Izora Armstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Izora Armstead
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Izora M. Rhodes |
| Also known as | Izora Redman |
| Born | July 6, 1942 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | September 16, 2004 (aged 62) San Leandro, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Disco · house · R&B · post disco · soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1975–2004 |
| Labels | eastwest, Columbia |
| Associated acts | The Weather Girls, Sylvester |
Izora Rhodes-Armstead (born July 6, 1942 – died September 16, 2004) was an American singer and songwriter. She was famous for her deep, powerful voice. Izora first became well-known as half of the group Two Tons O' Fun. They sang backup for the disco singer Sylvester.
After getting their own record deal, Two Tons O' Fun released three popular songs. These songs all reached number 2 on the dance music charts. In 1982, the duo changed their name to The Weather Girls. This happened after they released their huge hit song, "It's Raining Men". This song made them famous in pop music. As The Weather Girls, they released five albums. They also sang on many of Sylvester's albums.
The Weather Girls stopped performing together in 1988. Izora Armstead then released a solo song called "Don't Let Love Slip Away" in 1991. Later in 1991, she started The Weather Girls again with her daughter, Dynelle Rhodes. Dynelle had been one of the group's backup singers. Over the next ten years, they released three more albums: Double Tons of Fun (1993), Think Big! (1995), and Puttin' On The Hits (1999).
Izora Armstead passed away on September 16, 2004, from heart problems in San Leandro, California.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Izora M. Rhodes was born on July 6, 1942, in Houston, Texas. Her family moved to San Francisco, California, when she was a child. She started playing the piano when she was just four years old. By age eight, she began singing.
Izora later became the main singer and pianist for the San Francisco Inspirational Choir. She studied classical music at the San Francisco Conservatory. Her favorite singers were Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward. She looked up to them for inspiration.
By 1975, Izora Rhodes was a single parent raising seven children. To support her family, she worked as a bartender and a nurse assistant. She also taught piano and singing lessons. In 1976, Izora married and changed her last name to Armstead. She later joined a gospel music group called N.O.W. (News of the World). Her friend Martha Wash was also in this group.
Music Career
Working with Sylvester and Two Tons O' Fun (1976–1981)
In February 1976, Izora's friend Martha Wash tried out to be a backup singer for American singer-songwriter Sylvester. Sylvester was very impressed with Martha's singing. He asked if she knew another talented singer. Martha then introduced him to Izora Rhodes.
Sylvester simply called them "the girls." But Wash and Rhodes formed their own music group called Two Tons O' Fun. They first sang backup for Sylvester on his third album, Sylvester, released in 1977. The duo sang on the album's songs "Down, Down, Down" and "Over and Over." These songs reached number eighteen on the Billboard Dance chart.
In 1978, Sylvester released his fourth album, Step II. The Two Tons also sang backup on this album. The song "Dance (Disco Heat)" was the first song from the album to be released. It featured The Two Tons and became their first song to reach number one on the Billboard Dance chart. In 1979, Two Tons O' Fun sang on Sylvester's live album Living Proof. Later that year, the duo got their own record deal with Fantasy Records.
On January 24, 1980, the duo released their first album, Two Tons of Fun. This album had two popular dance songs: "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven" and "I Got the Feeling." Their second album, Backatcha, came out later that year. A song from that album, "I Depend On You," reached number seventy-two on the Dance chart.
Becoming The Weather Girls (1982–1988)
In September 1982, the duo released their song "It's Raining Men". This song became their biggest hit. It reached number one on the Dance chart. It also reached number forty-six on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Because of how popular the song was, Two Tons O' Fun changed their group name to The Weather Girls.
On January 22, 1983, they released their third album, Success. The song "Success" was released as the second single. It reached number eighty-nine on the R&B chart. In 1985, The Weather Girls released their fourth album, Big Girls Don't Cry. In 1988, they released their self-titled album The Weather Girls. This was the last album featuring both Izora Armstead and Martha Wash. Soon after, The Weather Girls stopped performing together.
Solo Work and New Weather Girls (1989–2004)
After The Weather Girls broke up, Izora Armstead had a short solo career. She toured by herself, singing songs from The Weather Girls. In 1991, she released a solo song called "Don't Let Love Slip Away."
After a three-year break, Izora Armstead started The Weather Girls again. This time, her daughter Dynelle Rhodes joined her. They moved to Germany in 1991. Their first album together, Double Tons of Fun, came out in 1993. The main song from the album, "Can You Feel It," reached number two on Billboard's Dance chart. It also reached number 75 on Germany's music chart. Another song from the album, "We Shall All Be Free," reached number 80 on Germany's music chart.
Their next album, Think Big!, was released in December 1995. Izora Armstead helped write several songs on this album. The album also included a new version of Sylvester's 1979 disco hit "Stars." They sang this song as a duet with Scottish pop singer Jimmy Somerville.
In 1999, The Weather Girls released their eighth album, Puttin' On The Hits. This album had many popular disco songs that they sang in their own style. In 2002, they joined the Disco Brothers to compete in the German National Final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song was "Get Up." The group finished in thirteenth place.
Later Years and Passing
Izora Armstead's last recorded song was "Big Brown Girl" with The Weather Girls. It was released in 2004. In August 2004, Izora returned to California for treatment for heart problems. In mid-September 2004, she was admitted to San Leandro Hospital as her health got worse.
On September 16, 2004, Izora Armstead passed away from heart problems. She was 62 years old. She was survived by her seven children. Her funeral was held at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in San Francisco, California. She was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.
Legacy and Impact
By 2004, Izora Armstead's voice had been part of three number-one dance hits. These included "Dance (Disco Heat)" (1978) and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" (1978) with Sylvester. Her song "It's Raining Men" with The Weather Girls was also a number one hit.
Her song "It's Raining Men" was ranked number thirty-five on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Dance Songs in 2000. It was also number thirty-five on their list of 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 1980s in 2009.
Izora Armstead's daughter, Dynelle Rhodes, received the rights to The Weather Girls name. Dynelle added a new member, Ingrid Arthur, to The Weather Girls. They performed as a tribute to Izora Armstead. The Weather Girls' album "Totally Wild" (2005) was dedicated to Izora. In 2012, Dynelle replaced Ingrid Arthur with Dorrey Lin Lyles.
On September 14, 2014, a Broadway musical called "Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical" opened in New York City. This musical was about Sylvester. Izora Armstead's character was shown in the musical. Actress Anastacia McCleskey played her.
Discography
- Singles
- 1991: "Don't Let Love Slip Away"
See also
In Spanish: Izora Armstead para niños
