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"I stand alone in the eye of the
storm. Pressures all around, tryin' to wear me down. But
it's alright, I won't give up the fight. I said, 'Lord,
lift me up!' Let me rise above. Nobody's gonna take my pride,
I won't stop, I will not be denied - I carry on!".
True words from the legendary Martha Wash.
Like many artists, Martha has felt the ups
and downs of the rollercoaster-like music industry. From
being the uncredited powerhouse vocalist behind C+C Music
Factory's classic "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody
Dance Now)", to seeing her debut solo single "Carry
On" reach the #1 spot - in her own name - Martha has
unquestionably made her mark in music history.
Beginning her musical journey in the late
70's as one half of the disco group Two Tons of Fun, Martha
found herself singing with the incomparable Sylvester. Twenty-some
years later, fans still speak of how extravagant and over
the top their shows were! Sylvester's falsetto rang loud
and clear over the massive band sound while swooping through
the horn and guitar sounds. The Two Tons added the icing
on the cake with their booming vocal harmonies.
In the early 80's, the Two Tons proudly declared,
"Hi, we're your Weather Girls" and a new talent
emerged onto the scene. As part of the Weather Girls, Martha
scored a Grammy Nomination for a song that was destined
to become a cult classic. Yes, “It's Raining Men”
– the original version that confirmed it was time
to leave your umbrellas at home, rip off the roof and stay
in bed. Martha continued to sing with the Weather Girls
until the late 80's when she felt it was time to move on
to the next tenure of her career.
Into the early 90's, Martha became one of
the most sought after session singers and soon found herself
recording for numerous acts - Seduction and C+C Music Factory
to name a few. From "You're My One and Only (True Love)"
to the already mentioned "Everybody Dance Now",
Martha was all over radio airwaves and had club-goers moving
to her distinct vocal styling.
However, riding high on the charts soon found
turmoil for Martha. Her lead vocals on five singles helped
to put the group Black Box on the music map. "Everybody
Everybody", "I Don't Know Anybody Else" and
"Strike It Up" were among their biggest hits –
all of which still receive airplay some 15 years later.
However, as this new era of dance music set in, she saw
herself being replaced in music videos and promotional pictures
by a “more marketable image”. Martha eventually
received the recognition that was way overdue. Nevertheless,
many wondered if she could really make it on her own. A
challenge Martha was up for - she was about to prove that
she was destined for solo success!
In 1993, Martha took control of her voice
with her first solo, self-titled project. The CD, "Martha
Wash", produced three #1 dance singles. "Carry
On", "Give It To You", and "Runaround"
all sky rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts. Martha
appeared on numerous television shows to promote the album,
including The Arsenio Hall Show where she opened the night
singing "Everybody Dance Now". There was no longer
any doubt what had made earlier groups so successful. It
wasn't the “more marketable image” but rather
Martha's incredible sound.
Todd Terry knew from day one that the way
to have a hit song was to have a good melody, good lyrics,
and a great voice, so in 1997 he called upon Martha and
teamed her up with Jocelyn Brown. Their immense talents
helped take his "Keep On Jumping" and "Something's
Going On" singles to the number one spot. Having hit
singles with her own name attached was something that Martha
was now beginning to grow accustomed to and it wasn't going
to stop there.
Success continued to follow Martha with her
second solo CD in 1997. “The Collection” featured
highlights from her twenty year long career as well as new
singles, "Come", "Catch The Light",
and "It's Raining Men...The Sequel" which featured
Martha singing alongside Rupaul.
Martha then collaborated in 2000 with Small
Voices Calling on their “Sounds Of A Better World”
CD - a project that would benefit a variety of charities
which find innovative ways of supporting children in their
environment. "Listen To The People" saw her riding
high on the charts once again and captured audiences worldwide
with its' positive message of hope and inspiration.
Martha's most current project is one that is extremely close
to her heart. In 2004, she began her own record company,
Purple Rose Records, and immediately saw the first single,
"You Lift Me Up" soar high into the top 5 on Billboard
Magazine's Club Play Chart. She is currently recording material
for her upcoming project which she says will be "inspirational
and uplifting".
It's been a long and bumpy road for Martha,
however, she continues to spread a positive message to unite
people worldwide. Whether she is belting out a house groove
or delivering a church-inspired gospel piece, you can be
sure that her music will capture your attention and take
it's place in music history.
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