Category: Motown

ROOM AT EXEC SUITE FOR MOTOWN ARTISTS . . . FEBRUARY 11, 1967

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1967

 

At Motown ‘Quality Control’ Opportunities Granted as Artists Critique Talents, Projects Inside Gordy’s Stables

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES — At Motown Records one can be an executive and an artist at the same time. Smokey Robinson and his three associates who work as the Miracles outside the environments of Motown s Detroit headquarters, are three such executive/artists.

Robinson is a producer and vice-president with the company. Bobby Rodgers and Pete Moore work in quality control. Checking sound quality, and Ronny White spends his “white collar” time with Jobette Music, auditioning tunes and distributing songs among the firm’s own talent.

The Miracles have been with Motown since its inception. Because they are salaried employees with important posts, the quartet limits itself to three – week personal appearance junkets. The major change in the Miracles act is that Robinson’s wife Claudette doesn’t travel with the group anymore.

Robinson classifies the company as a “family affair” in which many people work on projects. While he has auditioned and recorded sessions by a number of the
label’s top acts, he says it’s not unusual for several producers to work on an album project.

On the first Saturday of each month, Motown holds open auditions. A number of producers are assigned to attend the sessions and select the top representatives.

At Motown, Robinson contends, everyone listens to everyone. Martha of Martha and the Vandellas was a former company secretary, given an opportunity to perform. The company maintains its own artists’ development school where state presence and presentation are taught. For two years Lon Fontaine ran the operation; now Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol handle the “kick, turn, and smile” school. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 11, 1967)

A TYPICAL MOTOWN RECORDS quality control staff meeting, with the Supremes, circa 1964.

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MARVELETTES! MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACKS 1967

THE MARVELETTES’ “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game” was recorded and released by Motown Records, December 1966. The Tamla single peaked at #13, March 18, 1967 during its 11 week run on the Billboard Hot 100. The single peaked also at No. 2 on the Billboard soul chart for the year. The song was written and produced by William ‘Smokey’ Robinson.
THE MARVELETTES, early-1967. Pictured from left to right, Katherine Anderson, Wanda Young and Gladys Horton.

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THE SUPREMES! MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACKS, ’67

THE SUPREMES NINTH NO. 1 SINGLE! “Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” was another Holland-Dozier-Holland composition from the Supremes 1967 album, ‘The Supremes Sing Holland Dozier Holland.’ The album would be the last collaboration with the Supremes with Holland-Dozier-Holland, by 1967’s end the famous composer/songwriters would depart Motown Records. The single peaked (one week) at No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart, week-ending March 11, 1967.
THE SUPREMES became the most successful recording girl group act in pop (and R&B) music history. The Motown trio pulled a string of twelve number one singles on the Billboard chart during a five-year span from 1964 through 1969.

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THE FOUR TOPS! MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACKS ’65

THE FOUR TOPS ‘SECOND ALBUM‘ produced three Motown singles on the R&B and pop charts by the time the LP was released, November 1965. Two of the singles, “I Can’t Help Myself“ (No. 1 pop) and “It’s The Same ‘Ole Song” (No. 5 pop) made top 10 prior the album’s release. The third single from the album,“Something About You” peaked No. 19 on the pop chart (No. 9; R&B) by year’s end. The Tops’ ‘Second Album’ peaked No. 20 on the pop LP chart (early-1966) while hitting No. 3 on the R&B LP chart, according to Billboard.
THE FOUR TOPS circa 1965

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