Martha Veléz
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Martha Carmen Josephine Hernandéz Rosario de Veléz (b. in Puerto Rico) is an American singer and actress. Veléz is the wife of famous trumpet player Keith Johnson.
Veléz started singing at 5 years old and won an opera scholarship at 12 years old, being a mezzo soprano. She studied for 3 years then went to the High School of Performing Arts in New York City.
Veléz released her debut album Fiends And Angels on the Sire Records label in 1969; the album also features Eric Clapton; guitarist Al Anderson also worked with her. In May 1975 she travelled to Jamaica for three weeks to do a cover of reggae star Bob Marley's song Stir It Up. Her producer Craig Leon asked Marley about that; eventually Marley and his earlier producer Lee "Scratch" Perry agreed to produce Veléz's following album Escape From Babylon in 1976. The album also featured two Marley covers (Bend Down Low, Get Up, Stand Up) and a Veléz-Marley composing collaboration (Disco Night; the songwriting credits were given to Rita Marley though).
After Escape From Babylon Veléz released two further albums, American Heartbeat (1977) and Angels Of The Future Past (1989). She then started a moderate career as an actress in some movies and TV series. In 1997 she acted in One Eight Seven along with Samuel L. Jackson.
[edit] Discography
- Fiends And Angels (1969)
- Hypnotized (1972)
- Escape From Babylon (1976)
- American Heartbeat (1977)
- Angels Of The Future Past (1989)
[edit] Filmography
- Shattered If Your Kid's On Drugs (1986)
- Falcon Crest (1989) (TV series)
- L.A. Law (1989)
- Tour Of Duty (1990) (TV series)
- Side Out (1990)
- Live! From Death Row (1992)
- Nails (1992) (TV movie)
- Father Hood (1993)
- Safe (1995)
- Star Maps (1997)
- One Eight Seven (1997)
