This is a true diva. Other than her solo work, she was the featured vocalist for:

Two Tons Of Fun
The Weather Girls
Blackbox
C&C Music Factory

She also does the backup vocals on "Centipede" by Rebbie Jackson.

Her duet with Luther Vandross on "I Who Have Nothing" is great too.

I love Martha Wash. One of the best voices ever. It's loud and powerful. Usually someone with a voice like her's usually sticks to ballads but Martha puts out those jams and throws down!

"Takin' Over" is the song!!! love me some Martha Wash!!

along with her other work, C&C, Blackbox, etc...i'd recommend the following two as well.

self titled album:

"Carry On"

and the collection: witch includes her hits with the above mentioned acts.

"God Bless The Road" , "Keep On Jumpin'"(with Jocelyn Brown), etc...

She is a treasure in the world of music.

Every time i hear her solo on "you are my friend" by Sylvester, i get chills!!! You can hear the audience going crazy, she can SING

Here, here!!!!!

Yet another artist that does not get the props she deserves.

Love me some Martha.

I love her work with Sylvester. Izora Rhodes was getting down on that song also. Those girls were great.

Yeah Izora REALLY doesn't get enough props! I was very into Martha but her solo CD was kind of boring to me, and then all that dance remix stuff starts to sound the same after a while.

You Are My Friend (my f avroite Patti song to begin wtih) is the best with them.
Also, it's Raining Men has amazing vocal arrangements.

Yeah, Slyvester and those girls really turned that song out and kind of made it their own.

vainandy said:

I saw the "new" Weather Girls (Izora and her Daughter) live in the 90's at The Supper Club in NY and they did it then like with Sylvester.

Didn't Izora pass away recently? I would have loved to have heard more from her.

In researching a play I am writing about Sylvester James, I had the pleasure of interviewing Izora Rhodes in 2003. She was living in Germany and was re-tooling the Weather Girls (now with her daughter). She was a very nice lady and you are right -- the woman can sang!

I asked about the possibility of reuniting with Martha, and she replied that no American record label would let them reunite as their former namesakes to do new material. She also said Martha didn't want to tour as just a nostalgic group, because Martha had a lot of solo material she wanted to put-out under her own contract. She said between Martha's solo outings and working on her record, it was difficult to tour as the Weeather Girls here... but that she had some gigs with Martha in Europe. (There was a Dutch version of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" they were looking forward to. Unfortunately, they lost.) Izora said she decided to pass the "torch" on to her daughter. Sadly, the next year, Ms. Rhodes died.

As for interviewing Martha, she writes back with words of encouragement (through her website) but has yet to send back any answers to questions, confirmations, or available times to actually do a formal interview. I'm not giving up though! She was in Flagstaff for Gay Pride (believe it or not) this summer and I was able to get her personal address. I'm sure she's a busy woman.

purpleunderground said:

That's interesting to hear that you're writing about Sylvester.

That's said to hear about Izora. I said a prayer for her.

It's a shame the music industry did not give someone with such an amazing talent more exposure. I remember seeing The Weather Girls perform "It's Raining Men" on Joan Rivers' talk show or Johnny Carson when she hosted it and to see them do it live was truly a sight to see and hear. The vocal harmonies are so beautiful.

I actually prefer Izor's voice to Martha's.

ON the way to work IRG came on my iPod. Most people think of the song as kitcsch but it's actually a great gospel-sounding arrangement.

there was this mix of "Carry on" mixed by Maw.. that was Hawwwwwt dont think it ever got released tho'

I was watching Martha's "Catch the Light" just last week. That song just makes me want to dance but the message is fantastic.

Martha is performing at a club in California on New Year's Eve.


http://www.rhythm-lounge.com/events.php

wow...i didnt even know about her work with sylvester. any songs i should check out? i'm a huge fan of her solo stuff, though i'm not sure i even have all of that. i only have her solo album from 91 or 92 and her greatest hits compilation. i could listen to her sing all day.

A true musical hero

Everybody everybody....

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

co -

It feels like someone opens your mouth, reaches in, and snatches out your vocal chords.

CinisterCee said:

You know how lonely 1 can feel?

Did anyone catch Martha perform and interview on Entertainment Tonight, last night? She sang "It's Raining Men". She has also lost close to 70lbs and is looking great.

They also spoke to Cheryl Lynn, Evelyn Champagne King, and Thelma Houston, but Martha was the only one who performed. Cheryl did a couple of vocal effects in the Studio, and they show Thelma performing at a recent ET Christmas Party. Oh yeah, they also spoke to Anita Ward who is now living in Memphis.

VelvetJ said:

Man I wish I had seen that! I love all of those performers!

What do u mean by "vocal effects"?

And what are they all doing now? More details please

GaryMF said:

What I meant about "vocal effects" was she was hitting a couple of notes to demonstrate how she came up with a couple of her hits. She was also doing it to show she still had it .

They are all pretty much still performing, albeit smaller nostolgic type of gigs. The only person that I think pretty much doesn't perform anymore is Anita Ward.

Martha's video with Rupaul:

http://www.youtube.com/w/...er%20girls