First Ladies of Disco brings groovy dance tunes to the Clark Center 

Disco is alive and well—and an iconic trio of women who were pioneers in the scene are bringing the groovy genre straight to the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande.

"It's a celebration and stroll down memory lane for everyone involved," Martha Wash said. "Especially since it's music performed by the people who originally sang and helped bring these songs to life."

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• Courtesy Photo By Bill McMenamy Photography
• GET UP AND DANCE Martha Wash said First Ladies of Disco will get audiences off their feet and dancing like it's the '70s all over again.

Wash is one of the disco divas performing First Ladies of Disco: The Ultimate Flash Back Experience at the venue on Jan. 25. Wash will be joined by fellow singers Norma Jean Wright and Linda Clifford, and the trio will perform classic disco hits from the '70s, '80s, and '90s alongside newer songs the group has penned together.

"Music in modern times focuses more on the youth, which is fine, but we wanted to show that we still had our groove on," Clifford said with a laugh.

Part of what made disco music special, she said, was the emotion that the singers showed onstage, often accentuating the fun and the passion they had, which served to get people up and dancing.

"When you come to this, you are getting the real deal," Clifford said. "Because it is songs not only by the artists who helped write them but also perform them back then as well."

Clifford contributed vocals to several hits including, "If My Friends Could See Me Now" and "Red Light." Both songs appeared in the Oscar-winning movie Fame.

Wash is a two-time Grammy nominee who performed on classic hits like "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C + C Music Factory, and "Everybody Everybody" and "Strike it Up" by Black Box.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Len Evans
• TERRIFIC TRIO Disco pioneers (left to right) Linda Clifford, Martha Wash, and Norma Jean Wright take the stage on Jan. 25 at the Clark Center for Performing Arts.

She also worked in the '90s to ensure that her vocals were properly credited on CDs and future releases from those groups, a practice she continues to advocate for today.

Wright contributed to hits like "Dance Dance Dance" and "Everybody Dance" as a former member of the band Chic. After leaving that group, Wright also found success as a solo artist with her hit song "Saturday."

The upcoming Jan. 25 performance originates from a book of the same name that highlights the female contributions in the evolution of disco, funk, and soul music in the 20th century.

"We liked being part of that book and experience of remembering all that we did so we decided to expand upon it," Wash said. "Part of this was also an opportunity to unite onstage together and showcase our friendship and chemistry we have fostered for years."

The book also helped the trio develop a creative relationship outside of performing the songs again. In 2016, they released their debut album as a group, Show Some Love, which garnered attention on Billboard dance charts.

In 2018, they found even more success with—what they say their fans consider to be their best song—"Don't Stop Me Now," which they'll open the show with.

"It's a feel-good show, a blend of new and old hits that we all contributed to, all experienced part of," Wright said. "When they are going to the show, they are getting a true live show performance, which I think is one of the most important parts."

They have some help in bringing these songs to life, Wright said, as it's not just the three of them performing. Modern-day disco revival artists like Anita Ward, Janice-Marie, Thea Austin, and Marsha Warfield will all perform as backing singers alongside a live band that tours with the group.

The trio is hopeful that with the rising reemergence of disco among younger audiences, the show can spark even more appreciation for the genre they helped pioneer.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Len Evans
• ALL TOGETHER NOW The power trio of (left to right) Linda Clifford, Martha Wash, and Norma Jean Wright bring years of experience in the music industry and an onstage chemistry fueled by lifelong friendships.

"I think what we are hoping for too is younger people coming to this and understanding the impact that disco and the classics have had—and continue to have on modern music," Clifford said. "There's a bit of revival going on right now with modern takes on disco music, so this is the perfect time to jump into why it's making a resurgence."

Whether listeners know all the classics by heart or are just discovering them, the trio hopes the audience will want to get up and groove.

"You are not going to want to remain seated for long with the energy we have onstage and music hyping you up," Wash said. "We expect people to get up from their seats, groove—come on people, let's boogie!" Δ

Staff Writer Adrian Vincent Rosas is dancing the night away. Reach him at [email protected].