Solid Gold 1984 - Heatwave

[Sharpmoves]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOfJCZOlP8k
Posted this week - I've not seen this excellent performance from a slim and beautiful gold-clad Martha in 1984. Fantastic backing band too.

[marv2]

Could they have put more stuff on that stage to distract from Martha? Geez...............

[StuBass1]

This was done in what I consider to be the "heavy vibrato' phase in Martha's career...I don't know why she went to this style, perhaps due to voice issues or she just thought it sounded good...but I much prefer the Motown style on her early recordings and the more recent performances I've seen she seems to have gone away from that heavy vibrato and sounds much better in my opinion...

[glencro]

Could they have put more stuff on that stage to distract from Martha? Geez...............

Right, surprised she didn't get knocked in the head with a beach ball

[rod_rick]

I've notice when Martha belts her notes with force and power her vibrato is really heavy

[arr&bee]

Seemed kind of disrespectful to martha.

[TomatoTom123]

Wow that stage was busy! What was all that about?! Martha and the backing were great though

[StuBass1]

Wow that stage was busy! What was all that about?! Martha and the backing were great though

Actually, that show, while a bit hokey IMO...was produced around the Solid Gold Dancers, and they were the stars of the show. I have to assume that Martha was happy for the guest shot since it had been almost 10 years since Heatwave sat atop the charts, and she really had no current hits to offer up...Around that same time, Martha also got a bit upset when on a Smokey Robinson special, while she was a guest, Smokey slated Kim Carnes to perform Heatwave with Martha present. Martha didn't take too kindly...That said...Martha was one of the artists most responsible for Motowns success in the 60's and should be recognized as such...

[Sharpmoves]

Actually, that show, while a bit hokey IMO...was produced around the Solid Gold Dancers, and they were the stars of the show. I have to assume that Martha was happy for the guest shot since it had been almost 10 years since Heatwave sat atop the charts, and she really had no current hits to offer up...Around that same time, Martha also got a bit upset when on a Smokey Robinson special, while she was a guest, Smokey slated Kim Carnes to perform Heatwave with Martha present. Martha didn't take too kindly...That said...Martha was one of the artists most responsible for Motowns success in the 60's and should be recognized as such...

Actually it was 20 years since Heatwave - 1963 - 1984 - so I imagine Martha was very grateful for the slot, and probably didn't mind the kids a bit. Much is written about her voice these days, and the vibrato, but we need to cut her a little slack here. She's 75, after all, and many others have been forced to stop performing by that age. Ella stopped singing when she was 74. Sarah Vaughan died aged 66, after being silent for a year from lung cancer. Billie Holliday died aged 46. Mary Wells died aged 49. We are lucky Martha is alive and kicking, and still performing full-tilt.

[sansradio]

Actually it was 20 years since Heatwave - 1963 - 1984 - so I imagine Martha was very grateful for the slot, and probably didn't mind the kids a bit. Much is written about her voice these days, and the vibrato, but we need to cut her a little slack here. She's 75, after all, and many others have been forced to stop performing by that age. Ella stopped singing when she was 74. Sarah Vaughan died aged 66, after being silent for a year from lung cancer. Billie Holliday died aged 46. Mary Wells died aged 49. We are lucky Martha is alive and kicking, and still performing full-tilt.

Sharpmoves, I agree wholeheartedly with the spirit of your post. And Lady was actually only 44 when she died, which only adds greater weight to your argument.

On a side note, Vaughan's biographer Leslie Gourse states that, although cancer sidetracked Sassy's career, she was still hitting her trademark coloratura notes on the day she died. What an instrument that lady had.

[StuBass1]

Actually it was 20 years since Heatwave - 1963 - 1984 - so I imagine Martha was very grateful for the slot, and probably didn't mind the kids a bit. Much is written about her voice these days, and the vibrato, but we need to cut her a little slack here. She's 75, after all, and many others have been forced to stop performing by that age. Ella stopped singing when she was 74. Sarah Vaughan died aged 66, after being silent for a year from lung cancer. Billie Holliday died aged 46. Mary Wells died aged 49. We are lucky Martha is alive and kicking, and still performing full-tilt.

Agree we should cut some of these performers some slack as they age and appreciate their efforts, however in Martha's case...She actually sounds a lot better [[to me) in some of her more recent performances over the past few years on televised specials I've seen her perform on. That's what leads me to believe that either she was having some vocal issues during part of the 70's into the 90's that she's since recovered from...or just believed that the heavy vibrato sounded really good...Glad she is still able to get on stage and perform though...

[arr&bee]

Amen stu amen,many folks may not understand that like other things the voice can change too, polups and other changes affect the throat and remember that these singers sing night after night year after year,god bless em all for still going out and trying to keep the vocal magic going.

[rod_rick]

Amen stu amen,many folks may not understand that like other things the voice can change too, polups and other changes affect the throat and remember that these singers sing night after night year after year,god bless em all for still going out and trying to keep the vocal magic going.

You are so right and let's no forget many of these performers smoked and drank which is not good for the voice. The thing to do is make vocal lesson which can help with your vocal issues, that is if you think you have vocal issues.
God bless Martha, just glad she's still with us to entertain at any capacity.