Please press here for content page:
BY THE NUMBERS Back To The Top
Sang back-up for Diana Ross...according to legend, they were "the Supremes" on several Diana Ross and the Supremes albums.
Group consists of:
They were with Motown as early as 1962, when they backed up Marvin Gaye on Mr. Sandman. They were used extensively throughout the Motown sessions from the Marvelettes to soften their roughness, to the Four Tops (from Baby,I Need Your Lovng through Still Waters) to "fatten the tracks." They also sang with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas on several cuts (My Baby Loves Me (the Tops were in the background of that, too), and I Should Be Proud). Their most notorious stint were recording as "The Supremes" on the Diana Ross led, "Someday, We'll Be Together."
The Andantes also cut their own unreleased 45 in 1964 on VIP (a division of Motown): (Liike a ) Nightmare/If You Were Mine.
In the 1990s, The Andantes recorded for Motorcity Records; A 'Best Of' Collection is scheduled for 2000.
Statistics:
LPS
The Songs:
Statistics:
Group Members:
Discovered by: Michael Bivens (who also performed with New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe)
Film Appearances:
Songs written and performed by Boyz II Men
CDS/LPS
The Songs:
Statistics:
Born: Charlene Duncan (nee: D' Angelo) 6/1/50 (Hollywood, CA)
Charted songs:
Statistics:
Recorded his one and only hit for Motown while substituting for a DJ at KGBS/Los Angeles.
Died: 11/22/95 (age 66)
Charted Singles:
Statistics:
Group Members
CDS/LPS
The SINGLESs:
Do You Love Me
Darin recorded songs such as 'Melodie', 'Song For A Dollar', 'Simple Song Of Freedom',' Sail Away', 'Average People', and 'Happy' from 1971 to 1973. He was also a member of a group called the 'Rinky Dinks.'
Let It Whip
DENNIS EDWARDS Back To The Top
Dennis was originally a member of the Contours before he joined The Temptations. From1984-1986, Dennis Edwards pursued a solo career at Motown and had a mega hit, 'Don't Look Any Further' with Siedah Garrett. Minor hits followed such as, "Coolin' Out" before he rejoined the Temptations. He left the group again in the 90's and went on tour as "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations".
THE 5TH DIMENSION Back To The Top
In the 70's, the 5th Dimension, minus Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., looked to Motown for a new direction and sound. During their tenure, they recorded two albums that didn't live up to the group's, or Motown's, intention: "High On Sunshine" and "
THE FOUR SEASONS Back To The Top
After being one of the most popular groups of the 60's, the Four Seasons changed label to infuse new life into their career. A short stint at Motown started the created juices flowing for Frankie Valli, who originally wrote 'My Eyes Adore You' while with the label. But Motown virtually ignored the group, concentrating mainly on their 'hit-makers,' that the Four Seasons quietly slipped away and took their music to Curb Records where they were soon rewarded with #1's for the the group (Who Loves You) and for Frankie Valli...who would later score with the title song for the movie, 'Grease.'
The Four Tops were seasoned pros by the time they signed with Motown, where they found their biggest success singing Holland, Dozier, Holland tunes that wrapped themselves around lead singer, Levi Stubbs strong smokey voice. The Four Tops (aka.. The Four Aims) had recordings out before they recorded with Motown? The group changed their name to the Four Tops in 1956 for fear of mistaking them for the Aims Brothers of that era. Any way ..... The group recorded under Chess records in 1956 'Could It Be You/ 'Kiss Me, Baby'. They also recorded under the "Four Aims" name with Grady records the same year, 'If Only I Had Known.' Did you also know in 1956 the Four Tops backed Delores Carroll who was under Chateau records at the time, on the songs 'Everybody Knows, and 'I Just Can't Keep The Tears From Tumblin Down.' However, it wasn't until they signed with Motown that magic would appear. Their songs are among Motown's most memorable and durable hits from 'Baby, I Need Your Loving' to 'Reach Out, I'll Be There. In 1972, after teaming with the Supremes for a couple of memorable albums as 'The Magnificient Seven,' the Four Tops left Motown for ABC Records where they revitalized their career with songs such as "Keeper of the Castle" and "Are You Man Enough. Their biggest ABC hit was "Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got".
When ABC Records was sold to MCA Records, around 1978/1979, the group moved to Casablanca Records where they were rewarded with another big hit: "When She Was My Girl", around 1982.
They re-joined Motown, in 1983 where they recorded four albums, including 'Back Where I Belong' which included a Levi Stubbs duet with Aretha Franklin.
In 1988, they left Motown again for Arista (probably at Aretha's encouraging), and released 'Indestructible' an album noted for a hit R&B duet between Levi Stubbs and Aretha Franklin, 'If Ever A Love There Was.'
Levi Stubbs, the voice of the Four Tops, also found himself in demand on the big screen where he loaned his voice as the man-eating plant in the movie, 'The Little Shop of Horrors.' But most memorably, he sang a tune titled, 'I Believe In You and Me' that would later become a favorite wedding song for countless people walking down the aisle and give Whitney Houston a #1 hit when she sang the song for her movie vehicle, 'The Preacher's Wife' starring Denzel Washington. Incidentally, Denzel was one of those people who did use the Four Tops version of 'I Believe...' as his wedding song and was the one who suggested Whitney should sing it for the movie.
The Four Tops also did a single, for Reliant Records (a small, local Detroit label), called "I'm Here Again".
Yes, that Joe Frazier! The heavy-weight boxer released a single in 1975 titled: "First Round Knock Out/Looky, Looky (Look at Me, Girl)."
Johnny Gill was in a gospel group prior to becoming an R&B star? Johnny Gill, one of Motown's newer generation alumni, sang with his three brothers in the gospel group the Wings Of Faith, before meeting Stacy Lattishaw, and recording with her on Atlantic. Even before that meeting, he had recorded for Cortillion records in 1983 at the age of 16. Wasn't til after joining New Edition ( by replacing Bobby Brown) then quitting the group, did he finally record for Motown records, with the 1993 album 'Provocative', and the 1996 album 'Let's Get The Mood Right.'
|
 |
 |
|
| Next Page | Diana Ross/Supremes | Diana Ross | The Supremes |
This page is always under:
E-MAIL ME:
