Martha Veléz (born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on August 25, 1945) is an American singer and actress of Puerto Rican descent.

Biography

Veléz started singing at age five and won an opera scholarship at age 12, as a

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

. She studied for three years, then went to the

High School of Performing Arts The High School of Performing Arts (informally known as "PA") was a public alternative high school established in 1947 and located at 120 West 46th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, from 1948 to 1984. In 1961, the school was ...

. Veléz holds a master's degree from

Antioch University Antioch University is a private university with multiple campuses in the United States and online programs. It is the continuation of Antioch College, which was founded in 1852. Antioch College's first president was politician, abolitionist, and ...

in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Cultural Mythology and Depth Psychology. She is a founding Fellow of the Imaginal Institute of Ojai, California. As a playwright, she wrote the award-winning play ''Power of the Powerless''. Veléz is interested in using her voice as a means for social change. Veléz began her recording career with the folk singing group The Gaslight Singers on

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...

. She was the female singer with Earl Mann, Al Alcabes, and Jeff Hyman. Veléz released her debut blues-rock album ''Fiends and Angels'' on the Sire/Blue Horizon Records label in 1969. Backing musicians included

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

, Stan Webb (

Chicken Shack Chicken Shack are a British blues band, founded in the mid-1960s by Stan Webb (guitarist), Stan Webb (guitar and vocals), Andy Silvester (bass guitar), and Alan Morley (drums), who were later joined by Christine McVie, Christine Perfect (later ...

), and

Paul Kossoff Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) was an English guitarist, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the rock band Free (band), Free. In 2010, he was ranked number 51 in ''Rolling Stone''s list of the "100 Greatest ...

(Free) on guitar,

Christine McVie Christine Anne McVie (; Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician. She was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists and songwriters of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, notably Chic ...

(

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...

) on keyboards,

Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish musician. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of Rock music, rock band Cream (band), Cream. After the group disbanded in 1968, he pursued a ...

on bass,

Mitch Mitchell John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 194612 November 2008)In his book about the Experience, Mitchell states he celebrated his 21st birthday while on tour on 9 July 1967, which makes his birth year 1946.Mitchell's obituaries in ''Billboard (mag ...

(

The Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

) on drums, and

Brian Auger Brian Albert Gordon Auger (born 18 July 1939) is an English jazz rock and rock keyboardist who specialises in the Hammond organ. Auger has worked with Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Sonny Boy Williamson, Eric B ...

on organ. The album was produced by Mike Vernon. 1972 saw the release of Veléz's second album,''

Hypnotized Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychological ...

''. In 1973, she released ''Matinée Weepers'', a collection of adult-contemporary pop. In May 1975, Veléz traveled to

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

for three weeks to record with reggae artist

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

. She is the only American artist for whom Marley functioned as a music producer — the results were ''Escape from Babylon''. Producer

Craig Leon Craig Leon (born 7 January 1952) is an American-born record producer, composer and arranger currently living in England.''International Who's Who in Classical Music 2005'', Routledge, 2005. Leon was instrumental in launching the careers of many ...

also contributed to this association. He asked Marley about doing the album with her; Marley listened to her composition, "Living Outside the Law" from her 1972 album, ''Hypnotized'', and felt a philosophical kinship. He also was impressed by her voice. Marley's positive response took them into the studio with his earlier producer

Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, songwriter and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development ...

to work on producing ''Escape from Babylon'', released in 1976. The album also featured four Marley covers (''Bend Down Low'', ''Happiness'', ''There You Are,

Get Up, Stand Up "Get Up, Stand Up" is a song written by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. It originally appeared on The Wailers' 1973 album '' Burnin. It was recorded and played live in numerous versions by Bob Marley and the Wailers, along with solo versions by P ...

'') and a Veléz-Marley composing collaboration, ''Disco Night''. The songwriting credits were given to

Rita Marley Alfarita Constantia "Rita" Marley OJ OD ( Anderson; born 25 July 1946) is a Jamaican reggae singer. She is the widow of reggae musician Bob Marley. Along with Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt, Rita was a member of the reggae vocal group the ...

because of Marley's dispute with his publishers at the time. After ''Escape from Babylon,'' Veléz only released one more album: ''American Heartbeat'' (1977). A compilation, ''Angels of the Future Past,'' was released in 1989. This did not include any songs from ''Hypnotized'' (due to cross-licensing issues) or from ''American Heartbeat'' (because the masters were missing at the time). Veléz resumed her acting career, which began with playing the lead in ''Hair'' on Broadway. She moved on to acting in movies and TV series. Veléz was a series regular in the

Norman Lear Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922December 5, 2023) was an American screenwriter and producer who produced, wrote, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear created and produced numerous popular 1970s sitcoms, including ''All in the Family'' (1 ...

sitcom '' a.k.a. Pablo'' in 1984, and played a recurring role in ''

Falcon Crest ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera created by Earl Hamner Jr. that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Cha ...

'' (1986). In 1997, she acted in ''

One Eight Seven ''One Eight Seven'' (also known as ''187'') is a 1997 American crime drama thriller film directed by Kevin Reynolds. It was the first top-billed starring role for Samuel L. Jackson, who plays a Los Angeles teacher caught with gang trouble in ...

'' along with Samuel L. Jackson. Veléz also worked in films with

Julianne Moore Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress and children's author. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent ...

(''

Safe A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable enclosure used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body ...

''),

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry ( ; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant of 1986 and also placing six ...

and

Patrick Swayze Patrick Wayne Swayze ( ; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, singer, songwriter, and dancer. Known for his romantic, tough, and comedic roles in blockbusters and cult films, Swayze was nominated for three Golden Glob ...

('' Father Hood''),

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...

(''Nails''), and played a lead role in the (

Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...

) winner ''

Star Maps Star map is another name for a star chart, a map of the night sky. Star map(s) or starmap(s) may also refer to: * Maps of celebrity homes, often called star maps * Star Maps (film), ''Star Maps'' (film), a 1997 American drama * Star Maps (album), ...

,'' directed by

Miguel Arteta Miguel Arteta (born August 29, 1965) is a Puerto Rican filmmaker known for his work in independent cinema and television. His film ''Chuck & Buck'' (2000) received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature made for under $500,000, while '' ...

and produced by Mathew Greenfield.

Personal life

Veléz is the current wife of Juliard violist and symphonic performer, James Reid. She is also the former wife of trumpet player Keith Johnson. Her son Taj Johnson is a performance artist, writer-poet, and singer. Taj appeared as a series regular for two years on

Parker Lewis Can't Lose ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' (rebranded simply as ''Parker Lewis'' for the third and final season) is an American teen sitcom that originally aired on Fox from September 1990 to June 1993. It was produced by Clyde Phillips Productions, in asso ...

. Her brother is the percussionist

Gerardo Velez Gerardo "Jerry" Velez (born August 15, 1947) is an American musician. Best known for performing with American psychedelic rock musician Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock Festival in August 1969, Velez is a veteran percussionist and drummer, who has perfor ...

, who has worked with

Spyro Gyra Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1974. The band's music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop music. The band's name comes from ''Spirogyra'', a genus of green algae which founder Jay Beckenste ...

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

and

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...

Discography

* The Gaslight Singers (1963) * Turning it on (1964) * Fiends and Angels (1969) * Hypnotized (1972) * Matinée Weepers (1973) * Escape from Babylon (1976) *

American Heartbeat "American Heartbeat" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It is the second most successful single from ''Eye of the Tiger'', peaking at number 17 on the US charts. It appears as the eighth track on the album. Release The song debuted at n ...

(1977) * Angels of the Future Past (1989)

Filmography

* AKA Pablo (1984) (Norman Lear TV series) * Shattered if Your Kid's on Drugs (1986) *

(1989) (TV series) *

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and List of L.A. Law episodes, 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. The series cente ...

(1989) *

Tour of Duty For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. ...

(1990) (TV series) *

Side Out ''Side Out'' is a 1990 American comedy-drama sports film about a beach volleyball competition, featuring C. Thomas Howell, Peter Horton, Harley Jane Kozak and Courtney Thorne-Smith. It was the last film from Aurora Productions due to many flops ...

(1990) *

Live! From Death Row Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film * ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film *'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...

(1992) * Nails (1992) (television film) * Father Hood (1993) *

(1995) *

(1997) *

(1997)

Theater

Mata Hari Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (, ; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari ( , ; , ), was a Dutch Stripper, exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for German Empire, Germany during World War ...

(1965) (Washington, D.C. National Theater) * I'm Solomon (1966) *

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

(1967) (Broadway - Biltmore Theater) * Comedy of Errors - Shakespeare (Los Angeles) * Power of the Powerless (1994) (Los Angeles, CA)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Velez, Martha 1945 births Living people American women singers American television actresses American musicians of Puerto Rican descent