Martha High

James Brown's longest running female vocalist, Martha High (aka Martha Harvin), began her career in Washington, D.C. She attended the same high school (Roosevelt) and sang in the same church (Trinity AME Zion) as Sandra Bears, Carrie Mingo, Grace Ruffin, and Margie Clark, the Four Jewels, but didn't join until Carrie Mingo quit. From the district's northwest area, the original group woodshedded along with the Rainbows, the Marquees (Marvin Gaye), and Billy Stewart (Grace Ruffin's first cousin) in Bo Diddley's basement. Initially, Bob Lee managed them, but Diddley grabbed the r...