Chronicle: Veteran songwriter and executive Martha Sharp passed away Dec. 11. She was 87. Sharp wrote three million-selling songs in the late '60s and released her own album on Monument in 1973. She joined Elektra in 1978 as a secretary to Jimmy Bowen, who promoted her to the A&R department. Sharp continued with Warner upon the labels' merger in 1983, where she was responsible for signing Randy Travis and Faith Hill. She rose to SVP/A&R before retiring in 1995. No services are planned.