''A Cellarful of Motown!'' is a series of

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

s of

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 ...

rarities, containing versions of known songs by alternative artists, as well as demos of songs that were not released at the time, but had been shelved for various reasons. Compiled by Paul Nixon, the series ran for four volumes before being cancelled by Universal Records. Some of them had failed to pass the selections by Motown executives, in other cases Motown's owner

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), also known as Berry Gordy Jr., is an American retired record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record label and i ...

had his personal reasons to withhold releases. Four examples out of many: * "Danger, Heartbreak Dead Ahead" was a hit for

the Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group formed in Inkster, Michigan, Inkster, Michigan in 1960, consisting of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who was ...

, but appears in a version by

the Contours The Contours are an American rhythm and blues vocal group. They recorded for Motown Records. They are known for their 1962 hit single "Do You Love Me", which sold over 1 million copies and became a major hit again in 1988. History Establishment ...

. * Likewise,

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he ...

's "My Heart", once a minor hit for

Caroline Crawford Caroline Crawford (born July 19, 1949) is an American rhythm and blues, pop, soul, and disco singer who recorded as Carolyn Crawford for Motown Records in the early-mid 1960s, and for other labels later in her career. Career In 1963, at abou ...

, is in this compilation performed by

Tammi Terrell Thomasina Winifred Montgomery (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970), professionally known as Tammi Terrell, was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with ...

. * From

Patrice Holloway Patrice Yvonne Holloway (March 23, 1951 – October 3, 2006) was an American soul and bubblegum pop singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the musical trios Josie and the Pussycats, The Ikettes, and The Blackberries. Career Patrice Yv ...

only one single was released by Motown; two demos she made for the company appear in this compilation. * The Spinners' original song "Too Late I Learned" was recorded but never released, not as a single nor as an album track. The series was revived for a fifth volume in September 2020, released by Universal subsidiary label Caroline Records.

Volume 1

Source: Classic Motown, AllMusic

Disc one

Disc two

Volume 2

Source: Discogs, AllMusic

Disc one

Disc two

Volume 3

Source: Discogs, AllMusic

Disc one

Disc two

Volume 4

Source: Soulsource, AllMusic

Disc one

Disc two

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cellarful of Motown 2002 compilation albums Motown compilation albums Compilation album series Record label compilation albums Soul compilation albums Pop compilation albums