Motown the early years

[steeljack]

just watching a PBS tv special here in the US featuring videos and live acts of artists who recorded for Motown in the early/mid 60s , what a show , a trip down memory lane ......
Martha Reeves
Contours (do you love me)
Temptations ( My Girl, Get ready, Aint to proud to beg, The way you do the things you do ,
Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrel
the Miricles
Jr Walker and the AllStars
Marvellettes
Isley Brothers
Jimmy Ruffin
Four Tops
Little Stevie Wonder
Supremes (Diana Ross, Mary Wilson,Florence Ballard)

think there was a woman employed at Motown HQ in charge of styling and grooming , and what a job she did, the female Motown singers allways looked good and the guys allways in cool suits , non of the raggy assed look so popular today , even the re-constituted groups featuring sons and nephews of the original artists look good , smart dress , cool dance moves .

ok , I admit it , I'm still an un-reconstructed Mod at heart even though I'm approaching 60 and defy anyone to name a better record label than Motown ( even tho Atlantic produced the Drifters and Aretha)

watched a similar fund raising show earlier in the week of British pop groups who 'invaded' America , no comparison, 60 odd year old guys wearing leather pants with beer guts and nasty teeth

over to Cashman and Wynonnie ........

[WillowTheWhisp]

OOh that list brought back some memories Steeljack.

[Wynonie Harris]

Motown actually had a subsidiary company, International Talent Management, devoted to every aspect of its artists' lives from personal grooming to how to pay taxes.

When it comes to 60's soul labels, personally, I prefer the more gritty sound of Stax/Atlantic, but it's all down to personal taste. There's no doubt that Motown was a huge influence on popular scene - in fact in created a whole cult scene in Northern England devoted to obscure Motown records and Motown soundalikes that still survives to this day.

Agree with you about those British invasion bands (with a few exceptions), though, SJ!

[shakermaker]

Originally Posted by steeljack

...and defy anyone to name a better record label than Motown ( even tho Atlantic produced the Drifters and Aretha)

Motown was definitely one of the most influential, on a par with Sam Phillips' Sun & in later years my favourites Factory and Creation.

Some real greats in that list steeljack; Marvelettes, Jimmy Ruffin, Martha Reeves etc. some of my all time favourites.

[cashman]

cracking list that steeljack, love em all, could just have done with R.Dean Taylor added, the first white to record on the motown label. "Lets Go Somewhere" being one of the REAL Classics.

[Tunny]

Here's one for WYNONIE from an old school pal . . .
http://www.soulclub.org/stream/Mr_Bl...th_Mr_Bloe.ram
Tunny

[cashman]

Elgins, Edwin Starr,Barret Strong,Marv Johnson,Mary Wells,Gladys Knight @Pips,Spinners, Originals, the list is endless and still in the early years (60s) they could make another show easy. tell em steeljack, n tell em to show in U.K.

[Wynonie Harris]

Nice one, Tunny! A definite Accy Disco floorfiller, along with all the Motown magic, of course.

[Wynonie Harris]

..and don't forget, early Motown exerted a huge influence over the classic British bands of the 60's, with all of them covering songs from the label...the Beatles (Please Mr Postman and You Really Got A Hold On Me), the Stones (Can I Get A Witness), the Who (Heatwave), the Kinks (Dancing In The Street) and many, many more.

[Alan Gilmartin]

Your gem Steely, Just like Wyn, Cash, tunny, yourself . Once a Mod always a Mod.

[Alan Gilmartin]

One for the big W & Mr C. are any of the ORIGINAL Temptations still living ?.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Alan Gilmartin

One for the big W & Mr C. are any of the ORIGINAL Temptations still living ?.

the only living ORIGINAL MEMBER al is Otis Williams, by the way mate - i was a rocker lol but love most music.

[Ernie]

Us "Older" accywebbers definately had the best years of popular music with the Motown hits that were around at the time,if you can identify with Rod Stewart's fairly recent "Motown song" lyrics about putting the speakers in the window and listening to Miracles echo in the alley down below. My favourite record of all time I think must be Jimmy Ruffin's Farewell Is A Lonely Sound, still sheer magic even by todays standards.

[Wynonie Harris]

The Temptations' current line-up is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, G.C.Cameron and Joe Herndon. As Mr.C correctly says, Otis Williams is the only orignal member from 1960 when the group first formed. Their music still has fantastic emotive power, all these years later. Everytime I hear "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" it's 1966 and I'm back in Accy Con.