Martha High
From Victoria
Popularity
Martha High has one upcoming show in the Netherlands: on February 13, 2027 at De Vorstin, Hilversum.
About
Also known as: Martha 'High' Harvin, Martha Harvin
Martha High spent decades as the voice behind one of the hardest working bands in soul. She started out in The Jewels, a vocal group whose single "Opportunity" reached number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 18 on the R&B chart. Then James Brown came calling for what was meant to be three shows and turned into a year of touring. She stuck around as his principal backing vocalist, and it was Brown who gave her the stage name Martha High. You can hear her on his song "The Payback", where she sings the opening background vocals. Her own records came slowly. A self titled album on Salsoul in 1979 landed just as disco was falling out of favour, but the single "Showdown" made the US disco chart. After leaving Brown's band in 1998 she toured alongside fellow Brown alumni like Lyn Collins and Maceo Parker. From 2008 on her solo career took off again, with albums such as Soul Overdue, Tribute to My Soul Sisters and a 2022 collection of Brown tributes.
