Category: Motown

50TH! ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES PLAY TO WIN AT WHISKY-A-GO GO . . . JANUARY 28, 1967

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1967

Miracles’ Whisky Performance Stellar; Club’s Mikes Are Not

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES — Smokey Robinson and the Miracles prove that a hit record creates loyal fans. When the Whisky A Go Go reopened last Thursday (January 12) after a face-lifting, fans flocked to the opening show. The foursome’s opening was a happy, noisy affair. Some 85 per cent of the crowd were young girls who bounced and sang in their seats with the performers.

SMOKEY ROBINSON and the Miracles, 1966

The club’s management has reacted to the recent abolishing of teenage dance permits, by moving the stage out where the dance floor formerly was. The hour was SRO for the Miracles, whose singing was marred by poor mike balances with a good eight-piece band which covered them up front with their own
dynamics.

Consequently, much of the quartet’s harmonies and counterpoints were lost in the front seats. Robinson handles his solos with exuberance while his aides provide the oohs and aahs.

Repertoire encompasses some good numbers like “Poinciana” and “Yesterday” and the “Best Is Yet to Come,” but they suffered because of bad sound balances. On the jump tunes, like “Mickey’s Monkey,” “Ooh Baby, Baby” and “Going To A Go-Go,” the quartet works hard and involves the crowd.

Motown act has a subtle sex appeal which helps build visual appeal. To be an effective club act, the group needs better control over its back up bands to allow their own vocal blendings to come through. END

___

(Information and news source: Billboard; January 28, 1967)

THE SCENE OUTSIDE the Whisky-A-Go Go in West Hollywood, at the corner of Clark and Sunset Blvd, in Los Angeles. On January 12, 1964, Johnny Rivers was booked for live on-stage performances at the Whiskey’s premiere opening that year. Exactly three years later to the day, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles took to the Whiskey stage with a live performance for the club’s grand-reopening, January 1967.

Loading

A MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACK ’69! DAVID RUFFIN

BY THE END OF JUNE 1968 DAVID RUFFIN had been dropped as the Temptations’ front-man due to personal indifferences alleged with Berry Gordy and members in the group. But by year’s end, Ruffin, by then vigorously still pursuing his talents as a solo artist with Motown, was awarded his first single, ‘My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me).’  The single, written and produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, was released by Motown Records, January 1969. The album above, titled as same as Ruffin’s first solo single, was to be released later in May of that year.

Loading

MOTOWN SNAPSHOT FLASHBACK ’62! EDDIE HOLLAND

motown-record-mcrfb-logo2

EDDIE HOLLAND, circa 1962, was one-third of the legendary hit-writing trio at Motown, best known as Holland-Dozier-Holland. Eddie Holland went on to record 10 singles for the Detroit label between 1961 through 1964. "Leaving Here," was Eddie's eighth single he released for Motown in 1964, also featured today on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
EDDIE HOLLAND, circa 1962. He went on to become one-third of the legendary hit-writing trio for Motown, best known as Holland-Dozier-Holland. Eddie Holland went on to record ten singles for the Detroit label from 1961 through 1964. Produced by Berry Gordy, Jr., “Leaving Here,” was Eddie’s eighth single released by Motown Records 1052, December 1963. “Leaving’ Here” is our featured Motown Monday single today on MCRFB.COM.

Motown Gold (mcrfb3)

Loading