Martha High

Biography

Martha High (born Martha Harvin in 1945 in Victoria, Virginia) is an American soul, R&B, and funk vocalist best known for her three-decade tenure as a featured singer with James Brown’s revue.[2][3][6][7] She grew up in Washington, D.C., attended Roosevelt High School, and sang in the choir at Trinity AME Zion Church, where she developed her voice and met the young women who would become The Four Jewels.[2][3] Still in high school, she auditioned for The Four Jewels, joined after impressing the group, and helped them transition into The Jewels, scoring a regional hit with the single “Opportunity” and touring elite nightclubs and theaters along the U.S. East Coast.[2][3]

During a mid‑1960s Apollo Theater tour, The Jewels caught the attention of James Brown, who invited them to join his James Brown Revue as an opening act and support vocal group.[1][2][3] When The Jewels eventually disbanded, Harvin chose to remain with Brown, who renamed her Martha High and later dubbed her “The Goddess of Soul.”[1][2][3] She went on to perform and record with him for more than 30 years, appearing on albums such as The James Brown Show (1967) and on tracks including their duet “Summertime,” as well as touring internationally and appearing on television and in films like The Blues Brothers.[1][2][3] In 1979 Brown produced her self‑titled disco album for Salsoul Records and also cut singles such as “Georgie Girl” / “Try Me.”[2][3] After leaving Brown’s band around 2000, High relaunched herself as a solo artist, touring with saxophonist Maceo Parker, fronting European bands such as Speedometer, Shaolin Temple Defenders, and others, and issuing albums including It’s High Time, Soul Overdue (with Speedometer), Singing for the Good Times, and Got My Senses Back.[2][3][6][7]

High’s musical style blends classic soul, R&B, funk, gospel, and retro soul, marked by a church‑honed vocal power, bluesy phrasing, and a deep affinity for the James Brown funk tradition.[1][2][3][6] Beyond performance, she has worked as a vocal instructor and mentor, leading workshops and master classes (often in and around Paris), and hosting her radio show It’s High Time from 2020, where she interviews musicians and celebrities she has worked with.[1][3] Internationally respected as one of the “Original Funky Divas,” she has helped sustain the legacy of James Brown and classic American soul while building her own late‑career catalog that has introduced her voice to new generations of funk and retro‑soul listeners.[1][2][4][5][7]

Fun Facts

• James Brown gave her the stage name “Martha High” (changing it from Martha Harvin) and later crowned her “The Goddess of Soul,” reflecting both their close working relationship and her status in his revue.[1][2][3]
• She performed with James Brown longer than any other singer in his organization, remaining in his band for more than 30 years.[1][3][5]
• Martha High appeared on screen in the classic film The Blues Brothers and in the television series New York Undercover, extending her presence beyond the concert stage.[1]
• In addition to singing, she is an author, a vocal instructor, and since 2020 has hosted her own radio talk show, It’s High Time, where she interviews musicians and celebrities she has worked with.[1]

Associated Acts

• The Jewels

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• James Brown - Discovered her while she was singing with The Four Jewels at the Apollo, hired The Jewels to tour with his revue, renamed her Martha High, produced her recordings, and employed her as a featured backing and duet vocalist for more than three decades. (Touring and recording with the James Brown Revue; albums such as The James Brown Show (1967); duet on “Summertime”; single “Georgie Girl” / “Try Me”; numerous live and studio appearances with James Brown’s band.) [Mid‑1960s to January 2000[1][2][3][5]]
• Trinity AME Zion Church community - Her early musical training ground, where she sang in the choir and met future members of The Four Jewels, shaping her gospel‑rooted vocal style. (Church choir performances that led directly to her membership in The Four Jewels/The Jewels.) [Childhood and teenage years in Washington, D.C.[2][3]]

Key Collaborators

• Maceo Parker - Legendary saxophonist and former James Brown band member who featured her as vocalist after she left Brown, helping launch her solo touring career. (Extensive touring with Maceo Parker’s band as a featured singer, billed as “The Teacher” and his ensemble; live performances across Europe and worldwide.) [From around 2000 for at least 16 years[1][3][5]]
• Speedometer - UK funk/soul band that backed her on a studio project highlighting her as a lead vocalist. (Album Soul Overdue credited to Martha High & Speedometer (2012).) [Early 2010s[2][3]]
• Soulpower Allstars / Soulpower organization - European soul/funk collective and promoters who worked with her on tours reviving classic soul artists. (European and African tours under the Soulpower banner; participation in “James Brown’s Funky Divas Tour” in 2005 alongside Lyn Collins.) [Mid‑2000s[2]]
• Luca Sapio - Italian soul musician and producer who shaped the sound of one of her late‑career solo albums. (Produced and recorded her album Singing for the Good Times (2016) for Blind Faith Records.) [Circa 2016[2]]
• Grey and the Hit Me Band / Michael Edell - Band and producer who collaborated with her on a full album of new material. (Album Got My Senses Back (2021), arranged, produced, and recorded by Michael Edell with Grey and the Hit Me Band.) [Around 2021[2]]
• George Clinton and Bootsy Collins - Funk icons who joined her and James Brown on a collaborative recording. (Track “Go Fer Yer Funk,” on which she recorded with James Brown, George Clinton, and Bootsy Collins.) [Late 1970s or early 1980s (exact year not specified)[3]]
• Lyn Collins and other “Funky Divas” - Fellow James Brown associated vocalists with whom she shared stages on themed tours. (“James Brown’s Funky Divas Tour” in Europe, sharing the bill with Lyn Collins and other Soulpower‑promoted singers.) [2005[2]]
• Shaolin Temple Defenders, The T.C. Gang, Morblus Band, Martha High & Band - European and international bands that backed her as she established an independent solo career. (Live album W.O.M.A.N with Shaolin Temple Defenders; various tours and live shows in Europe and beyond; performances under the name Martha High & Band.) [2000s–2010s[3]]

Artists Influenced

• Various rising singers and students (workshops and master classes) - She has been commissioned to participate in the development of young vocalists, offering technique, stylistic guidance, and professional mentorship. (Workshops and master classes in and around Paris and elsewhere, under her role as vocal instructor and coach.) [2000s–present[1][3]]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #funk, #soul