In MTV’s early-1980s heyday, one of the things that stood out among the over-the-top outfits and Aqua-Netted hair in the videos was the smokily distinctive voice of Martha Davis.

Davis brought dark romanticism to the songs by her band The Motels. Think of the moodiness of her vocals on “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer.” Davis also happens to be a killer songwriter; she wrote both of those hits.

Davis took a break from music in 1988, and she notes on her website that her sabbatical prompted the question, “Where have you been?” Her answer: “Looking for my sense of humor. I seemed to have lost it somewhere around 1984. It’s not a business that one should be in without a sense of humor.”

Best response to the music biz ever.

After her hiatus, she worked with artists ranging from Ivan Neville to Jeff Daniels. She created her own musical, “Rebecca.” She wrote a children’s album and worked on a jazz release.

In 2012, she embraced her roots. She began touring with a new line-up of The Motels. They’ll perform in concert Thursday at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.

— Kristina Dorsey

Martha Davis & The Motels, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; Ruby Rose Fox opens; $30; 1-877-503-1286.