An estimated 60,000 people filled the streets of Ybor for Tampa Pride’s last outing, a record organizers planned to break during their sixth annual celebration in 2020. Legendary diva Martha Wash, one half of the duo responsible for disco hits like “It’s Raining Men,” was going to help.
Wash was set to headline the celebration’s inaugural Pride at Night, a concert at the Cuban Club featuring a full evening of local and national talent. Instead, Tampa Pride’s festivities were postponed due to the ongoing pandemic.
Thankfully both Tampa Pride and Wash, deemed the “most famous unknown singer of the 90s” by Rolling Stone, are safely making a comeback May 22.
Watermark spoke with the Pride at Night headliner in a series of interviews more than a year apart. The singer detailed her longtime support for the LGBTQ community – from her start singing backup for openly gay “Queen of Disco” Sylvester to her years of collaborations with the queen of drag herself, RuPaul – and what fans can expect from Wash’s first time taking the stage in 14 months.
WATERMARK: You’ve built an extensive catalogue of work. How did it all begin?
MARTHA WASH: I sang all the way through school and then I became a background singer for Sylvester [with the late Izora Armstead]. We were known as Two Tons of Fun and recorded two albums for Fantasy Records. Then after that we changed our name to The Weather Girls because of the song “It’s Raining Men.” That was a huge hit. After it came out, we signed with Columbia Records. That started a new kind of career and we had some hits off of those couple of albums before I went out on my own. I have a new album now called “Love & Conflict” that’s on my own record label, which is called Purple Rose Records. It’s been an interesting ride all these years.
What was it like working with Sylvester?
What I can say regarding Sylvester is, he was before his time. If he was alive today, I don’t think there would be any issue with him being a gay, Black man and an entertainer. Not today. It’s easier because you have a lot more artists who are openly gay now.
At that time a lot of people were still in the closet and they were afraid to come out and be who they were. Sylvester for the most part did not care. You accepted him or you didn’t. That’s basically what it was: you accepted him or you didn’t, and he had fans – gay and straight – because they loved the music that he did. They didn’t care about his sexuality, they were all about the music.
That visibility matters.
Especially with gay entertainers who are Black as well. At the time you could not do that and be in mainstream entertainment. It was probably hard enough for the white entertainers, coming out, but the Black ones? You really couldn’t come out the way you wanted to, so in that sense he was a pioneer.
We knew that they were gay entertainers then, mind you, but you could not be yourself. People probably did look up to him and say, “he’s going to do what he wants and be who he is.” Now we use the word “authentic,” that’s the word for it and he was. He was doing that back in the 70s.
What led Two Tons of Fun to branch out?
I was young and singing background with Sylvester, who was doing his thing and our producer Harvey Fuqua suggested it. He said, “it’s time for you two to do an album.” So, who’s gonna turn it down? That’s how we started doing our own albums and it was cool because even though we were recording and had our first album out, we were still singing background with Sylvester at that time. But then as the first album began to grow, we started doing our own shows as well. Sometimes we would open up for him with our show, so that was fun.
“It’s Raining Men” was a big part of that. What led you to change your name?
Everybody thought there was a new group called The Weather Girls because in the beginning of the song, remember it says “Hi, we’re your weather girls.” A lot of the fans knew me and Izora and that it was Two Tons of Fun, but over time we decided to kind of start all over again under the new name. It really took off.
Why do you think it resonated so well with LGBTQ fans?
It’s an official classic now! I think it’s because it’s kind of a campy song. You know, wouldn’t you want men to fall on you? Just grab you and take you up? It’s just one of those fun songs – and over the years, it’s become classic to the point where everybody’s singing the song. It’s played everywhere and you have grandparents all the way down to grandkids singing it.
And who hasn’t seen a drag queen perform it?
Oh, of course! Of course.
Speaking of, you’ve worked with RuPaul a number of times over the years.
We started with “It’s Raining Men… The Sequel” [in 1998] and that was fun. I’ve always loved Ru and he’s such a great and very uplifting person. I’m so glad for his success over the years, he’s done a lot for the drag community and made it very, very mainstream, which I think is cool.
Drag queens in my opinion have always been a part of the community and we’re all part of this world, where everybody should be celebrated and appreciated. We’re all a part of the human race – and everybody’s drag is different. You may not understand a part of somebody’s drag, but like Ru says, “honey, you’re born naked and the rest is drag,” which is true.
What’s another message you have for your LGBTQ fans?
That I love them. Always have, always will. They’re no different from anybody else in the world. I’ve always said – and somebody could possibly get upset with me, but it’s how I feel – that when you do the Pledge of Allegiance, it says “with liberty and justice for all” at the end. That’s what this country should be about, liberty and justice for all. Because if it’s not, if we’re doing the pledge but it’s not being done, or realized, then I say the Pledge of Allegiance is a lie.
I hope that they can come out and celebrate each other during Tampa Pride, but you don’t have to do it just for one day. Be proud of who you are every day and share that happiness with others.
Tampa Pride will be the first major LGBTQ event in the area. What’s the last year been like for you?
With Tampa Pride, this will be my first live show in over 14 months. It’s been strange, but I think it may have been kind of good for me in some ways. Artists are people who like to work, so the downside of it was not really being able to do the shows, whether they were Pride shows or doing my own live shows. Just none of that was happening whatsoever.
Are you excited about getting back out there?
I hope I’ve still got it after this 14 month hiatus! It’s going to be very, very interesting and I hope Tampa Pride will be kind to me. (Laughs.) It’s been crazy but we’re all going through it.
Some people have been able to, in a way, not really miss a beat too much – but then there are others that just totally shut down completely. I feel for a lot of these people in different fields that have just been locked out. Especially with theaters, bars and restaurants being shut down. It didn’t bother me so much because I’m kind of a homebody, but on the other hand I’m used to traveling. Even getting on a plane is probably going to be weird for me after 14 months. (Laughs.)
I was trying to make sure that I could get my [COVID-19 vaccine] shot in time to travel, to be safe. So, luckily, I got that … you want everybody to be safe. Have a good time, enjoy yourself, but also stay safe.
Your album “Love & Conflict” came out just before the pandemic. Have you been able to promote it?
The promotion has basically been online, so that’s been good for keeping my name and the album out there. But as time goes on, hopefully before the year is out, I’d like to do a live show and promote it. I like all different genres of music; I’ve always said that I never wanted to be pigeonholed into one particular genre, so this album is more Blues/Rock/Pop/Adult Contemporary with a hint of psychedelic. (Laughs.) It’s a whole different area in itself and I hope fans can follow along and enjoy it with me.
Is that what they can expect from your Tampa Pride performance?
I’m not tellin’! (Laughs.) I’m not tellin’.
They have to come see.
Exactly! Look, I think people are just going to be happy just to be out and about with other people. Saying, “Oh, I haven’t seen you in so long,” or “It’s nice meeting you for the first time.” I just want to say thank you to the LGBTQ community and my fans for being supportive of me over the years.
It’s funny, because I’m getting a new generation of young fans, which is great. The younger people may not necessarily know who I am, or don’t know who Sylvester is, but some of the older ones are telling them. They kind of give them my resume, so that’s always nice to hear.
When you add it all together, it makes it fun for people. That’s why I hope people will just come out and just enjoy the music, reminiscing on the old stuff while enjoying the new stuff.
Martha Wash will headline Tampa Pride’s inaugural Pride at Night May 22 at the Cuban Club, located at 2010 Avenida Republica de Cuba in Tampa. Local and national talent will perform from 6 p.m.-midnight, with no cover for attendees 21 and up or $5 for those ages 18-20.
For more information, read Watermark’s official Tampa Pride Guide and visit TampaPride.org. Wash’s “Love & Conflict” is available now wherever music is streamed or sold. Learn more at MarthaWash.com.
