MARTHA TAYLOR LaCROIX began her musical career as opening act for Ramsey Lewis during his appearance at Southern University in the 1970's. With the stage moniker "Marti Lynn" she became a vocalist with the Dick Stabile Orchestra (former musical director for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis) before performing for a time with the New Orleans Opera Company.

 

Her first album, Introducing Marti Lynn, included a 1979 disco version of Who Can I Turn To & led to touring Japan, Panama & Venezuela with the Ronnie Kole Trio (Kole was the executive producer of the album). The subsequent meeting with singer Lamonte McLemore brought her out to Los Angeles to audition for his group The Fifth Dimension.  However, plans changed once she arrived in

Los Angeles & was cast in the musical Get Happy, a tribute to composer Harold Arlen. During that time, a Hollywood and Variety Reporter trade publications contributor, Edwa., wrote: "One of the best segments of the show is that featuring songs from House of Flowers, especially Marti Lynn's I Never Has Seen Snow."

​

A vibrant and highly positive presence in the singing community ever since, Martha often links her music to civic causes.  As a breast cancer survivor she produced a show which highlighted her often humorous journey. She founded the holiday networking organization The Holiday Celebration Club (HCC) in 2010, which specializes in providing alternative entertainment on the specified holiday for those who want to celebrate without the stress of planning. From this experience she became aware that the suicide rate increases leading up to the holiday season.

 

The desire to know more about the causes of suicide increased through conversations with Dr. Lauren Walton, who serves on the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and is a member of her church, Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles. Thus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit was formed through HCC called, Here's 2 Life, Inc. Originally called The Holiday Celebration Club Presents: No One Is Alone, the event is dedicated to supporting suicide prevention awareness.

​

Through Second Baptist Church—a registered historic landmark—she was instrumental in the development of Jazzy Fryday, a night of live jazz by the best musicians in Los Angeles with a fish entrée dinner. Jazzy Fryday has featured Grammy Award winning and nominated artists, as well as artists as young as 13 years old that have gone on to tour the world successfully.

​

Martha's music catalog includes Jazzily Seasoned, The Reason (Seasoned for Christmas), Holiday Seasoned with Expression, and Seasoned for Fathers. Martha received the Los Angeles "Jazz Living Legend Award" in 2016. 

​

Martha has performed in multiple clubs around Los Angeles, including Vitello's, Gardenia, Rockwell, H.O.M.E., and The Stage.

​

Projects she is currently working on include the Holiday Celebration Club's benefit, Here's 2 Life! (fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), Jazzy Fryday.

​

For more information about these projects, click here.