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Disco Music > Disco People Index > In Memory Of > Izora Armstead
Izora Armstead
19?? - Sept 16, 2004
Izora Rhodes Armstead along with Martha Wash were the Two Tons O Fun (I Go the Feeling, Earth Can be Just Like Heaven) and the Weather Girls (It's Raining Men) as well as doing backup vocals for the late Sylvester.
Izora passed away on Sept. 16, 2004 of heart failure in an Oakland, California hospital.
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COMMENTS ON Izora Armstead
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH . I'M IZORA ONLY SISTER LAVERSA PIER, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Please accept our condolences on the passing of your sister.
What a heavenly voice. I followed them briefly as mother/daughter Weather Girls and even got a Japanese lable CD. Martha aand Izora were incredible together. Was fortunate enough to see them live several times. There is no other voice like hers. God blessed her!
The original Weathergirl music was amazing. The New Weathergirl music featuring Izora and her daughter Dynelle was equally wonderful. I recently was given a German produced DVD "Soul" Meets Latin" Menino featuring the New Weathergirls. Unbelievable! Izora and Dynelle are terrific! We'll deeply miss Izora and her incredible talent.
I have always been a great admirer of this woman- a hard working mother, entertainer and talent galore. She not only wrote/co-wrote a lot of her songs, but it was her idea to rename the duo she was in with Martha Wash (Two Tons 'O Fun/The Two Tons)- The Weather Girls, thus securing the rights to use the name after she and Martha parted ways and her only daughter, Dynelle, joined her for the new version of The Weather Girls. I have followed her career since the beginning with the third Sylvester (James) LP: "Sylvester", in which she and Martha made their debut and recorded their first duet called "I Been Down" (later re-recorded on their own second LP "Backatcha"). I love this woman's work and had always hoped that she would someday record some blues and jazz material because that wonderful voice could have performed some great material along the lines of Big Maybelle, Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland, etc. I offer my condolences to her family and just wanted to say Thank You to Izora for all the talent and music she gave us thru the years. God Bless.
God Bless! She had an amazing voice!
izora you are in a better place and i say this yiou made me feel mighty real
From Sylvester to the Weather Girls, Izora was half of the grand picture in Disco Music!
R.I.P.
Laversa, I was very sad a year ago to hear about the death of your sister. Her music will be her legacy for generations. Martha Wash is a friend of mine and performed recently at my daughters Bat mitzvah this past labor day weekend. One of the songs i wanted martha to sing was Just Us....she said she couldnt without Izora. I thought you would like to know that. DJ Jeff Yahney
What a voice! I remember when I first heard her on Sylvester's live recording of Patti LaBelle's "You Are My Friend," her powerful, gutsy voice instantly won me over. Her voice was not only big and powerful, but there was a real genuine warmth to it as well. Listening to a record and hearing her voice always put a smile on my face.. Rest in Peace Izora..
Izora's legacy lives on. The work that Dynelle(Dee) and Ingrid are doing for the New WeatherGirls is wonderful! I love their new CD "Wild Thang" and am privledged to have made their aquaintance. Izora was and, I'm most sure, continues to be proud of her daughters' work and talent.
I miss you Grandma! I love u. Until we meet again you will be in my dreams and everytime i think of you I'll listen to your CD or look at your picture. Wait for me :-(
~Here goes my heart 4 life
Hi there...if anyone knows of an address where one could get in touch with Izora's estate, I would greatly appreciate any leads. She is greatly missed.
I remember dancing to Izora and Martha singing live at Dreamland in SF. What a wonderful singer she was and the two of them lit up the room!
My deep condolences to her family.
Lavenderbyrd...thank you for the information on Izora. Would love to know more.
If you want a list of Izora's work on record, go to Amazon.com and look up The Two Tons O' Fun. I have made a list of her work.
Unfortunatley I left out a few things- 1977 "SYLVESTER" LP- Izora and Martha Wash make their debut as a duo, calling themselves Two Ton O' Fun. They recorded a duet called "I Been Down" (which was later re-recorded for their 2nd LP "BACKATCHA). They also appear on 2 1978 LP's: Sylvester's 4th LP called "Step Two", and on the debut LP of Paradise Express- Izora is featured on the song Reverend Lee, and she teams up with Martha Wash on a couple other songs on that Lp.
Also in 1985 when they released their 4th LP - under the name The Weather Girls ("Big Girls Don't Cry"), the two women sing backup for Bob Seger on his hit "Like A Rock". Add this info to the info at Amazon.com and you have the complete list of Izora's recorded works. Look up Sylvester or Martha Wash on Amazon.com for I have also listed their complete works as well (under the member name "Lavenderbyrd"). Thanx.
Thank you Lavenderbyrd for this info...I can assume you were a big fan of their music? Did you ever meet Izora and Martha? or Izora's daughter Dee?
I would like to say a few word to my mama: if your listening, For three long year i couldn't speak your name, even the mention of your name my eye's would fill with tears. As long as I have strength in my body, your legacy will go on. I remember something u alway said, you said i quote "Never take anything that doesn't belong to you, and baby if you in life, you go out and get it, nothing in life is free" Well mama im working on it. I LOVE U UNTIL THE DAY I DIE, and I'm gonna keep singing your SONG. Until me meet again that great day, I will alway be little IZORA
To all my mother fans, Thank you so much for loving a great woman, she will alway be in our hearts. I will keep her legacy going on as long as i live, and she will alway live through me, just listen to my music.
Izora was a huge part of the DISCO scene. From her days with Sylvester, then TWO TONS OF FUN to backing up many artists including Bob Sieger. Yet she will always be remembered for IT'S RAINING MEN!! It became a GAY national anthem, along with ABBA'S LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME. No matter where you went in the States, you heard IT'S RAINING MEN played. It was a floor-jammer, always guaranteed to pack the dance floor. Obviously she left behind so many fans, and of course her devoted family. To them I give my sympathy, and I say , we miss her too. GOD BLESS!!
I'll NEVER forget the live performance from the Weather Girls at the Slimelight (excuse me...the Limelight in NYC) when the sound tech. screwed-up the whole performance and there was no microphone amplification. They did a track-act over a ree-to-reel, and after the song went on, and after frustration trying to sing into dead microphones...Izadora just put down the microphones on the stage, and they both just belted the vocals out loud and clear. They didn't even need the microphones!
Rest in peace girl!
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