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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Passing of 'Weather Girl' -Izora Armstead
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Thread started 09/18/04 1:52am

agotajonesmart
ha

Passing of 'Weather Girl' -Izora Armstead

sad sad sad

Disco Diva Izora Armstead Dies

Fri Sep 17,10:31 PM ET

By Michael Paoletta

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Izora Rhodes Armstead, one-half of disco/pop acts the Weather Girls and Two Tons O' Fun, died Thursday (Sept. 16) at San Leandro Hospital, near Oakland, Calif.



The cause was heart failure. Her age is not known.


Armstead began her career as a backup singer for disco artist Sylvester, along with her future music partner Martha Wash. They lent vocals to four Sylvester albums, including the 1978 Fantasy Records set "Step II," which spawned two No. 1 Billboard club hits: "Dance (Disco Heat)" and "(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real." The former was also a top-20 hit on the Hot 100, while the latter reached the top 40.


In 1979, Armstead and Wash left Sylvester to record as Two Tons O' Fun. Honey/Fantasy released two albums by the duo, "Two Tons O' Fun" (1980) and "Backatcha." The pair's debut included such now-classic dancefloor hits as "I Got the Feeling," "Just Us," "Do You Wanna Boogie, Hunh?" and "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven."


In the early '80s, without a label to call home, Armstead and Wash regrouped as the Weather Girls and signed with Columbia Records.


The duo scored a global smash with "It's Raining Men," which spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1982. A follow-up single, "No One Can Love You More Than Me," was an underground club hit. After three albums, the Weather Girls were dropped by Columbia, and Armstead and Wash, while remaining friends, went their separate musical ways.


Armstead moved to Frankfurt, Germany, 15 years ago. It was there that she formed a new version of the Weather Girls with her daughter Dynell Rhodes. In addition to nonstop touring, the mother/daughter act recorded a handful of albums for WEA Germany, including "Double Tons of Fun" in 1994.


Last month, Armstead returned to the Bay Area to undergo treatment for heart-related problems. She is survived by a sister, Laversa, seven children and several grandchildren.


Reuters/Billboard

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Reply #1 posted 09/18/04 4:47am

Rhondab

sad
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Reply #2 posted 09/18/04 7:54am

Dancelot

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pray

rose rose rose rose rose rose rose rose rose rose
Vanglorious... this is protected by the red, the black, and the green. With a key... sissy!
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Reply #3 posted 09/18/04 8:08am

Harlepolis

"Its Raining Day" was the 1st video my eyes eva laid on. It was the 1st song I eva danced to when I was 3 yrs old(according to my mama).

R.I.P. Izora, may allah have mercy on your soul sad
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Reply #4 posted 09/18/04 8:21am

RipHer2Shreds

sad Very sad...
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Reply #5 posted 09/18/04 8:23am

TheRealFiness

Harlepolis said:

"Its Raining Day" was the 1st video my eyes eva laid on. It was the 1st song I eva danced to when I was 3 yrs old(according to my mama).

R.I.P. Izora, may allah have mercy on your soul sad



and its called "its raining men"
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Reply #6 posted 09/18/04 8:31am

meltwithu

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Sylvester, then Izora...I hope Martha Wash will be around forever.
No one can love you more than me..is the shizzit!!
you look better on your facebook page than you do in person hmph!
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Reply #7 posted 09/18/04 8:43am

Harlepolis

TheRealFiness said:

Harlepolis said:

"Its Raining Day" was the 1st video my eyes eva laid on. It was the 1st song I eva danced to when I was 3 yrs old(according to my mama).

R.I.P. Izora, may allah have mercy on your soul sad



and its called "its raining men"


redface boxed

And thanx for embarrassing the shit outta me, old man mad
[Edited 9/18/04 8:44am]
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Reply #8 posted 09/18/04 8:48am

agotajonesmart
ha

It's a shame isn#t it...*sigh*.....real shame..

I saw her perform on tv a couple o'months ago, with her daughter...on a so-called "comeback show"... she seemed to be fine sad
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Reply #9 posted 09/18/04 11:05am

UptownDeb

Oh no.... ("Just Us" is my jam!) R.I.P. Ms. Armstead.
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Reply #10 posted 09/18/04 12:30pm

VinnyM27

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Very sad. I really hope that Martha watches herself. This is going to influence me to lose some weight.
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Reply #11 posted 09/18/04 12:58pm

Marrk

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Maybe if she wasn't so disgustingly obese, she'd still be alive.
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Reply #12 posted 09/18/04 2:18pm

abierman

A sincere R.I.P. to her.....but somebody please ban that dreadful ' It's Raining Men' from all airwaves!
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Reply #13 posted 09/18/04 3:01pm

AnckSuNamun

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Marrk said:

Maybe if she wasn't so disgustingly obese, she'd still be alive.


Now, my sense of humor is kinda twisted...but damn that's a horrible way to say somethin'. Even though you probably mean well.
rose looking for you in the woods tonight rose Switch FC SW-2874-2863-4789 (Rum&Coke)
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Reply #14 posted 09/18/04 3:03pm

AnckSuNamun

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abierman said:

A sincere R.I.P. to her.....but somebody please ban that dreadful ' It's Raining Men' from all airwaves!



nooooo....that song ain't goin' nowhere. biggrin
rose looking for you in the woods tonight rose Switch FC SW-2874-2863-4789 (Rum&Coke)
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Reply #15 posted 09/18/04 6:46pm

CalhounSq

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WOW sad Hadn't heard anything about this cry
heart prince I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it prince heart
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Reply #16 posted 09/18/04 7:04pm

Supernova

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Marrk said:

Maybe if she wasn't so disgustingly obese, she'd still be alive.

You taking over for Aaron?
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #17 posted 09/29/04 8:14pm

vainandy

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Marrk said:

Maybe if she wasn't so disgustingly obese, she'd still be alive.


That's a truly fucked up thing to say. Food is an addiction just like everything else.
Andy is a four letter word.
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Reply #18 posted 09/29/04 8:26pm

tritoncin

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i'm SORRY BUT....


Harlepolis said:

hah! "Its Raining Day" was the 1st video my eyes eva laid on. It was the 1st song I eva danced to when I was 3 yrs old(according to my mama).

R.I.P. Izora, may allah have mercy on your soul sad
"America is a continent..."
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