A MOTOWN MONDAY 1969 FLASHBACK! EDWIN STARR



TWENTY FIVE MILES” is a song written by Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, and Edwin Starr, for Starr’s second album, ‘25 Miles‘, released in 1969. It was Starr’s first success following his move from Ric-Tic Records to Motown (as Motown bought out Ric-Tic and all its artists in 1968). The song, off the album, was a huge hit in the US, making the Top Ten on both the Pop Charts (#6) and R&B Charts (#6). It was also a hit in the UK, reaching the Top 40 and peaking at #36. “Twenty-Five Miles” proved to be Starr’s second biggest US hit — after his signature song (and #1 smash)War he recorded for the Gordy label in 1970. (Source: WiKipedia)


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THE MAGIC BEHIND THE DETROIT MOTOWN SOUND! ’65


“AGENT 00 SOUL(INSTRUMENTAL) * EDWIN STARR * ’65


AGENT DOUBLE 00 SOUL.  A WORD ABOUT THIS SINGLE

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When Ric-Tic Records first released “Agent OO Soul” in Detroit in late 1965, many at first thought this was another Motown single. While it was not — in a sense — it was.

Notice the distinct Motown sound in this instrumental recording. The instrumental backing was pressed on the B-side of the vocal single recorded by Edwin Starr.  

At time not obligated nor legally bound solely to Gordy’s Motown stable, the Funk Brothers, the likes of James Jamerson (bassist), Benny “Papa Zita” Benjamin (drummer) Robert White (guitarist), et al, would “moonlight” their talents elsewhere, which included night clubs, jazz clubs in the city’s predominantly legendary ‘Black Bottom’ district (pre-1963), just the same.

Such exposure would pre-empt their eventual path, during that time,  inside the recording studios of Golden World and Ric-Tic Records as well.

Hence, outside the boundaries that was confined within the walls of Hitsville U.S.A., in essence, the Motown Sound was central in having once played a large part for Ed Wingate’s Golden World and Edwin Starr’s Ric-Tic releases.

Just the same, The Funk Brothers plied their trade with several other independently-owned recording studios around Detroit and elsewhere, by 1965 and early-1966.

At one time or another, individually or collectively, many of the early 20 or so members of Motown’s “Funk Brothers” also had sessioned for D-Back Records, Karen Records, Carla Records (both located in Ann Arbor) and the Detroit United Sound Studio.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks




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A MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACK: THE 4 TOPS, 1968!


‘YESTERDAY’S DREAMS’ is the seventh overall and sixth studio album recorded by the Four Tops, issued by Motown Records in August 1968. The album was recorded as the main Motown songwriting/producing partnership of Holland–Dozier–Holland were leaving the label, and as a result only contains one song from them, “I’m in a Different World”, which was released as a single. There are several other original Motown songs on the album, including the title track, “Remember When”, “We’ve Got a Strong Love (On Our Side)”, “Can’t Seem to Get You out of My Mind” and a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “A Place In The Sun“. The rest are cover songs produced by Ivy Jo Hunter and Frank Wilson. Hunter and Frank Wilson altered “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Sunny,” and even “Daydream Believer” to sound more natural next to a real Motown song like “Remember When.” If it never hit the chart heights of 1967’s Reach Out, Yesterday’s Dreams still proved more of a solid listen. (Source: WiKipedia and AllMusic)

THE FOUR TOPS 1968


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MOTOWN MONDAYS: A 1960s ‘MOTOWN’ NEWS PRINT

DETROIT FREE PRESS October 31, 1965


Monday, October 31, 1965

A MOTOWN MONDAY NEWS PRINT BACK-PAGE

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(Above article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2018. Newspapers.com.

The above featured ‘Motown’ article was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks


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FOUR TOPS 1965


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FLORENCE BALLARD REMEMBERED. FEBRUARY 22, 1976



Florence Ballard * My Heart


Florence Ballard * Yesterday


Florence Ballard * Forever Faithful


Florence Ballard June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976
 


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FLORENCE BALLARD REMEMBERED. FEBRUARY 23, 1976


DETROIT FREE PRESS February 23, 1976


DETROIT FREE PRESS February 24, 1976


DETROIT FREE PRESS February 28, 1976


DETROIT FREE PRESS February 28, 1976


DETROIT FREE PRESS February 28, 1976

REMEMBERING FLORENCE BALLARD


Monday, February 23, 1976

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Tuesday, February 24, 1976

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Saturday, February 28, 1976


A MOTOWN MONDAY NEWS PRINT BACK-PAGE

(Above article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2018. Newspapers.com.

The above featured ‘Motown’ article was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks


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Florence Ballard 1968



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