"I stand alone in the eye of the storm. Pressures all around, tryin' to wear me down. But it's alright, I won't give up the fight. I said, 'Lord, lift me up!' Let me rise above. Nobody's gonna take my pride, I won't stop, I will not be denied - I carry on!".

True words from the legendary Martha Wash.

Like many artists, Martha has felt the ups and downs of the rollercoaster-like music industry. From being the uncredited powerhouse vocalist behind C+C Music Factory's classic "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", to seeing her debut solo single "Carry On" reach the #1 spot - in her own name - Martha has unquestionably made her mark in music history.

Beginning her musical journey in the late 70's as one half of the disco group Two Tons of Fun, Martha found herself singing with the incomparable Sylvester. Twenty-some years later, fans still speak of how extravagant and over the top their shows were! Sylvester's falsetto rang loud and clear over the massive band sound while swooping through the horn and guitar sounds. The Two Tons added the icing on the cake with their booming vocal harmonies.

In the early 80's, the Two Tons proudly declared, "Hi, we're your Weather Girls" and a new talent emerged onto the scene. As part of the Weather Girls, Martha scored a Grammy Nomination for a song that was destined to become a cult classic. Yes, “It's Raining Men” – the original version that confirmed it was time to leave your umbrellas at home, rip off the roof and stay in bed. Martha continued to sing with the Weather Girls until the late 80's when she felt it was time to move on to the next tenure of her career.

Into the early 90's, Martha became one of the most sought after session singers and soon found herself recording for numerous acts - Seduction and C+C Music Factory to name a few. From "You're My One and Only (True Love)" to the already mentioned "Everybody Dance Now", Martha was all over radio airwaves and had club-goers moving to her distinct vocal styling.

However, riding high on the charts soon found turmoil for Martha. Her lead vocals on five singles helped to put the group Black Box on the music map. "Everybody Everybody", "I Don't Know Anybody Else" and "Strike It Up" were among their biggest hits – all of which still receive airplay some 15 years later. However, as this new era of dance music set in, she saw herself being replaced in music videos and promotional pictures by a “more marketable image”. Martha eventually received the recognition that was way overdue. Nevertheless, many wondered if she could really make it on her own. A challenge Martha was up for - she was about to prove that she was destined for solo success!

In 1993, Martha took control of her voice with her first solo, self-titled project. The CD, "Martha Wash", produced three #1 dance singles. "Carry On", "Give It To You", and "Runaround" all sky rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts. Martha appeared on numerous television shows to promote the album, including The Arsenio Hall Show where she opened the night singing "Everybody Dance Now". There was no longer any doubt what had made earlier groups so successful. It wasn't the “more marketable image” but rather Martha's incredible sound.

Todd Terry knew from day one that the way to have a hit song was to have a good melody, good lyrics, and a great voice, so in 1997 he called upon Martha and teamed her up with Jocelyn Brown. Their immense talents helped take his "Keep On Jumping" and "Something's Going On" singles to the number one spot. Having hit singles with her own name attached was something that Martha was now beginning to grow accustomed to and it wasn't going to stop there.

Success continued to follow Martha with her second solo CD in 1997. “The Collection” featured highlights from her twenty year long career as well as new singles, "Come", "Catch The Light", and "It's Raining Men...The Sequel" which featured Martha singing alongside Rupaul.

Martha then collaborated in 2000 with Small Voices Calling on their “Sounds Of A Better World” CD - a project that would benefit a variety of charities which find innovative ways of supporting children in their environment. "Listen To The People" saw her riding high on the charts once again and captured audiences worldwide with its' positive message of hope and inspiration.

Martha's most current project is one that is extremely close to her heart. In 2004, she began her own record company, Purple Rose Records, and immediately saw the first single, "You Lift Me Up" soar high into the top 5 on Billboard Magazine's Club Play Chart. She is currently recording material for her upcoming project which she says will be "inspirational and uplifting".

It's been a long and bumpy road for Martha, however, she continues to spread a positive message to unite people worldwide. Whether she is belting out a house groove or delivering a church-inspired gospel piece, you can be sure that her music will capture your attention and take it's place in music history.

http://www.martha-wash.com/

http://www.myspace.com/marthawash

Founded by Cindy Sohn and Juliet Jackson in 1993 to be a chorus with a message, CHARIS - The St. Louis Women's Chorus is a lesbian chorus, open to all women. Our members differ in age, size, ethnic background, and abilities, but share a goal to seek musical excellence, voice messages of social justice, and create a fun and supportive place for all women. We are led by Aric Henson, former director of St. Louis' Gateway Men's Chorus Ensemble, who joined CHARIS as Artistic Director in 2004.

CHARIS prides itself on the diversity of its membership, program and audience. CHARIS comprises 25-40 women varying in age from 16 to 66. We represent a variety of ethnicities, sexual orientations, economic situations, and abilities and disabilities. Our programs have included a wide repertoire including pop, classical, spirituals, and world music. We have collaborated with other choruses, individual guest artists, and with other community arts and social services organizations. We market ourselves to the entire St. Louis metropolitan community and choose venues that are accessible and easy to reach by public transportation.

CHARIS offers a diverse repertoire and varied performance themes. Twice we have created concerts for families to include children in our performances, collaborating first with Stella Maris Early Childhood Center, and later with Family Tree, a support group for lesbian and gay parents. CHARIS has presented Broadway reviews with full choreography, and scripted performances for Women's History Month with historical and contemporary roles played by local Equity actresses. Several times in its past CHARIS performed cabaret-style concerts with accomplished guest artists including Denise Thimes, Kim Massie, and nationally known singer and activist Holly Near.

Other highlights of our history include partnering with St. Louis PFLAG and the Gateway Men's Chorus to present the narrated choral work, "Prayers for Bobby," which poignantly addresses the tragic issue of suicide among GLBTQ adolescents. CHARIS proudly performed before 3,000 singers and artistic directors in Tampa, Florida, at the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) Festival in 1996. In both 1996 and 1997 CHARIS performed as part of "St. Louis Sings," a choral festival celebrating the diversity of the area's many choruses, at Powell Symphony Hall. In June 2001 CHARIS collaborated with the Gateway Men's Chorus to perform the St. Louis premiere of "Sing for the Cure," a 10-movement song cycle for eight-part chorus and full orchestra commissioned by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Stretching its artistic wings, CHARIS collaborated with Gash-Voigt Dance Theatre to present an original work entitled Changing Woman in May 2002. In February 2006 CHARIS performed in "Sounds of Acceptance," a concert produced by the Human Rights Campaign.

St. Louis has many choruses. However, none of them share the mission of CHARIS or the opportunity for community involvement. Because CHARIS addresses issues of concern to women in general and lesbians in particular, we offer a unique view of both everyday issues and global concerns. Our concerts offer a chance for CHARIS to challenge ideas or stereotypes that people might have about women or lesbians, age, race, or any other "difference." Our concerts also offer a special opportunity for our audience members to see and hear their own ideas and feelings expressed by our chorus. We take pride in the fact that many people have told us that they left with a different, more positive view of the gay and lesbian community after attending one of our performances.

http://www.charischorus.org/

Since its inaugural performance titled "One Voice" in April 1988, with only 22 singers, the Gateway Men's Chorus has become, in the words of The Riverfront Times, "an arts phenomenon". Music Director Michael Cohrs founded the Chorus in the fall of 1987. GMC grew both in size and artistry under the artistic direction of James Nacy, who led the Chorus for five years from September 1990. Since then GMC has performed a full season series of three major concerts each year.

Jeffrey Maynard took the reins as Artistic Director in the summer of 1996 and provided the Chorus with a strong focus on vocal technique and musicianship. The Chorus took the Powell Hall stage in October 1996 in "St. Louis Sings". June of 1997 saw one of the Chorus' greatest successes in a joint performance of "NakedMan" with the Heartland Men's Chorus of Kansas City. In June 1998 GMC returned to Powell Hall to record "Monuments", the first commercial CD. The following summer the Chorus brought author Armistead Maupin to St. Louis to narrate his "Music for Michael Mouse: Songs Inspired by 'Tales of the City'."

In June 2001, Merry Keller, Director of CHARIS, the St. Louis Women's Chorus directed GMC and CHARIS together in the very moving "Sing for the Cure", a benefit for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Also in 2001 the Gateway Men's Chorus concluded a nationwide search for its new Artistic Director, naming Merry Keller its first full-time Director in November 2001. Keller has, to date, led the men through five highly successful and musically diverse concerts: "Life is a Cabaret", "The Crystal Celebration" - GMC's 15th Anniversary Concert, and "A St. Louis Holiday" in 2002. "Singing for our Lives. Expressions of Hope" and "Broadway Bound!" were two very different concerts that delighted audiences in 2003. "A Saint Louis Holiday" was recorded live and in the studio and is now available for sale. In February 2003 the Chorus made a special appearance with internationally renowned soloist Ann Hampton Callaway in a benefit concert for AMC Cancer Research Center.

The Gateway Men's Chorus has become one of the most successful and long-lived performing arts organizations in St. Louis. GMC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation governed by a 12 member Board of Directors. More importantly, though, GMC has stayed true to its mission of producing beautiful male choral music and of presenting a positive image of gay men to the entire St. Louis community. Recognizing the impact the Chorus has on the local arts community, the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis accepted the group as a member in 1994. Financial support has been received from the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, the Arts and Education Council, the William A. Kerr Foundation, and the Gateway Foundation, as well as from corporations including American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and General American Insurance. 

http://www.gatewaymenschorus.org/

I can’t remember the first five years of my life but this is what I was told growing up by my Grandfather (Jerome):

“You were born in Charleston, South Carolina, Grandma and I came to live with you, your Father and sister after your Mom and Sister passed away when you were 4. I taught you to read your horoscope every day though you didn’t understand what you were talking about.”

When I was eight, my Dad bought me my very first guitar and tried to teach me how to play. I had no interest, though when I got in trouble, the only “toy” I was left with was that guitar. I picked it up and learned a few chords, then a few songs, and finally wanted to perform at the age of 14 at my high school. I was told, if I play my first show and did well, I would get my first acoustic guitar (what I really wanted all along, thanks Dad). I did just that winning most-talented in what turned out to be a beauty pageant for guys called Striking Viking. It was more of a joke with the format but my talent did shine enough for me to get my first acoustic guitar. I played out more and more, joining a band in college and getting a great following in the area. When it started to become an episode of “Behind The Music”(what a great show!), I went my own way with my best friend/manager at the time, Cassandra and started releasing my own music. I started looking for jobs in NYC to get my music more nationally heard, the day of my last interview for the job, was the day the interviewer’s parent passed away. My meeting was canceled and the original day and time was Tuesday morning of September 11th.

After that day, the job market in NYC was bleak, so I moved back to Penn State and started making my own music and touring around. I got recognition in local papers and some LGBT press and more and more folks came out to the shows. Eventually, I went further and further away from Pennsylvania touring all the way to the west coast and back. Releasing more CDs led to bigger opportunities sharing the stage with folks like Cyndi Lauper, Duncan Shiek and India Arie. After 5 years, I didn’t know if I was going to stay in music. I released five cds previously and all of them had their own lives and accolades. My first self-titled cd, got great reviews in Penn State local press. 2002’s I Go On received attention for the song, “No Urgency” which was requested to be on the HRC’s Love Rocks compilation alongside Melissa Etheridge, Christina Aguilera, Dixie Chicks and many more musical heavyweights. In 2003, All For Show launched me into LGBT media with reviews in national publications like Out Magazine, Genre, and Instinct. I also was featured on the front page of gay.com that ended up flooding my email for months after with folks interested in the music. After an attempt at working with hit making producers that wanted to make me some Frankenstein of what they thought I was about, I released 2005’s Dark Horse independently to even more press in and out of the LGBT press, including being listed in the 2005 OUT 100 list!

In 2006, Everywhere All At Once contained the song, Bartender, that became an instant hit with listeners and “Thanks” ended up at number 1 for five weeks on Sirius Radio’s OutQ station. I released a five song EP There’s Gotta Be Something that became the first music video I’ve ever done. The video spent six weeks at the #1 spot on the Click List, MTV LOGO’s request countdown.

In 2007, I was burned to a crisp from driving all over the country going strong for many years. It took about a month or two for me to go through my past and present to start writing my newest release, Resonate. Bringing my life out in the forefront, with references to my family, friends, and those I met on the road, the songs just seemed to write themselves. 2008’s Resonate is sure to bring light on songs such as “Little Boy Blue”, “For Me”, and “Protest Song” reaching new folks and touring even further than before. My best friend said, “Make the cd that is going to change your life”, and I think I just did.

http://erichiman.com/

www.myspace.com/erichiman

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=622446130

 

“Gregory Douglass possesses the voice of an angel - an angel in league with a devil, who conspires to seduce you with beauty." 

 -Pamela Polston, Seven Days

"Rufus Wainwright´s opulent musicality and Justin Timberlake´s accessible soulfulness . . . Welcome to your new favorite singer-songwriter."
-Barry Walters, OUT Magazine

Gregory Douglass is an undeniable, pure talent.  With 5 critically acclaimed, independent CDs under his belt, 25-year old Douglass delivers the songwriting skills of an "old soul" and "the voice of an angel" (Seven Days).  His evocative amalgamation of contemporary folk, pop, and rock have been compared to Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley, Patty Griffin & Rufus Wainwright. Douglass’ numerous accolades include being a finalist for both the 2005 International Songwriting Competition and the 2004 Independent Music Awards; he was the winner of the 2003 GrammyFest Awards in New York City, as well as the inaugural performer on the American Red Cross "Save A Life Tour” in 2003.  Douglass actively appears at listening rooms, clubs, festivals, and on campuses throughout the U.S., and has co-billed with They Might Be Giants, India Arie, Jason Mraz, Melissa Ferrick and many others. Douglass’ debut music video for “I Wanted To Run,” produced by Haverstick Films, is regularly airing on LOGO TV’s "Click List" Top 10 Video Countdown.

In November 2006, Douglass releases his sixth studio record Up & Away, immediately following the critical acclaim of his 2005 Stark release.  Up & Away adorns a retrospective of Douglass’ life thus far, from the confessional chant-like opening track,  “Light Don’t Shine” to the epic finale, “Up & Away,” declaring that “every new song seems an answer to prayers disregarded & undermined / oh what a life.”  The sullen “Into The Sunset” summons it’s inspiration from the motion picture Brokeback Mountain, brooding over “a promise untouched by forces unknown to lovers.”  Up & Away evokes a kinship in production to Douglass’ earlier releases, Teeter and Pseudo-Rotary but poses the secure sense of maturity that was introduced in his latest Stark release.  “I wanted to really capitalize on my love for harmonies in this record as I had yet to do so; that’s the real signature for this one in my opinion,” says Douglass.

Douglass was born and raised in rural Vermont, winning local talent shows in his early teens.  He taught himself to play the piano & guitar and began writing his own songs during junior high.  While attending Brewster Academy, a college-prep boarding high school in New Hampshire, Douglass composed and recorded the material for his first two albums.   On graduation day, the schools’ Headmaster presented him with a music award publicly announcing that Gregory was the first student he would ever encourage NOT to go to college, advice that convinced him to immediately pursue music full-time.  Today, Douglass has firmly established himself as a serious musical talent nation wide.

With only six years of personal experience, Douglass has mastered the art of grassroots promotion with the help of his fan base.  His last three recording efforts were financed almost entirely by the support of his fans pre-ordering records and contributing donations directly through his website.  House Concerts hosted also by fans make up a large portion of his national touring.  “As a full-time independent artist, it is important to come up with intimate, new ways to remind people your still there,” Douglass proclaims.

http://www.gregorydouglass.com/

http://www.myspace.com/gregorydouglass

God-Des and She

God-des & She is comprised of two incredibly talented mid-western Hip-Hop & Soul singers that began their journey through the music scene with just a rhyme and a dream.  These small town girls with big town ambitions quit their jobs and moved to New York in 2004 from Madison, Wisconsin.  Over the last four years, it’s been their intense drive and incredible focus that has gained them their notoriety and helped them to burst onto the music scene and take the industry by storm!

http://www.god-des.com/

http://www.myspace.com/goddes