Prentiss Anderson Interview - Early Motown Artist Interview

[marv2]

Some great history and information about early Motown here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_fnP9MjFdY

[marv2]

Notes from this video interview:
Published on Oct 19, 2014

I hired Prentiss Anderson as an Educational Assistant when I was Program Coordinator for Dawn School in 1997. He was 58 years old. I knew from his interview that he was an early Motown recording artist. It didn’t take long for me to realize that he was a living encyclopedia of early Motown and other Detroit soul artists. And that his own recording history strangely started as a member of Memphis’s Stax artists, The Del Rios [[featuring a 17 year old William Bell) I finally got him to sit down at my house and recorded this 2 ½ hor interview of his career and the history of Detroit Soul from 1959 to the 1980s. Prentiss has an amazing memory. Everything he told me 16 years ago has checked out and he was even featured in a TV episode about his close friend Eddie Kendricks.
His oldest brother, Rufus, was a well-known LA studio guitarist. His other older brother, Roger, went by the stage name “Lee Rogers” and had many regional and a couple of national hits on several labels, D-Town being the main one. His biggest hit was “I Want You To Have Everything”.
Vol. 1 is an intro to Prentiss and family, his early days, how he became a member and toured with The Del Rios and Phineas Newborn [[who managed them). It closes with him meeting Berry Gordy in New York and leaving the Del Rios.
Vol. 2 mainly is about his early day back in Toledo and Detroit, forming Lee and the Leopards, getting signed by Berry Gordy, and their hit “Come Into My Palace” which crossed over [[so Berry had to have Laurie Records actually help press and distribute copies). Their record, Gordy 7002, actually was the first Gordy release, The Temptations, Gordy 7001, was released later. I believe he talks about being in the first Motown Review Show [[in Chicago)
Vol. 3 Prentiss talks about other Detroit labels, a bunch of artists [[J J Barnes, Darrell Banks, Marv Johnson, Steve Mancha; and record label owners Diamond Jim, MAH’S, etc). Recording at Motown. He was in love with Etta James, but Etta like his brother Lee Rogers better… He recorded as one of the Marvelettes, sang back up on for Mary Wells and many others.
Vol. 4 continues his remembrances of people such as John Lee Hooker, and Marvin Gaye. He sang back up along with Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams for Hall & Oates when they played the Apollo Club in Harlem. He was on stage with Tina Turner and Mick Jagger in Philadelphia at the Live Aid concert. He speaks of singing back up for the Brooks Brother’s Impressions, working for Gordy when it moved to LA, filling in as one of the Temptations during one of their later tours.
There's a Prentiss Anderson Playlist on my channel of some of Prentiss’s recordings with The Del Rios and Lee and the Leopards. Other tracks included his brother Lee Rogers, J J Barnes, Steve Mancha, Darrell Banks, Marv Johnson, Mary Wells. There is an amazing amount of detail, history, and stories contained in the interview. You will not be bored!

[marv2]

There are 4 parts to this interview in all. Part 1. is what's posted here.

[theboyfromxtown]

Superb find. Im gonna lock myself away shut off the phone and get to these videos

[marv2]

Superb find. Im gonna lock myself away shut off the phone and get to these videos

It is a great interview.

[detmotownguy]

Some great history and information about early Motown here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_fnP9MjFdY

Ok Marv, you superbly out did yourself this time. Early Motown is under reported. I been out of the country much of this year and will catch up with you in a while. Thanks again.

[marv2]

Ok Marv, you superbly out did yourself this time. Early Motown is under reported. I been out of the country much of this year and will catch up with you in a while. Thanks again.

thank you DET! This and the other parts to this interview are great. Safe travels. Marv