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I Want A Guy
"I Want a Guy" is a song written by Freddie Gorman, Berry Gordy and Brian Holland and was the debuting single for Motown girl group The Supremes in 1961.The Complete Motown Singles Vol 1: 1959-1961 D liner notes New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records. It was also recorded by The Marvelettes on their album ''Please Mr. Postman''. Featuring Diana Ross in lead, the song was a doo-wop ballad similar to what the Supremes had been recording since forming as "The Primettes" two years earlier. The song's lyrics tell about a lonely woman who wants a new lover who won't mistreat her and always be loyal to her. :''I want a guy to love me'' :''One who will love me completely'' :''Not like the last'' :''Who's in the past'' :''Who broke my heart and made me cry'' When issued, the song failed to chart forcing Berry Gordy to find other options for the teenage quartet - its full lineup included Barbara Martin alongside Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. Three members of the group ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal group, vocal band, with List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones#Most number-one songs, 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. Their breakthrough is considered to have made it possible for future African-American Rhythm and blues, R&B and Soul music, soul musicians to find mainstream success. ''Billboard'' ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time. Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson (singer), Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, the original members, were all from the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, Brewster-Douglass public ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty McGlown
Betty McGlown-Travis (June 30, 1941 – January 12, 2008) was an American singer, a member of the Primettes, later better known as the Supremes. Biography In 1959, McGlown started dating future Temptations member Paul Williams, who was then singing with the Primes. Around the same time, the Primes' booking agent and manager Milton Jenkins was scouting the Detroit neighborhoods looking for girls to become part of the Primes' sister act. After he discovered Florence Ballard, Ballard set about recruiting other girls she knew, quickly asking Mary Wilson. Primes member Paul Williams asked Diana Ross to join. Due to her connection with Williams, McGlown became the last to join the Primettes. Along with their guitarist, Marv Tarplin, the girls performed for Berry Gordy who, although impressed, told them they were too young for the business and encouraged them to finish school. On Lu Pine Records, McGlown sang backing vocals for Mary Wilson on " Pretty Baby" and backing vocals for Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gladys Horton
Gladys Catherine Horton (May 30, 1945 – January 26, 2011) was an American R&B and pop singer, notable for being the founder and lead singer of the all-female vocal group the Marvelettes, the first successful Motown girl group. Biography Early life Born in Gainesville, Florida to parents of West Indies heritage, she was raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan by foster parents in an housing project built by Henry Ford. Horton never knew her biological parents throughout her life, and lived with several foster families after being put up for adoption at nine months old. By the time of her high school years at Inkster High School, Gladys had taken a strong interest in singing, joining the high school glee club. In 1960, Horton formed a group with her former highschool glee club members Georgeanna Tillman, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart. She invited Georgia Dobbins to join the new group.The Marvelettes – ''Unsung (TV series), Unsung'' episode (TVOne). Car ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wanda Young
Wanda LaFaye Rogers, née Young (August 9, 1943 – December 15, 2021), was an American singer, known for being a member of the Motown all-female singing group the Marvelettes, and after 1965, the lead singer. Biography Early life Young was born and raised in Inkster, Michigan and was one of ten children. Her father, James Young, worked at the Ford plant, while her mother Beatrice was a housewife. Originally aspiring to be a nurse, Young's professional music career started after fellow Inkster High School classmate Gladys Horton asked her to audition for a spot left by Georgia Dobbins.The Marvelettes – '' Unsung'' episode (TVOne). Dobbins' father had forbidden her to sing secular music. At this point the band had no name, having formerly been called the Casinyets (a contraction of "can't sing yet"). The Marvelettes After a successful audition, Young joined the group and the quintet, which had auditioned for a deal with Motown earlier, returned with a song co-written by Do ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Messina
Joseph Lucian Messina (December 13, 1928 – April 4, 2022) was an American guitarist. Dubbed the "white brother with soul", he was one of the most prolific guitarists in Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers. Early life Messina was born in Detroit on December 13, 1928. He started playing the guitar when he was thirteen, after his father purchased one for him. Messina initially attended Central High School in his hometown, before studying music at Cass Technical High School. He eventually dropped out to focus on becoming a professional musician. Career Messina first played in jazz clubs in Detroit starting in the late 1940s. By his mid-twenties, he was playing in the ABC Television studio band, accompanying such guests as Sonny Stitt, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Jack Teagarden, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Giuffre, Pepper Adams, Donald Byrd, Frank Rosolino, and Dizzy Gillespie. Also while at ABC, Messina played on '' The Soupy Sales Show'', alongside guests such as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eddie Willis
Eddie "Chank" Willis (June 3, 1936 – August 20, 2018) was an American soul musician. Willis played electric guitar and occasional electric sitar for Motown's in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s. Career Born in Grenada, Mississippi, Willis was known for his signature style of muted guitar riffs which added a distinctive tone or "color" to the beat, often timed with the snare, of the hundreds of hit songs recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. for Motown artists. Among the recordings Willis performed on are " Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes, " The Way You Do the Things You Do" by The Temptations, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by The Supremes, and " I Was Made to Love Her" by Stevie Wonder. Influences for Willis included Chet Atkins, Wes Montgomery, and Albert King. He played a Gibson Firebird guitar on most of his early 1960s work, later moving on to use a Gibson ES-335. On recordings such as The Supremes' " No Matter What Sign You Are", Willis perf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benny Benjamin
William "Benny" Benjamin (July 25, 1925 – April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an American musician, most notable as the primary drummer for the Motown Records studio band The Funk Brothers. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and was named the eleventh best drummer of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2016. Life and career Benjamin was a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He originally learned to play drums in the style of the big band jazz groups in the 1940s. In 1958, he was Motown's first studio drummer, where he was noted for his dynamic style. Several Motown record producers, including Berry Gordy, refused to work on any recording sessions unless Benjamin was the drummer and James Jamerson the bassist. The Beatles singled out Benjamin's drumming style upon meeting Gordy in the UK. Among the Motown songs he performed on are early hits such as "Money (That's What I Want)" by Barrett Strong, " Shop Around" by the Miracles and "Do You Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Jamerson
James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bassist. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases until 1971), and is now regarded as one of the greatest and most influential bass players in modern music history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. As a session musician he played on twenty-three ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one hits, as well as fifty-six R&B number-one hits. In its special issue "The 100 Greatest Bass Players" in 2017, '' Bass Player'' magazine ranked Jamerson number one and called him the most important and influential bass guitarist. In 2020, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked Jamerson number one in its list of the 50 greatest bassists of all time. Early life A native of Edisto Island, South Carolina, he was born to James Jamerson Sr. and Elizabeth Bacon. He was raised in part by his grand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Hunter (musician)
Joseph Edward Hunter (November 19, 1927 – February 2, 2007) was an American musician and keyboardist, known for his recording session work with Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers. One of the original Funk Brothers, Hunter served as band director from 1959 until 1964, when he left Motown and was replaced by Earl Van Dyke. Life and career Hunter was born in Jackson, Tennessee, to Vada Idona Hunter and John G. Hunter. His mother was a piano teacher and he started playing piano at an early age. At age 11, the family moved to Detroit. He was drafted into the army where he played in the jazz band alongside pianist Dwike Mitchell and drummer Elvin Jones. Hunter was influenced by the music of Art Tatum, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Nat King Cole. After the service, he performed in Detroit jazz clubs and toured with The Midnighters. In 1958 he was recruited by Motown Records, at the time a newly founded label. He led the record label's studio band, The Funk Brother ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of studio musicians in music history. Among their hits are "My Girl (The Temptations song), My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "I Was Made to Love Her (song), I Was Made to Love Her", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "Heat Wave (1963 song), Heat Wave". Some combination of the members played on each of Motown's 100-plus U.S. R&B number one singles and 50-plus U.S. Pop number ones released from 1961 to 1972. There is no undisputed list of the members of the group. Some writers have claimed that virtually every musician who ever played on a Motown track was a "Funk Brother". There are 13 Funk Brothers identified in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film ''Standing in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raynoma Liles Gordy
Raynoma Mayberry Liles Gordy Singleton (March 8, 1937 – November 11, 2016) was an American R&B producer, songwriter, and vocalist perhaps best known for her association with ex-husband, Berry Gordy during the early days of Motown when she was often known as Miss Ray. Early life Raynoma Mayberry was born on March 8, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan. She was her mother Lucille's eighth child, but her first by her marriage to Ashby Mayberry. Although her father worked as a janitor for Cadillac, he did well enough to purchase a house on Detroit's Blaine Street in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. In the mid 1950s, Raynoma met and married Charles Liles, an aspiring musician. They had one son, Cliff Liles, born in December 1955. Burdened by financial pressures, the marriage soon folded. Career Early association with Berry Gordy In 1958, Raynoma and her younger sister, Alice, auditioned as a duo for a young songwriter named Berry Gordy. Sensing that Gordy was not excited about their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ondioline
The Ondioline is an electronic analog synthesizer, developed and built by Frenchman Georges Jenny. Sometimes referred to as the "Jenny Ondioline," the instrument is considered a forerunner of the synthesizer. First conceived by Jenny in 1939, he continued refining and reconfiguring the device, producing dozens of variant models up until his death in 1975. Though monophonic, the Ondioline is capable of creating a wide variety of sounds. Its keyboard spans three octaves, but by adjusting a register knob a player can render up to eight octaves. The instrument's keyboard is suspended on custom-designed springs, which enables a natural vibrato if the player manipulates a key laterally (from side to side) as that key is depressed. The keyboard is pressure-sensitive, and volume is controlled by a knee lever. The foremost exponent and popularizer of the instrument was Jean-Jacques Perrey, who performed and recorded with it, composed for it, and served as the instrument's first salesma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
