Martha and Izora recorded 5 albums together. One as Two Tons O' Fun, one as The Two Tons, and three as The Weather Girls. In the early '90s Izora revived the group; bringing in her daughter Dynelle. Together they recorded three more WG albums before Izora's passing in 2004.

Sylvester was raised in the church. He didn't make apologies for who he was. He could just sang. Two tons of fun later became The Weather Girls. When Sylvester came on the scene, he was accepted because you could see that he was so talented. His sexuality didn't matter. Check out his Unsung episode. Very good reaction.

@briggie28

Жыл бұрын

The Weather Girls came out of the church too....they had that in common with Sylvester.

Sylvester Divine Grace jones opened so many doors for Artist be themselves 💯

This is a certified jam session. Sylvester was no joke, and an even better jam from Two Tons of Fun was "Do you wanna boogie".

Martha Wash and Izora Armstead were "Two Tons O' Fun" and were his backup singers. Later on, when they released "It's Raining Men", they were renamed "The Weather Girls". They only released two albums. Martha Wash has one of the most amazing and iconic voices in dance and R&B music. In this live performance, the synthesizer player was Patrick Cowley, who produced some of Sylvester's biggest hits and played synths on his records. He was very young, around 24 o4 25, but he was an early electronic music pioneer as well, who unfortunately died of AIDS at the age of 32. Sylvester died of AIDS at the age of 42. He got his first major-label deal not long before he was diagnosed, but he put out a more R&B-oriented album that kept his style, kept his way of dressing, and gave him another top 40 hit. ( I think he had 3 on the main chart). He had one top 40 album, and all the rest made it to the Billboard top 200, and were all big club hits and did well on the dance charts too. This was his chance to go a bit more mainstream urban radio, and I think he would have exploded, but it turned out to be his last album, and sadly, he died and didn't get to promote it much. He kept performing almost until his death.

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

oh wow! so sad

I used to teach aerobics. When I played "Call Me" , people went insane!!!!

You should try Sylvester's Do You Love Wanna Funk!! Disco classic

ICONIC! The three of them together were just perfection!

Empress, I saw him perform at a gay pride in SF in 91. He died shortly therafter.

lol Mrs. Garrett!! 😂😂😂

I can't believe this clip exists! I remember watching this when it came on the television because I loved the song so much. But I never heard it after that in my small town on the radio. But I went on a high school trip to France in 1979, and we went to a disco in Nice, in the south of France, and they played "Disco Heat." I was so psyched that it played. The next day, one of the chaperones referred to me as the John Travolta of the disco. After high school I moved to NYC, and in 1982 I was ar Studio 54 and to my surprise, Slyvester was there and performed to his current hit "Do You Wanna Funk." The old Merv Griffin show exposed a wide variety of acts to there audience, every style of performance was presented. He got me to love Sylvester and Two Tons of Fun. Back then people didn't get into a person's personal business as much as now, so people were allowed to just do their thing. Plus it was the sexual revolution.

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

😂oh wow, you saw this In real time, sooo cool

This clip is awesome!!! I remember the Merv Griffin show growing up but I never saw this before. As a kid I loved Disco and used to wish I was old enough to go the clubs LOL.

😂🤣 The Ms. Garrett hairdo had to be the rage I. the late 70s. Sylvester paved the way for a lot of entertainers. These vocals are🔥🔥🔥. The harmonizing is so tight🔥🔥. Motown had a group in the 70s called The Dynamic Superiors that had a lead singer that was also a crossdresser.

You was really in the disco groove their little sis 😎 for real 😄 You would have fit in perfectly back in the 70's -80's .. Sad that Sylvester left us way to early.. I think he had so much more music to give.. We in S.F. embraced him us one of our own.. But at that time Aids was like how Covid was.. People dying everywhere and no meds. to save anyone yet.. R. I. Heavenly P. " You are my friend." Sylvester...🙏🏽

Ayeeee do it Sylvester! 🎼🎶🎵🎶 The other lady's name is Izora Armstead.

They're would be no Rupaul without Sylvester

Empress...omg have you done...It's raining men by the Weather girls?!!!!

Check out Sylvester’s epic 11 minute disco version of “I Who Have Nothing“ one of the greatest disco songs ever, also “Stars”

Thanks for playing "Dance (Disco Heat), Empress! There's absolutely no doubt Sylvester & the Two Tons of Fun got me movin'. You've mentioned that Sylvester's talent was not appreciated while he was alive, but then neither does Martha Wash and Izora Armstead. Even today, and it's a damn shame! With the Two Tons of Fun it's the music executives concerns about their image (big/heavy) women. The industry is hard on women period, even when they're slim and pretty. But that STILL didn't stop the three of them from making hit music. The kind that got requested and played on the radio, a lot. P.S. The second time I watched your video it warmed my heart when I saw you throw off those inhibitions and really feel Sylvester and the Two Tons of Fun's song. The dance moves you were doing shows me that you'd be quite comfortable in the 1970's dance clubs, Empress!

Love your channel!! You should release your own songs. Beautiful voice!

@EmpressReacts

3 ай бұрын

Wow! Thanks 😊

***SYLVESTER (& MARTHA WASH) TRIVIA TIME!!!*** ....dance with meee, in this Disco...TRIVIA.... -...I was DYING to comment, but me computer was stiffin', so, I'm a bit delayed....letsget2it, 'cause it's long.....This Man, Group, & tune were WILDLY important in the evolution of 70's Disco, Disco Divas, & Gay Culture, to this VERY Day... - Sylvester was an openly GAY Man, who was doing drag, acting gigs, & singing Folk / Rock tunes, until he got a Record contract and went "Disco", in 1977...he had a underground Disco hit with a cover of an Ashford & Simpson tune ("Over & Over"), and, went to work on his 2nd Album, ""Step 2".....he ALWAYS wanted to add elements of Gospel in his Music, so he hired Two BIG GALS, Martha Wash & Izora Armstead to sing (& tour) with him; It was ABSOLUTELY UNHEARD OF, to marry Gospel & Disco, featuring 'plus sized' Women, but Sylvester took the chance, because of his beliefs.... - ...he named them "Two Tons O' Fun", and featured them on the Album & Tour; the tune "Dance (Disco Heat)" was a MASSIVE, MASSIVE Disco hit, and crossed over to the Pop charts in 1978; Dick Clark actually took a SERIOUS chance by featuring them on "American Bandstand" showing Gay (Drag) culture, 'Plus sized' Women & Live, CHURCH Disco....and, the (White Teen) crowd, went WILD! - the B Side actually was remixed, and became a GAME-CHANGING tune, too..."You Make Me Feel Might Real", backed with "Dance...", stayed on the Top 20 Disco charts for 8 MONTHS, with 5 of them in the Top 5, with 2 Months, at #1, becoming a precursor to ***HI-NRG*** Music, in the 80's..... - Even a young Empress can see it....Sylvester was AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT PIONEER, for the LGBT community, a CLASSIC, game-changing Disco track, and kick-started the career of ***MARTHA WASH*** , who still records to this DAY..... Dance ON, Sylvester.... (5:48) ....RIP....

@royg9080

2 жыл бұрын

I knew you would be bringing the interesting facts and trivia as usual! This live performance was so good that Empress almost knocked her hat off her head dancing 😂.

@RBS_

2 жыл бұрын

@@royg9080 ....then, you shoulda seen ME Summer of 1978!! ...I 'knocked' EVERYTHING off! ...ha-HAAA!! >DiscoHEAT

@royg9080

2 жыл бұрын

@@RBS_ 😂🤣

@blkluv100

2 жыл бұрын

It was his dream to be on "Soul Train", but homophobic Don Cornelius didn't want to put him on. The irony being all those gay dancers on the show.

I loved Sylvester! One of mom's friends used to do him in the drag show! lol

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

😂cool

And...do the long studio versions!

"Enpress" I am glad you brought this topic up about 'Sylvester' my mother and uncle was a huge fan of the singer he had one of the best falsettos of all time.....I believe "Prince was inspired by him.

@michaelasay8587

2 жыл бұрын

Purple...saw Sylvester at a gay pride in SF in 91. He was performing from his wheelchair. He died shortly after.

@thepurpleladder

2 жыл бұрын

@@michaelasay8587 He died in 1988....i remember because it was 2 days after my birthday in December......my mom was a huge fan of his.

Check out Sylvester's I WHO HAVE NOTHING (long version) - kzread.info/dash/bejne/aXqL2tCOaLS9qbA.html It was a huge hit in the clubs back then. I know as I was there, NYC (worked at Studio 54).

I think people in the 70s and 80s were becoming more tolerant of the LGBTQ community but sadly the AIDS pandemic halted that progress. Sylvester is a very underrated artist I would have loved to see where his career would have taken him had he been with us longer.

@michaelasay8587

2 жыл бұрын

Oh he had already done so much. Saw him in 91 at the gay pride in 91. He died shortly therafter.

OMG Empress your reaction just made my day! 😆❤️ Not sure what happened with my original link but this one you found is actually far superior. I had added a link to the studio recording but this live version was amazing! The sheer exuberance of this song and their performance is probably best experienced through a live performance anyway. They definitely took us to both church and the dance floor! 😂. I also love the fact that this reaction just happened to fall during Pride month! ❤️ As far as what was happening in the USA at that time, I was too young to really understand but I do know the 70s seemed like a time when people were more open and free to express their sexuality. But I believe that this being in the mainstream also caused fear since there was such a strong backlash against disco music/culture that was rooted in homophobia and racism. I also know that it was a time before the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the Regan Era which also impacted mainstream cultural norms. Lots to unpack with all of that for another time 😁 I’m sure some of my other fellow Expressionists will chime in with some good insight!

@RBS_

2 жыл бұрын

...you rang!?

@royg9080

2 жыл бұрын

@@RBS_ I knew you would come through! 😆

Probably won’t be popular with this comment, they should have slowed this track down a little. Their words/vocals at times didn’t fully keep up Its a cute song, don’t get me wrong but drop the bpm just 5-10 it’d be better

@RBS_

2 жыл бұрын

..no, no, no-no-no....I wasn't gonna comment, but, I HAVE to 'educate'; this tune was VERY important in it's speed, because it became a precursor, to ***HI-NRG MUSIC*** , which became popular in the 80's, through what Sylvester did here.... ....marrying Gospel & Disco, with Giorgio Moroder- influenced Electronic sounds, gave way to Jimmy Somerville & Bronski Beat, Patrick Cowley, Paul Parker, "I Feel Love"'s popularity, "So Many Men, So Little Time", Euro-Disco, Trance, 'pretty' Music, & popularity from Gay Men, ALL because of what Sylvester did....THAT'S WHY, he was a pioneer.....

@jareds2273

2 жыл бұрын

@@RBS_ I’m not arguing any of that, nor am I saying this should be so slow it’d be a ballad. But when Sylvester can’t keep up, it might be time to slow it a smidge

WAIT! How you know Ms. Garrett?!??😂💀

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

😂shoutout MeTv

@latnscorpio1

2 жыл бұрын

@@EmpressReacts 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

wow empress, seriously have u ever tought aout recording a song?

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

thanks!

Despite how cheerful the song is, it makes me sad to watch, because they were all marginalized and never got the shine they deserved.

@EmpressReacts

2 жыл бұрын

dang excellent point!