What qualified as a Motown Revue ?

**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 08:51 PM

What qualified as a Motor Town Revue back in the day ??
........ this certainly did .......
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**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 08:54 PM

....... and this must have ......
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**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 08:56 PM

... and this also seems to qualify .....
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**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 08:58 PM

.... ..... but did this early 1963 package .... there was no Motown backing band ...
Attachment 220
The 4 Motown acts had just completed a 2 month Motown Revue tour together
... (see ad lower down) ......... guess Berry worked them hard back then.

**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 09:01 PM

Attachment 221
... ...... the above must have qualified ......

**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 09:03 PM

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.... this one was only 50% Motown .....

**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 09:05 PM

... and this one was under 50% Motown acts .......
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**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 09:08 PM

... .... Gladys didn't qualify back then .....
.... so this package also had a small Motown content ....
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**jsmith** · 08-09-2010, 09:19 PM

.... this 1967 package was only 30% Motown acts .....
... but the Motown Big Band was providing back-up ...
.. so did this still qualify as a Motor Town Revue ? ..
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The Monitors can't have been undertaking nationwide
tours much after this package played its last show.

**nomis** · 08-09-2010, 09:29 PM

Interesting to see The Supremes getting billing for such early releases.Usually they were left off advertising at this point..

**ralpht** · 08-09-2010, 09:34 PM

Great posts, Jsmith. The ticket costs are a standout.

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 03:16 AM

.... this must have been Jimmy Ruffin's 1st tour as a Motown artist (October 1963) .....
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....... and the package was an 'official' MOTORTOWN REVUE

**nomis** · 08-10-2010, 03:32 AM

these clippings are great so much of this time isnt documented - there was so many shows lost in time,Even better a few of them have dates which is a great jigsaw piece for motown historians.

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 03:54 AM

This show had under 50% Motown acts and yet had a Motown band backing the package
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........ PLUS ........ the show's MC was (the pre-Stax) Al Bell !!!!

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 04:01 AM

I just noticed that the 1st 2 ads posted on this thread are for shows in 1963 that followed on from each other ...
but the package lost Mary Wells & gained the Miracles between leaving DC and arriving in Baltimore the next day !

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 04:10 AM

Attachment 238
Same package a month down the line. They had lost Marv Johnson but regained Mary Wells
......... mid June 63 ..... plus Stevie Wonder was now part of the line-up ..........
I guess the orders were coming from back in Detroit as to who should leave & join the touring ensemble.

**nomis** · 08-10-2010, 04:12 AM

This is why I love Motown so much -there is always something new to learn,The thread a few months ago where we traced The supremes first UK promotional tour was great.I hope that thread wasnt lost in this new makeover so much information is put on this site that you cant find anywhere else -This site itself is an important musical document.

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 04:19 AM

1963 again ... and as the Motortown Revue left town .....
Mary Wells arrived heading a package of non-Motown acts
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**nomis** · 08-10-2010, 04:49 AM

Wow.Flip has been around.I bet he could write a good book...

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 05:08 AM

..... a 1967 show in Baltimore ........
Attachment 240
.... less than 50% Motown related

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 05:14 AM

No 'official' Motown acts on this bill as David Ruffin had left the Temptations .........
and had teamed up with his Fellas (his 'Boys' in the ad who were really the Cavaliers)
......... however he would return to the Motown fold weeks later as a solo artist.
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 05:24 AM

........ only the Marvelettes represented Motown on this bill ......
mind you, the Detroit Emeralds might just have been from 'back home'
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 06:18 AM

As Martha & the V's headed out of town in 1966 .....
.... other Motown artists were just arriving ...
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 06:21 AM

........ meanwhile, on the other side of town ......
Stevie & the Marvelettes were setting up shop ...
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 06:43 AM

In Mary Wilson's book 'Dreamgirl' she makes mention of 2 tours that the Supremes were on with the Velvelettes .....
the 1st was on the road from mid October till Xmas 1962. It featured the Contours, Temptations, Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Sammy Ward, Miracles, Supremes, Velvelettes + Chocker Campbell & his band (according to Mary).
(with such a long list of artists I guess only 6 or 7 were on each date & acts left + joined as required).
The 2nd tour she makes mention of was in 1964, being together from the end of May to beginning of September.
This time the tour was a Dick Clark Caravan of Stars package and featured pop & soul stars including Major Lance, the Shirelles, Crystals, Dixie Cups, Dee Dee Sharpe, Supremes & Velvelettes (though she also makes mention of Diana getting into a fight with Brenda Holloway on this tour).
..... ANYWAY ......... I always thought that the Velvelettes did very few shows away from Michigan (especially in term time due to school / college commitments)
.... MY QUESTION IS ....... was Mary wrong about the Velvelettes being on these tours OR did the group just play selected dates close to home ??

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 07:16 AM

ANSWERING MY OWN QUESTIONS AGAIN ......... DOOOHH .......
Here's the Fall 1962 Motown Revue package which hit Washington at the end of October .....
Attachment 245
9 Motown acts + Chocker's band .... BUT no Velvelettes (guess they were back home).

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 10:34 AM

Just 2 (then) Motown acts on this 1962 package .........
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 10:36 AM

Guess Marvin had gone home (to DC) for these Xmas thru New Year shows ....
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 10:40 AM

Anyone here got any similar show ads for the Apollo, the Fox or the Regal (Chicago) ??

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 02:32 PM

Two Motown artists plus Choker's band (yet again) on this Oct 64 package ....
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 02:35 PM

The Supremes on their return to Detroit following the 1964 Dick Clark Caravan of Stars shows ......
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 02:46 PM

The Marvelettes must have been out on tour nonstop from 1962 to 1965 ........
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**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 04:08 PM

Two Motown acts don't appear too much on these package tours ....
... the Spinners are the 1st of these, though they were featured here ....
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I wonder why they didn't seem to get booked onto such tours too often ??

**jsmith** · 08-10-2010, 04:12 PM

The other Motown act that don't feature much were Jnr Walker & the All Stars .......
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From the mid 60's onwards, Jnr & his group were constant visitors to the UK
(touring 2 / 3 times every year) and I guess they also played numerous live
shows across the U.S.
...... so why didn't they get included on these package tour bills ??

**jsmith** · 08-11-2010, 03:37 AM

As soon as I post that Jnr Walker never seemed to be booked onto those
Chitlin circuit theatre tour packages ... I find this ad for a DC show in 1965 ...
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**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 01:55 PM

........ a rare 'distant' gig (DC) for the Velvelettes ........
I wonder how many shows on this 1964 tour they played ?
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**randy_russi** · 08-12-2010, 02:00 PM

These clippings are CLASSIC! I love looking at old show ads from newspapers as well as posters. The Motortown Revue
was usually billed as such and perhaps any show could be titled that way if the majority of the acts are from Motown.
Again, these ads are wonderful!

**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 02:08 PM

Any ads for Motortown Revue shows from other parts of the US available ??
....... LA; Cleveland; Boston; Miami, Atlanta; St Louis or elsewhere ??
Did a Motortown Revue package play any Las Vegas venues ??

**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 03:52 PM

Guess this must have been amongst the first shows that Betty Kelly
(ex Velvelette) played as a Vandella ........
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**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 03:56 PM

The above shows took place Saturday 10th OCTOBER 1964 at this Baltimore Theatre ....
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It had started out as the Stanley Theatre but changed ownership in 1959 after
which its name was changed to the Stanton.
The last show was held at the venue on April 17 1965 (just 6 months later), with
the building being demolished almost immediately afterwards.

**marv2** · 08-12-2010, 04:16 PM

I remember those ads for the Motortown Revue when they use to play the Toledo Sports Arena in the sixties.

**theboyfromxtown** · 08-12-2010, 04:34 PM

Bl**dy hell John. You've been busy. WOW. They are amazing. A friend of Motown David has a lot of the Apollo promo ads. You need to get to see them if you can

I am now going try to compete with Nomis' wonderful stories at EMI....you ready.......this is a Bertha story from the Apollo. You have to understand that Bertha is very sweet and doesn't get into "naughtiness", so when she told me this story I was gobsmacked.

The Velveletttes were performing at the Apollo and Flip Wilson was the compere. The girls had done their act and as they walked off stage, Flip announced to the crowd...I would sure love to put my needle in their haystack!!!!

It was very hard for me to keep a straight face in front of Bertha! LOL That man is so NAUGHTY and I love him!!

**theboyfromxtown** · 08-12-2010, 04:38 PM

John

1. The Velvelettes didn't start recording until 1963.

2. Betty Kelly wasn't an official Vandella until September 1964 after her birthday. Annette was still perfoming up until them but less and less frequently. Betty was also doing Velvelette gigs.

**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 06:19 PM

John, the show was held on 10th October 64 !!! (when was Betty's birthday in September ?)
The tickets for the show can't have been selling too well as the ad was placed again a few days later .........
Mind you at $1.25 for just the Impressions, Gladys Knight & Pips, Martha & Vandellas + a couple of others
........... I doubt any of us here would have bothered paying to see the show !!!!!!!!!
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....... Looks like Freddie Scott & Carl Fisher had been dropped from the bill
... defo wouldn't have paid the $1.25 to watch from the balcony seats then !!!

**theboyfromxtown** · 08-12-2010, 06:38 PM

John

You're now asking me to remember birthdays.....now that is asking TOO much! LOL She was 20 and I thought I was good remembering just that!

It'll be PJ or Reese who will shoot with the answer......2-1 joint favourites....unless Roger (2nd mention *blows raspberry*) gets off his backside and posts!.

**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 06:45 PM

Mind you, this 'M&V show' commenced over a week earlier (Friday 2 October 64) .........
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**theboyfromxtown** · 08-12-2010, 07:12 PM

Is Choker Cambell any relation to Choker Campbell or your Chocker!

LOLOL

**theboyfromxtown** · 08-12-2010, 07:17 PM

Any connection ?

**jsmith** · 08-12-2010, 08:06 PM

JOHN .............. YEP, that looks quite like gud ol' Chocker ...............
So called, coz he could chock a wonky amp perfectly with just a wedge of cheese !!!