[Deathwatch] Izora Rhodes Armstead, 'It's Raining Men' singer,age unknown

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

'It's Raining Men' singer dead
Wednesday, September 29, 2004 Posted: 10:08 AM EDT (1408 GMT)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/29/obit.armstead.ap/index.html


SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Izora Rhodes Armstead, who sang the
1980's dance club hit "It's Raining Men" as one half of the Weather
Girls, has died. Her age was unknown.

Armstead, who along with partner Martha Wash started out as background
singers for San Francisco disco diva Sylvester before forming the
Weather Girls, died on September 16 of heart failure at a hospital in
San Leandro, about 20 miles east of San Francisco.

Armstead and Wash, who met when they sang in the same gospel group,
were known as Two Tons O' Fun when they sang on four Sylvester Albums,
including his No. 1 club hits, "Dance (Disco Heat)" and "(You Make Me
Feel) Mighty Real."

After leaving Sylvester, they made three albums as the Weather Girls
before splitting up. One of the albums, "Success," featured the 1983
song "It's Raining Men" -- co-written by "Late Show" bandleader Paul
Shaffer -- which was a No. 1 dance club hit.