TomatoTom123
10-11-2016, 08:15 PM
Hey guys, I love The Undisputed Truth and I have been doing some research on them. I thought I would make a post about one of their lead singers, the lovely Virginia "Vee" McDonald!
Vee is one of Motown's most underrated female singers! She joined The Undisputed Truth after original members Billie Calvin and Brenda Evans left, in 1973. She recorded three albums with the group from 1974 to 1975: Down To Earth, Cosmic Truth and Higher Than High, and led them on such masterpieces as "Help Yourself" [[singing it on Soul Train in early 1974 [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yuv2y96bCw)) and "I'm A Fool For You [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoptOuwq0Uw&app=desktop)". This was with the criminally-underrated second line-up of The Truth [[Joe Harris, Tyrone "Big Ty" Douglas, Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkley and Calvin "Dhaak" Stephenson). When they left Motown and followed Norman Whitfield to Whitfield Records, Vee [[and Big Ty) left the group.
She recorded for a "Jobete Music" promotional album entitled Yesterday, Today, Forever, covering "Baby, I Need Your Loving", "You're What's Missing In My Life [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlKcFtNmjKY&app=desktop)" and "Travelling With Love In Mind", all produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. In the early 1980s Vee joined Brian Holland's revamped '8th Day' group. She also recorded a brilliantly funky solo album called Heavy Traffic Starring V, mostly written and produced by the Holland brothers. It was released by Atlantic Records in 1986, with one single, "Jealousy [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdZ50-Wkd34&app=desktop)", released that same year [[I like "If You're Gonna Mess With Me [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrY7oFluC6w&app=desktop)" and "Hand Made Love [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPwpIuCUUtM)").
In 1990 Vee recorded for Ian Levine and his Motown revival label Motorcity Records. She recorded a great version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and an original song called "You're My Loveline", written by Ian in collaboration with Marilyn McLeod and Janie Bradford. I can't quite express how FANTASTIC it is, like some sort of '90s-pop-soul-Motown-disco masterpiece! Ian Levine himself has described it as one of his "favourite ever Motorcity songs", and I make him right!
Vee continues to perform today, she has her own YouTube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbsr252YQ-1TY4PioxLiIfA?app=desktop), and performed most notably for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. She is also the niece of Miracles member Warren "Pete" Moore!
Vee is one of Motown's most underrated female singers! She joined The Undisputed Truth after original members Billie Calvin and Brenda Evans left, in 1973. She recorded three albums with the group from 1974 to 1975: Down To Earth, Cosmic Truth and Higher Than High, and led them on such masterpieces as "Help Yourself" [[singing it on Soul Train in early 1974 [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yuv2y96bCw)) and "I'm A Fool For You [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoptOuwq0Uw&app=desktop)". This was with the criminally-underrated second line-up of The Truth [[Joe Harris, Tyrone "Big Ty" Douglas, Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkley and Calvin "Dhaak" Stephenson). When they left Motown and followed Norman Whitfield to Whitfield Records, Vee [[and Big Ty) left the group.
She recorded for a "Jobete Music" promotional album entitled Yesterday, Today, Forever, covering "Baby, I Need Your Loving", "You're What's Missing In My Life [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlKcFtNmjKY&app=desktop)" and "Travelling With Love In Mind", all produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. In the early 1980s Vee joined Brian Holland's revamped '8th Day' group. She also recorded a brilliantly funky solo album called Heavy Traffic Starring V, mostly written and produced by the Holland brothers. It was released by Atlantic Records in 1986, with one single, "Jealousy [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdZ50-Wkd34&app=desktop)", released that same year [[I like "If You're Gonna Mess With Me [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrY7oFluC6w&app=desktop)" and "Hand Made Love [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPwpIuCUUtM)").
In 1990 Vee recorded for Ian Levine and his Motown revival label Motorcity Records. She recorded a great version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and an original song called "You're My Loveline", written by Ian in collaboration with Marilyn McLeod and Janie Bradford. I can't quite express how FANTASTIC it is, like some sort of '90s-pop-soul-Motown-disco masterpiece! Ian Levine himself has described it as one of his "favourite ever Motorcity songs", and I make him right!
Vee continues to perform today, she has her own YouTube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbsr252YQ-1TY4PioxLiIfA?app=desktop), and performed most notably for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. She is also the niece of Miracles member Warren "Pete" Moore!