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Home , Annette Beard, Betty Kelly, Florence Ballard, Frank Wilson (musician), Jean Terrell, Lawrence Payton

UNIT 7 (P. 222-235) CHAPTER 6: POP AND SOUTHERN SOUL

Intro

 Until early 60’s, many African-Americans blocks from mainstream success by white covers o Majority of African-American recording artists signed to independent labels, and recordings’ popularity could be easily eclipsed by major label versions  bands took much of early inspiration from African-American popular music  By 1965, situation in youth-music market had significantly improved for black artists wanting mainstream hits  Among most important developments was music that came from Motown Records (independent company; most important era of success parallels that of ) and the emergence of southern soul from Memphis  American rock press that emerged in mid-60’s often cast Motown as black pop music that made too many concessions to white sensibilities – selling out its “blackness” to make money in white market; while southern soul portrayed as music that makes no excuses for its blackness, staying closer to origins in black culture o Perception of racial authenticity after music accepted into white mainstream o Crossover so prevalent; December ’63 – January ’65, Billboard stopped tracking R&B charts separately

Berry Gordy, Jr. and Black Music for White Audiences

Go Where the Money Is: White Kids and Disposable Income

, Jr.: professional boxer in area, worked for father’s construction company, owned a record store, and worked on Ford assembly line; spent a lot of time in Detroit’s jazz clubs – jazz = not key to success in music business! o Began writing songs for Detroiter/former boxer, singer Jackie Wilson o Worked with sister Gwen Gordy and Roquel “Billy” Davis (Tyran Carlo), writing several hits for Wilson o Also wrote and produced songs for other Detroit singers/musicians, leasing recordings to labels in NY and o In 1959 formed Motown Records; first hit record: Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)”  During his first few years in business, modeled his releases on already successful records (girl- group hits of Brill Building and Isley Brothers’ style of the early 60’s) o Enormous potential in producing records that could cross over from R&B to pop charts o Adopted Chuck Berry’s strategy, preventing covers of his songs by white artists, by making Motown singles acceptable to white listeners in their original versions (i.e. appeal to white teens) . Interest in accommodating white tastes aligned closely with Gordy’s roots in black middle class and emerging Civil Rights movement’ . Not “selling out” because of culture he grew up in o Early label success in R&B market o Through 60’s Motown releases charted higher in R&B charts than pop charts o First target audience: white teens; later, older middle-class audiences who frequented upscale supper clubs

Adapting the Brill Building Production Model

 Gordy gave songwriting and production duties to a collection of specialized individuals and teams, using a model that had been established by Leiber and Stoller a few years earlier  From ’60-’64, Gordy, William “Mickey” Stevenson and William “Smokey” Robinson handled many of songwriting and production duties  First consistently successful Motown group: , fronted by Robinson o Robinson among Motown’s most successful producers  Years between ’64 and ’67 at Motown dominated by the success of the , , and team – “H-D-H” o Responsible for a string of hits by , the , and o Left Motown and stopped producing music in late ’67 over a royalty dispute o Dissatisfaction of H-D-H team with Gordy’s controlling interest in Motown echoed a common complaint about the company through the years; but Gordy able to facilitate creation of enormously popular music  Following H-D-H, emerged as label’s most successful producer with a series of singles by through early 70’s  Late 60’s: Valerie Ashford and Nick Simpson (series of and Tammi Terrell duets), (collab. With Supremes and the Four Tops)

The Studio, the Band, and Quality Control

 Through most of the 60’s, Motown recordings at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit: “Hitsville, USA”  Like Phil Spector in LA, Motown producers had a gifted and experienced group of studio musicians… from Detroit’s lively jazz scene; created parts on the spot, often without benefit of scored-out parts or completed formal design (only general idea of chords and rhythms producers wanted) o Key players: pianist Earl Van Dyke, drummer Benny Benjamin, electric bassist – the Brothers (key to the “Motown Sound”)  Once per week, Gordy gathered staff together for “quality control” meetings, testing each song, arrangement and recorded sound; potential releases presented for Motown employees and sometimes members of the community, to vote on which songs would be released that week o Good barometer for song’s potential success, though vote went against a now-classic “I Heard It through the Grapevine” – released after a cover of the same song rose up in the charts (and thus Marvin Gaye’s version was extremely successful once released)

Artist Development and Professional Choreography

 According to Gordy’s philosophy, Motown artists had to project an image of class and sophistication – refined and graceful dance movements for live performances by Broadway choreographer Cholly Atkins o “The charm school” – , taught men and women how to move and speak with grace; aim for performances at elegant supper clubs

The Motown Artists

The Supremes

 Mid-late 60’s; formed in Detroit 1959 when , Mary Wilson, and Betty McGlown started a quartet called the Primettes (sister group to the Primes, later the Temptations), but McGlown left and the three tried to convince Gordy to sign them o Were signed, but initially unsuccessful o H-D-H took over production and song-writing duties, and they hit in ’64 with, “?” and cont’d to produce hits o Ross made leader for her evocative voice o Ballard left in ’67 from personal issues and replaced by  Group later became Diana Ross and the Supremes with growing leader stature  Ross left the group in late ’69 to focus on solo career, which was successful; replaced her and the group scored more pop hits in the 70’s

The Supremes and Holland-Dozier-Holland

 From ’64-’67, the teaming of H-D-H with the Supremes produced a series of hits that made H-D- H one of the most successful writing and production teams in popular music and placed the Supremes among the top recording artists of the decade

The Supremes, “” (p. 229)  Begins with intro that features a series of pulsating piano chords accompanied by drums; accompanied by “marching” sound produced by slapping wooden two-by-fours together, making song’s beat unmistakable  Sound of vibraphone (like xylophone, but with sustained vibrato)  Simple verse form; little change in accompaniment over verses (includes electric guitar and bass after intro)  In third verse, saxophone takes over for lead vocal for eight measures, making vocal return for verse 4 sound fresher  Verse 5 has change of key (up a half-step from D-flat to D) that propels song forward  Pronounced rhythmic stomping is a continuation from previous single, “Where Did Our Love Go?”, as is the repetition of the word “baby” – trying to repeat a winning formula with this 2nd single http://wwnorton.com/college/music/whats-that-sound3/ch/06/playlist.aspx for additional information

Also See Listening Guide

Martha and the Vandellas

 Formed in Detroit in ’62 by former members of the Del-Phis  was performing in a Detroit Club when she was spotted by Motown producer Mickey Stevenson, who hired her as his secretary  Backup singers hired for Marvin Gaye recording session failed to show up one day, when Reeves and her friends provided backup vocals on “”, impressing Gordy so much that he had them record “I’ll Have to Let Him Go” (did not chart) as Martha and the Vandellas  By early ’63, Reeves on lead vocals backed by Rosalyn Ashford and (replaced by in ’64); first hit in ’63 (H-D-H produced) and followed up with two more hits o Mickey Stevenson then took over production for what would become known as the group’s most successful and best known single, “” o Continued success through ’67 with singles produced by H-D-H  Despite popularity, suffered because of Supremes’ success and attention Motown gave to cultivating Diana Ross  Roots in gospel and R&B more apparent in their recordings compared to Supremes, who sounded controlled by comparison; due to Martha’s full-throated, soulful vocal style, which paralleled southern soul and set the stage for later in the decade o Dress and image still polished and controlled, regardless of musical style; image of sophistication and elegance

The Temptations

 Typical Motown guy group known for athletic choreographed dance moves, among label’s top acts between ’64 and ‘72 o One of Motown’s most consistently successful groups; known for smooth singing style (drawing strongly on doo-wop tradition) and tightly choreographed dance steps  Formed in 1961 in Detroit when Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Al Bryant of the Distants joined forces with and Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) of the Primes  In ’63, after some unsuccessful releases for Motown, Bryant left and joined, completing the classic lineup that remained intact til ‘68  Hit the pop charts in early ’64 with “The Way You Do the Things You Do”, written and produced by Robinson that showcased Kendricks’ high tenor lead vocal (example of early style, highlights Robinson’s clever approach to writing lyrics –corny lines come to life in distinctive and appealing way in combo with sunny music)  More hits… Gordy, perhaps disappointed that Robinson couldn’t duplicate enormous success of “My Girl”, gave Norman Whitfield a chance to produce the group in ’66; delivered string of hits

The Temptations, “The Way You Do the Things You Do”

http://wwnorton.com/college/music/whats-that-sound3/ch/06/playlist.aspx for additional information

Also See Listening Guide

The Four Tops

 Formed in ’54 by , Obie Benson, Lawrence Payton and Duke Fahir, older and more experienced than most Motown groups of mid-60’s  Originally signed to Chicago’s , but moved to Motown in ’64 and recorded a jazz for Gordy’s Workshop Jazz label  Soon teamed up with H-D-H who began working with the Supremes only months earlier  Stubbs on lead vocals, the male counterparts of the Supremes in many ways, enjoying a string of H-D-H hits (think “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”  Like the Supremes, pronounced pop orientation with frequent use of orchestral strings and other instrumentation drawn from classical music

Marvin Gaye and

 Two of the most important solo vocalists in Motown  Gaye originally sought a career as a pop crooner in vein of Frank Sinatra or Nat “King” Cole, but found Motown environment more suitable to creating dance-oriented R&B hits  In ‘62 hit with “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” and continued success through decade with 16 more singles in pop Top 40, and another ten duets with , Tammi Terrell and Kim Weston  Worked with most of the Motown producers, and also recorded classic duets  By the end of the decade, also writing and producing for other artists, and the Originals, a male vocal quartet, became his charges in the studio

 Stevie Wonder (known for much of the decade as “Little” Stevie Wonder) followed a similar path  Signed to Motown in ’61 at age 11; blind from birth and promoted as a musical prodigy in manner of Ray Charles  At 13, scored number one hit with song based off impromptu moment during a live Motown Revue concert when launched into an extended improvisation without warning; transferred well to vinyl, one of most successful Motown releases up to that time  After initial success, floundered – voice changed and Motown seemed unsure how to advance career, but by ’66, “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” hit number 3 on pop charts, beginning string of hits, with Wonder earning partial songwriting credits for each  “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” in ’70 helped Motown make transition out of 60’s

Assimilation, Motown, and the Civil Rights Movement

 Crossover appeal of Motown’s records and artists in mid-60’s combined with Gordy’s desire to appeal to white audiences, has frequently prompted criticisms that Motown sold out to white America  Rock-oriented music press didn’t give Motown much credit, and black community frequently complained that Gordy hired too many white executives o But black American listeners never really tuned Motown out o One of most important and successful R&B labels of the 60’s o Perception of Motown as pandering to white public was complicated by company’s middle-class origins o …Who is to say that black listeners didn’t like white music of the pop charts?  For many who oppose refined black pop, African-American music that began coming out of the South – and especially Memphis – in the mid-60’s can be seen as a counter-example o Some would argue that southern soul more in touch with own roots in black culture