“TELL ME IT’S JUST A RUMOR BABY” (INSTRUMENTAL) * THE ISLEY BROTHERS
2 thoughts on “THE MAGIC BEHIND THE DETROIT MOTOWN SOUND! ’66”
Just a little trivia:
Earl Van Dyke’s Band was DJ, Martha Jean ‘The Queen’s’ Band at the Chit Chat Lounge in Detroit. She said to them “You all are so funky! I going to call you the Funky Brothers”. Then she added that didn’t sound good making the slight change dubbing them “The Funk Brothers”.
In the “Standing In the Shadows of Motown” DVD Bonus Features section of the documentary, The Funk Brothers share stories about “Martha Jean” at the Twenty Grand recounting bassist. James Jamerson Sr. being in charge of bringing a surprise birthday cake out to her at the right time. Somehow James tripped and fell into the cake and of course, they had a field day describing that one. The band humorously recalled how The Queen’s kind of reprimanded then for teasing Po’ James saying “Y’all leave James alone!” She was always being the Queen Mother all the time!
The word ‘funky’ was used in Memphis quite a bit the black community prior to becoming popular. On the documentary, AIRPLAY, by Travesty Productions, comments and stories about the influence and importance of the DJ’s role in the music and culture of America is clearly discussed with interviewes of many of the surviving DJs, The Queen and Rufus Thomas’s comments define the beginnings and are a moral compass for the discussion. Both were major air-personalities at the historic and iconic WDIA in Memphis.
Rufus speaks about how the white kids would ‘duck’ parties on the weekends to show up at the radio station (away from their parents knowledge) to party to the more ‘funky’ sounds of the emerging black radio. Rufus comments further that the word ‘funky’ was not considered a nice word in the mid late 50’s, though the music’s groove evoked the 60’s description in the best way.
I loved Rufus Thomas description of each broadcast weekend night, room full of white kids in the WDIA Studio discovering and becoming devoted to this funky music their parents didn’t want them to listen to: Rufus said: “They came, they saw, and THEY DANCED!”
And So it was… and So it is…. Amen
Another Funky reference per a backstory told to us by my uncle, Lewie Steinberg (bassist, co-writer and founding member of Booker T & The MGs): Lewie originally suggested a studio jam be titled “Funky Onions”. As we know “Green Onions” went on to be their biggest hit followed by more tasty tunes like “Soul Dressing”.
Just a little trivia:
Earl Van Dyke’s Band was DJ, Martha Jean ‘The Queen’s’ Band at the Chit Chat Lounge in Detroit. She said to them “You all are so funky! I going to call you the Funky Brothers”. Then she added that didn’t sound good making the slight change dubbing them “The Funk Brothers”.
In the “Standing In the Shadows of Motown” DVD Bonus Features section of the documentary, The Funk Brothers share stories about “Martha Jean” at the Twenty Grand recounting bassist. James Jamerson Sr. being in charge of bringing a surprise birthday cake out to her at the right time. Somehow James tripped and fell into the cake and of course, they had a field day describing that one. The band humorously recalled how The Queen’s kind of reprimanded then for teasing Po’ James saying “Y’all leave James alone!” She was always being the Queen Mother all the time!
The word ‘funky’ was used in Memphis quite a bit the black community prior to becoming popular. On the documentary, AIRPLAY, by Travesty Productions, comments and stories about the influence and importance of the DJ’s role in the music and culture of America is clearly discussed with interviewes of many of the surviving DJs, The Queen and Rufus Thomas’s comments define the beginnings and are a moral compass for the discussion. Both were major air-personalities at the historic and iconic WDIA in Memphis.
Rufus speaks about how the white kids would ‘duck’ parties on the weekends to show up at the radio station (away from their parents knowledge) to party to the more ‘funky’ sounds of the emerging black radio. Rufus comments further that the word ‘funky’ was not considered a nice word in the mid late 50’s, though the music’s groove evoked the 60’s description in the best way.
I loved Rufus Thomas description of each broadcast weekend night, room full of white kids in the WDIA Studio discovering and becoming devoted to this funky music their parents didn’t want them to listen to: Rufus said: “They came, they saw, and THEY DANCED!”
And So it was… and So it is…. Amen
Another Funky reference per a backstory told to us by my uncle, Lewie Steinberg (bassist, co-writer and founding member of Booker T & The MGs): Lewie originally suggested a studio jam be titled “Funky Onions”. As we know “Green Onions” went on to be their biggest hit followed by more tasty tunes like “Soul Dressing”.
Fabulous stories and personal memories of ‘THE QUEEN’ you shared with us here, Diane. Thank you!