b. Martha Harvin, Victoria, Virginia, U.S.A.
Martha High has been a long time vocalist with James Brown and is currently touring Europe alongside another veteran Brown colleague, the late Lyn Collins.
She began her career in Washington, D.C. and attended the same High School as several other of the Soul fraternity including the Four Jewels and Margie Clark.
These folks also attended the Trinity AME Zion church during their formative years.
the four jewels
As part of the group she hooked up with (the Four Jewels), who recorded several singles for various labels, including the Checker, Chess, Start, and Tec imprints.
The group changed their name at that point to the name, the Jewels.They recorded for Carole King's Dimension imprint, releasing the single 'Opportunity' b/w 'Gotta Find A Way', which was followed by the single 'But I Do' the flipside of a tune called 'Smokey Joe'.
It was in 1964, the group joined the James Brown Revue.
At that time the Jewels were working alongside James Crawford, Vicki Anderson, Baby Lloyd, and Elsie Mae.
The Jewels disbanded later in the Sixties but but still stayed within the music business.
Martha Harvin then changed her name to Martha High and stayed with James Brown for 32 years.
She recorded a self-titled solo album for Salsoul Records in 1979.
Martha finally left James Brown's entourage in 1995 to tour with Maceo Parker.
She appeared at the Jazz Cafe in London in late February 2005.
Albums:
Martha High (Salsoul Records 1979)
Martha High Live At Quais Du Blues (2000)
