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Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American girl group formed in Inkster, Michigan in 1960, consisting of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who was replaced by Wanda Young prior to the group signing their first record deal. Achieving popularity in the early to mid-1960s, they were the first successful act of Motown Records after the Miracles and its first significantly successful female group after the release of the 1961 number-one single, " Please Mr. Postman", one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group and the first by a Motown recording act. The group struggled with problems of poor promotion from Motown, health issues and substance abuse, with Cowart the first to leave in 1963, followed by Tillman in 1965, and Horton in 1967. Nevertheless, they managed a comeback in 1966 with "Don't Mess with Bill". In 1969, the group ceased performing and disbanded the next year, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wanda Young Rogers
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] |
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] |
Ann Bogan
Ann Bogan (born 1941; sometimes credited as Anne Bogan) is an American singer, notable as recording member of the Motown girl-group The Andantes and later, a touring and recording member of The Marvelettes. Life and career Anne Bogan was born on March 17, 1941, in Cleveland, Ohio. Bogan recorded one single as an Andante, released in 1964. Bogan joined the Marvelettes in 1967 after lead singer Gladys Horton departed. She can be heard on their releases Sophisticated Soul, In Full Bloom, and The Return of The Marvelettes, however neither Katherine Anderson or Bogan appear on the cover of The Return of The Marvelettes. The cover instead featured a new picture of Wanda Young and two fake Marvelettes (reportedly Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Joyce Evans of The Undisputed Truth, whose faces are purposely unidentifiable) on horseback to emphasize the album's new title. After the Marvelettes disbanded in 1970, Bogan became a part of the New Birth and their subgroup, Love, Peace & Hap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georgeanna Tillman
Georgeanna Marie Tillman Gordon (February 6, 1944 – January 6, 1980) was an American singer and an original member of the Motown girl group the Marvelettes. Life and career Tillman was born and raised in the Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan. Tillman had three sisters, Sharon, Anna Marie, and Thea, and her mother was Annabelle Tillman. In 1960, Tillman was recruited into a girl group with her former Inkster High School glee club members Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart. Georgia Dobbins was later added to the lineup by Horton.The Marvelettes – '' Unsung'' episode (TVOne). Career with the Marvelettes The group called themselves ''The Casinyets'', short for "we can't sing yet". The group auditioned for Motown after the talent show, and while the audition was successful, the group was requested to give a musical composition. After Dobbins created the composition " Please Mr. Postman", Dobbins left the group after her father refused to let her perform ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katherine Anderson
Katherine Elaine Anderson Schaffner (January 16, 1944 – September 20, 2023) was an American singer best known as a member of the Marvelettes. Biography Anderson was born in Inkster, Michigan, United States, and was raised in a housing project built by Henry Ford. She was one of four children born to Robert, a cement finisher, and Florence Anderson, a nurse's aide. While Anderson was not able to afford records growing up, she performed in gospel groups and the high school glee club. Early in life she planned to become a legal secretary. Anderson co-founded the Marvelettes, originally called the Casinyets, in 1960 with four fellow students at Inkster High School to enter a competition that could lead to an audition with Motown Records. Although they did not win the competition, a teacher convinced Motown to give the group an audition. The audition was successful and in August 1961 they released " Please Mr Postman" on the label which was at the top of the charts six months la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don't Mess With Bill
"Don't Mess with Bill" is a song recorded by the Marvelettes for Motown Records' Tamla label.The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson, "Don't Mess with Bill" features a lead vocal by Wanda Young. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in February 1966, and at number three on ''Billboard's'' R&B singles chart. "Don't Mess with Bill" was the Marvelettes' final top 10 single. Background The titular "Bill" referenced is not an allusion to the song's author, Bill "Smokey" Robinson. Robinson reports that he chose the name because it fit the lyrics, not because it was his. ''Cash Box'' described it as a "funky medium-paced pop-blues shuffler about love-struck gal who serves notice on one and all to leave her fella alone." Personnel *Lead vocals by Wanda Young, Wanda Young Rogers *Background vocals by the Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Bar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freddie Gorman
Freddie Gorman (born Frederick Cortez Gorman, April 11, 1939 – June 13, 2006) was an American musician and record producer, most famous as a singer, songwriter for the Motown Records, Motown label in the late 1960s and mid 1970s. He was a native of Detroit, Michigan. A member of the Motown quartet The Originals (band), The Originals, Freddie Gorman was also a vital unsung component of the Motown label's formative development. He co-wrote the label's first #1 pop hit "Please Mr. Postman", by the Marvelettes. In 1964 the biggest selling group of all time, the Beatles released their version, and in 1975 the Carpenters took it back to #1 again. In 2006, "Please Mr. Postman" was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Biography Before Motown Born in Detroit on April 11, 1939, Gorman developed his bass harmonizing on local street corners, and was still in high school when he made his recorded debut on the Qualitones' 1955 Josie Records single "Tears of Love". Two years later ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motown
Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''motor'' and ''town'', has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played a vital role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved crossover (music), crossover success with white audiences. In the 1960s, Motown and its main subsidiary labels (including Gordy, Soul) were the most prominent exponents of what became known as the #Motown sound, Motown sound, a style of soul music with a mainstream pop music, pop-influenced sound and appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million in 1988. Between 1960 and 1969, Motown had 79 songs reach the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In March 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Miracles
The Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most important and most influential groups in the history of Pop music, pop, Soul music, soul, rhythm and blues and rock and roll music. The group's international fame in the 1960s, alongside other Motown acts, led to a greater acceptance of R&B and pop music in the U.S., with the group being considered influential and important in the development of modern popular music. The group was formed as The Five Chimes and changed their name to the Miracles in 1958, by which time their lineup consisted of Smokey Robinson, Claudette Rogers Robinson, Claudette Rogers (later Robinson), Bobby Rogers, Warren "Pete" Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Ronnie White. Referred to as Motown's "soul supergroup", the Miracles recorded more than 50 chart hits, including 26 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Bateman (songwriter)
Robert Bateman (April 30, 1936 – October 12, 2016) was an American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. Among other songs, he co-wrote the hits " Please Mr. Postman" and " If You Need Me". Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was one of the founding members of vocal group the Satintones in Detroit, Michigan, in 1957. Bateman was the bass singer. "Correc-Tone: Introduction", ''Soulful Detroit.com'' Retrieved 16 October 2016 In 1959, the group made their first recordings for , and Bateman did additional work for the company as a backing singer and engineer. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inkster High School
Inkster High School was a high school in Inkster, Michigan in Metro Detroit. It was a part of Inkster Public Schools. History Inkster High School on Middlebelt was built in 1952. In 2013 the school had 940 students.Higgins, Lori.Inkster district could convert high school into a charter school" ''Detroit Free Press''. January 30, 2013. Retrieved on February 12, 2013. It closed in 2013 when the Inkster district was dissolved. Everett Cook of the ''Michigan Daily'' stated in October 2013 that due to the litter of materials on the sports fields, "Officially, the school has been shut down for three months, but it looks like it's been abandoned for years, as if one day Inkster was operating, and the next everyone picked up and left."Cook, Everett. "At Gardner's alma mater, a school with no students." ''Michigan Daily''. October 3, 2013. p1 Retrieved on November 2, 2013. Areas were given to the new districts by quadrants. Students north of Michigan Avenue and west of Middlebelt were re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
