free drink, and Gwyneth has visited the Barnfield Theatre to see a performance by one of Chris' younger sisters.