I can't help but think that if the whole Motown phenomenon had happened ten or fifteen years earlier it would have been called BERRY GORDY'S BIG BAND and we wouldn't even be having these discussions .. we would just all appreciate the great vocalists, songwriters and musicians involved!!

After all .. wasn't Motown in the '60s a communal effort? My understanding is that early in their career THE SUPREMES sang back up for MARVIN GAYE and THE TEMPTATIONS .. THE VANDELLAS sang back up for MARVIN GAYE .. LEVI STUBBS [[uncredited) is on "When The Lovelight Starts Shining through His Eyes" by THE SUPREMES and "Teach Me Tonight" by STEVIE WONDER. All manner of singers sang back up for all manner of lead singers. The bottom line is that the music was great!!

And .. who seriously thinks that THE BEATLES sang and played ALL the parts on ALL their records? All those orchestral arrangements [[didn't some go backwards) .. were they being played by John, George, Paul and Ringo? I think not!! I believe that there were some "BEATLES" recordings that actually only included one or two of the group [[the vocalists) plus session musicians.

Personally I love Motown music, as a phenomenon, and if I find out that someone who was in a particular act wasn't actually singing on a particular one of that acts recordings it doesn't bother me one iota!!

Roger