Marva Whitney facts for kids

Marva Whitney (born Marva Ann Manning; May 1, 1944 – December 22, 2012) was an American funk singer. Many people called her "Soul Sister #1". She was known for her powerful and energetic voice. Fans often said she was one of the "rawest" and "brassiest" music divas.

Marva Whitney's Life and Music Career

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Marva Ann Manning was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on May 1, 1944. She started performing very young, at just three years old. She toured with her family's gospel group, the Manning Gospel Singers.

When she was 16, she joined another group called the Alma Whitney Singers. Two years later, she married Harry Olander Whitney. She began singing R&B music in 1963 in Kansas City. Marva also studied music in college. While working at a clothing factory, she kept performing in clubs and talent shows.

By the mid-1960s, she became the lead singer for a local group called Tommy (Gadson) & The Derbys. This group often opened shows for famous performers visiting Kansas City. In 1967, Marva left the group. She then joined the James Brown Revue as a featured singer.

Rising to Fame with James Brown

Marva Whitney recorded her first solo song, "Your Love Was Good To Me," in 1967. It was released by King Records. This song and two others that followed were not big hits at first.

She toured around the world with James Brown, visiting Europe, Asia, and Africa. In early 1968, James Brown helped her record a new song. This song was called "Unwind Yourself." It had a more funky sound.

Even though "Unwind Yourself" wasn't a chart-topper, it became very important later. Many artists used parts of it in their own songs. This is called sampling. For example, the 45 King used it in "The 900 Number." Then, DJ Kool used it in his hit song "Let Me Clear My Throat." Other artists like Sway and Mac Miller also sampled her work.

Chart Success and Later Career

Marva Whitney's first big hit was "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who to Sock It To)." This song was her answer to The Isley Brothers' hit "It's Your Thing." Her version reached number 19 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1969. It also made it to number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.

She had two more smaller hits: "Things Got To Get Better (Get Together)" and "I Made A Mistake Because It's Only You Pt. 1." She also recorded other popular songs like "If You Don't Work (You Can't Eat)."

Marva recorded three albums with James Brown as producer. These were Unwind Yourself (1968), Live and Lowdown at the Apollo (1969), and It's My Thing (1969). After recording many songs, Marva left James Brown's group around 1969 or 1970. She returned to Kansas City.

Later, she signed with T-Neck Records, which was the Isley Brothers' label. She also recorded songs for Forte Records. One of her most successful songs after leaving James Brown was "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear."

Marva took a break from recording for several years. She only performed locally in Kansas City. In the early 1980s, she joined a group called Coffee, Cream & Sugar. Later, she often performed with former James Brown band members. These included Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley. They were known as the JB Allstars.

Return to Music and Final Years

In 2006, Marva Whitney worked with DJ Pari from Germany and a Japanese funk band called Osaka Monaurail. They created a new song called "I Am What I Am." Osaka Monaurail played music similar to James Brown's style. The song sounded like her original recordings from 1969.

This collaboration led to two successful tours in Japan. They also released a full album, also titled "I Am What I Am." In 2007, 2008, and 2009, she toured Europe. She had many dedicated fans there.

In December 2009, Marva Whitney had a stroke while performing in Australia. She was at the Falls Festival. Her remaining tour dates were canceled. After recovering partially, she performed again in 2010.

Marva Whitney passed away on December 22, 2012, at her home. She was 68 years old. She died from problems related to pneumonia.

Discography

Album discography

Single discography on King Records

Single discography after King Records