Member-only story
The Invisible History of Plus-Sized Black Women In Music
Before women like Lizzo and Brittany Howard were getting their shine, Martha Wash and others before them struggled to be properly credited
While Martha Wash may not be a household name, the San Francisco native’s dynamic pipes are instantly recognizable to musicophiles. During her ’80s and ’90s heydays, Wash was bestowed with the moniker “The Queen Of Clubland,” thanks to a staggering accumulation of 12 #1 singles on the Billboard Dance Charts, and one #1 on the Hot 100. Originally a member of funk superstar Sylvester’s background duo, the cheekily named Two Tons O’ Fun, Wash — along with the late Izora Armstead — rose to fame during their transition into The Weather Girls, who garnered a Grammy nomination in 1983 for their soulful, post-disco cult hit “It’s Raining Men.”
Although she had a strict, gospel-heavy childhood, her teenage rebelliousness found her “sneaking 45s” of rock, R&B, and big band artists into her backpack. “I learned to appreciate different genres of music, you know, and that kept me going,” Wash, now 66, tells ZORA of exposing herself to various styles, which likely contributed to her versatility. She’s provided background vocals from rock singer-songwriter Bob Seger (“Like a Rock”) to the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin (“Freeway of Love”).
Her steady rise as a musical force to be reckoned with continued in the early ’90s, when she started recording demos for The Weather Girls’ musical director David Cole, while he worked as one-half of a new production duo called C+C Music Factory. However, these demos started a chain of events that would alter the course of the powerhouse’s career.
Wash’s full vocals were featured on “(You’re My One and Only) True Love” by then-girl group Seduction, for whom Cole was producing. Although her showstopping pipes were front-and-center, she was only credited as a “backing vocalist” on the track. Soon after, she was called to record with Italian house group Black Box for their debut album Dreamland; she can be heard on the hits “Everybody Everybody” and “Strike It Up,” to name a few. However, she was cast out once again in the album’s liner notes, with no vocal credits to be found.
