Carry On: Martha Wash & Izora Armstead

A new 4 disc box set couples the duo's catalog as The Weather Girls & Martha Wash's solo debut together in a display of the far-reaching influence of gospel music. Today, we'll look at those roots.

On Friday, Carry On: The Deluxe Collection (1982-1992), a four disc box set that includes The Weather Girls three albums with Sony (which includes their 1982 #1 Dance hit, “It’s Raining Men”) and the stunning solo debut of the group’s Martha Wash will be released in the United States by Cherry Red Records. You can pre-order here!

The package was compiled and produced by Adam Mattera and includes a whopping 22 bonus tracks. Liner notes were written by yours truly—a 7800 word essay—which includes brand new quotes from interviews for this collection with Martha Wash, Dynelle Rhodes (daughter of Izora Armstead who continues The Weather Girls brand today), Bowlegged Lou and Paul Anthony of Full Force, producer/songwriters Eric Beall and Brian Alexander Morgan, celebrity photographer Len Prince, and more!

Today, I wanted to highlight Martha and Izora’s earliest recordings in gospel which pre-date the beginnings of their collaboration with the iconic Sylvester, which set them off on their career together as, initially, The Two Tons o’ Fun.

This take on Rev. Charles Craig’s “He’ll Fight My Battles,” a duet with Warren Donell Hickman recorded in 1972, is believed to be Izora’s first recording. Izora served as the group’s pianist (she was a classically trained musician, by the way!) and Martha would record with the group as well in 1974.

Martha Wash’s first recordings were as part of the groundbreaking Polytechnic High School Choir (something I write about in more detail in the liner notes). Many thanks to Milik Kashad of the Black Music Archive for finding this recording and sharing it with the world on YouTube.

In 1977—the same year Martha and Izora first recorded with Sylvester—Izora recorded with the Clinton Logan Co. “Come See About Me” is one of two songs Izora led on the album—-and trust me—-you will want to take two minutes and fifty seconds to listen!

Martha and Izora carried the gospel spirit into the entirety of their work together in the feeling and the practicality. Gospel talents like Eric Robinson (co-writer of Sylvester’s “Dance (Disco Heat)” but also James Cleveland’s “Wonderful Counselor,” and Henry Jackson’s “Such As I Have”), Josh Albert Hailey (composer of James Cleveland’s “Give It To Me” and Isaac Douglas and New York Community Choir’s “Until You Come Again”), songwriter/musician Charlene Moore (from multiple Gospel Music Workshop of America recordings) and Carl Hall (of the Raymond Rasberry Singers) would all contribute to their ‘secular’ output through the years, brilliantly aiding the blurring of the lines between the sacred and the so-called secular.

Carry On: The Deluxe Collection (1982-1992) pays homage and deep attention to these two women whose contributions have yet to be adequately celebrated and acknowledged.

_________________________________________________

In line with conversation about the sacred and the secular, my friend Milik Kashad and I collaborated on a project that went live this week on his incredible Black Music Archive channel on YouTube. It highlights the circular influence of gospel, gay culture and dance music. The Weather Girls are one of the groups who displayed this so unabashedly, so the timing of the release of this mini-doc and The Weather Girls box set seems fortuitous. I’m grateful to Milik for extending this invitation and for his incredibly important work.

If you want to contribute to the work that is happening here, I encourage you to either become a paid subscriber or contribute to the GoFundMe that I’ve set up for the New York Community Choir book!

You can also contribute via CashApp. I am grateful for your support!