Happy Birthday LOUVAIN DEMPS of the ANDATES

[loveblind]

Happy Birthday to LOUVAIN DEMPS of the Andates...Motown's sensational background session singers!

The Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, among others, along with the occasional non-Motown recording [[Jackie Wilson's hit "Whispers [[Gettin' Louder)" being one example). Barrow also substituted for Florence Ballard of The Supremes in concert on several occasions.

The Andantes provided back-up singing on Motown singles starting in 1962. The group was most prominently used on all of the Four Tops' Holland–Dozier–Holland-produced hits, including "Baby I Need Your Loving", "I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", "Reach Out I'll Be There", and more. The Andantes were used as vocal substitutes for Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong on many of

The Supremes' recordings done in 1968 and 1969. They were also called upon to overdub and smooth out The Marvelettes' background vocals records; the producers had this done without the Marvelettes' knowledge. The final Marvelettes album, The Return of The Marvelettes, was actually recorded by Marvelette Wanda Young with the Andantes, not her groupmates, on backgrounds.

In 1963, The Andantes with Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes released the single "Too Hot to Cry, Too Much in Love to Say Goodbye" b/w "Come on Home" as credited to The Darnells. In 1964 they released a single of their own called "[[Like A) Nightmare" b/w "If You Were Mine".

Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, The Andantes appeared as backing vocalists on many of Motown's recorded singles, as The Funk Brothers also had when providing instrumentation. Five of these singles that they provided background vocals for would go on to chart at the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 popular music chart.

Chart-topping Hits
"My Guy" - Mary Wells
"I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" - Four Tops
"Reach Out I'll Be There" - Four Tops
"Love Child" - Diana Ross & the Supremes
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye

Four Tops
The Andantes appeared as backing vocalists on twelve singles for the Four Tops [[all written and produced by H-D-H). These releases include:
"Baby I Need Your Loving"
"Without the One You Love [[Life's not Worth While)"
"I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"
"It's the Same Old Song"
"Something about You"
"Shake Me, Wake Me [[When It's Over)"
"Reach Out I'll Be There"
"Standing in the Shadows of Love"
"Bernadette"
"7-Rooms of Gloom"
"You Keep Me Running Away"
"I'm in a Different World"

Diana Ross & the Supremes
They appeared as backing vocalists on six singles for Diana Ross & the Supremes. These releases include:
"In and Out of Love"
"Forever Came Today"
"Love Child"
"I'm Livin' in Shame"
"The Composer"
"No Matter What Sign You Are"
Martha & the Vandellas

They appeared as backing vocalists on six singles for Martha & the Vandellas. These releases include:
"My Baby Loves Me"
"I'm Ready for Love"
"I Promise to Wait My Love"
"I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing"
"[[We've Got) Honey Love"
"Taking My Love [[And Leaving Me)"

The Marvelettes
They appeared as backing vocalists on thirteen singles for the Marvelettes. These releases include:
"I'll Keep Holding On"
"Don't Mess with Bill"
"You're The One"
"The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game"
"When You're Young and in Love"
"My Baby Must Be a Magician"
"Here I Am Baby"
"Destination: Anywhere"
"What's Easy for Two Is So Hard for One"
"I'm Gonna Hold On As Long As I Can"
"That's How Heartaches Are Made"
"Marionette"
"A Breath-Taking Guy"

The Temptations
They appeared as backing vocalists on three recordings for the Temptations.
"It's Growing"
"Just Another Lonely Night"
"That'll Be The Day"

Marvin Gaye
They appeared as backing vocalists on [[at least) 15 singles for Marvin Gaye. These releases include:
"Baby Don't You Do It"
"What Good Am I Without You"
"How Sweet It Is [[To Be Loved by You)"
"I'll Be Doggone"
"Pretty Little Baby"
"Ain't That Peculiar"
"One More Heartache"
"Take This Heart of Mine"
"Little Darling [[I Need You)"
"Your Unchanging Love"
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby"
"That's the Way Love Is"
"The End of Our Road"
"Save the Children"

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
They also appeared as backing vocalists on these following recordings and singles for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell:
"This Poor Heart Of Mine"
"Give In, You Just Can't Win"
"When Love Comes Knocking At My Heart"
"Two Can Have A Party"
"Come On And See Me"
"Oh How I'd Miss You"
"Love Woke Me Up This Morning"

[jobeterob]

Good bio Loveblind.

So............we finally know, Louvain was on more hits than anyone else at Motown.

Now, we'll be waiting for the "fast beating hearts" and "stilletto heels" over "they were used as vocal substitutes for Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong".

And you've missed the most famous song she was on: Stop in the Name of Love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a DEAR LADY: Louvain Demps. I hope she comes back to find out she is fondly remembered.

[Motown4Ever518]

The biography on these lovely ladies is a must read for all at this site. Especially for what they left out.

[jobeterob]

I wish they had written a frank biography but I don't think that is in Louvain or Vickie.

[loveblind]

They sounded so sweet on those Marvelettes recording. Especially on the FULL BLOOM lp!

[Kamasu_Jr]

I wish they had written a frank biography but I don't think that is in Louvain or Vickie.

Happy Birthday to Louvain Banks. I also wish the Andantes would have acknowledged some of the other ladies who provided background vocals at Motown like Telma Hopkins, Pamela Vincent and Ann Bogan. That is not the Andantes on Marvin Gaye's Too Busy Thinking About My Baby and I Heard It Through the Grapevine. Louvain Marlene and Jackie were not on everything, especially by 1969 and 1970.

[theboyfromxtown]

WOW....two big guns here at odds!

I have to say, my ears side with Kamasu on this one.

[jsmith]

What a lovely woman she is ...........
... here she even got down on her knees to make it seem that Ronnie Mc is a tall guy !!!!!!!
Attachment 4737

[theboyfromxtown]

Great pic John.

[ivyfield]

Very informative. Thanks for that...