Martha Wash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martha Wash
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Wash performing at Sommarkrysset, Gröna Lund in 2008
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| Birth name | Martha Elaine Wash |
| Born | December 28, 1953 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1975–present |
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Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter famous for her powerful voice. She first became known as one half of the singing duo Two Tons O' Fun, along with Izora Armstead. They sang backup for the disco star Sylvester on his hit song "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)".
Later, their own group, renamed The Weather Girls, became world-famous for the 1982 hit song "It's Raining Men". After the group broke up in 1988, Martha became a star in the world of house music. She has had fifteen number-one songs on the Billboard dance chart, earning her the nickname "The Queen of Clubland".
In the early 1990s, Martha Wash fought for an important change in the music industry. Some music groups used her powerful voice on their hit songs but didn't give her credit. Instead, models would lip-sync to her singing in music videos. Because of this, she wasn't paid correctly for her work on huge hits like "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)".
She took legal action to make sure she and other singers would always get credit for their work. Thanks to her, laws were passed that made it mandatory to list the real singer's name on CDs and in music videos. Rolling Stone magazine once called her "The Most Famous Unknown Singer of the '90s". In 2016, Billboard magazine named her the 58th most successful dance artist of all time.
Contents
Early Life
Martha Wash grew up in San Francisco, California. She sang in her high school choir, which was so good that they got to travel and perform in Europe. After high school, she joined a gospel group called NOW (News of the World).
Music Career
1976–1988: Two Tons O' Fun and The Weather Girls
In 1976, Martha Wash and her friend Izora Rhodes became backup singers for the disco artist Sylvester. They called themselves Two Tons O' Fun. They sang on his hit songs "Down, Down, Down" and "Dance (Disco Heat)", which became a number-one dance hit.
In 1979, the duo got their own record deal. They released their first album, Two Tons of Fun, in 1980. It had two hit dance singles, "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven" and "I Got the Feeling".
In 1982, they released the song "It's Raining Men". It was a massive success all over the world. Because the song was so popular, they changed their group's name to The Weather Girls. They released several albums together. In 1988, The Weather Girls broke up, and Martha started her solo career.
1989–1991: The Voice Behind the Hits
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Martha Wash's voice was on several huge dance hits, but many people didn't know it was her.
The Italian music group Black Box hired Martha to sing on some songs. They liked her voice so much that they used it on their hit singles "I Don't Know Anybody Else" and "Everybody Everybody". But in the music videos, a model named Katrin Quinol lip-synced to Martha's voice. Martha was not given any credit.
Around the same time, the group C+C Music Factory released the song "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)". The famous "Everybody dance now!" chorus was sung by Martha, but she was not credited. Another singer, Zelma Davis, lip-synced her part in the music video.
Martha took legal action against these groups for using her voice without giving her credit or payment. She won her cases. As a result, record companies had to add her name to the songs. This also led to new laws that protect singers and make sure they get credit for their work.
1992–1995: Solo Success
In 1993, Martha released her first solo album, Martha Wash. The first single, "Carry On", became a number-one dance hit in the United States. Her next single, "Give It to You", also went to number one on the dance chart.
After settling their lawsuit, C+C Music Factory asked Martha to officially join their group. In 1994, she recorded the song "Do You Wanna Get Funky" with them. It became another number-one dance hit.
1996–Present: A Lasting Career
Throughout the late 1990s, Martha continued to make hit music. She worked with producer Todd Terry on the number-one dance songs "Keep on Jumpin'" and "Something Goin' On (In Your Soul)". In 1998, she released The Collection, an album of her greatest hits and new songs.
In 2013, she released her second solo album, Something Good. She also appeared in the award-winning documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom, which told the stories of backup singers. In 2014, she worked with RuPaul on the song "Can I Get An Amen?".
In 2015, she formed a group called the First Ladies of Disco with other famous singers from the disco era, Evelyn "Champagne" King and Linda Clifford. They released the single "Show Some Love".
Her third album, Love & Conflict, was released in 2020. Martha Wash continues to record music and perform for her fans around the world.
Legacy and Impact
Martha Wash is known as "The Queen of Clubland" because she has had fifteen number-one hits on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart. Her powerful, soulful voice has influenced many artists, including RuPaul.
Her fight for vocal credits changed the music industry for the better. Because of her, it is now a rule that the real singers must be credited on albums and in music videos. This ensures that artists are recognized and paid fairly for their contributions.
In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Martha Wash at number 179 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Activism
Martha Wash is seen as a gay icon and has been a strong supporter of LGBT rights. She has said that the support from this community means the world to her.
She has also been an activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS for over 30 years. Her friend and mentor, Sylvester, passed away from the disease. She has helped raise money for organizations that provide support to people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Discography
Albums
- 1993: Martha Wash
- 2013: Something Good
- 2020: Love & Conflict
See also
In Spanish: Martha Wash para niños
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
