Motown Promotional Series of Releases [[US: 1970's)

[jsmith]

Can anyone help .... I'm after a full run-down [[discography) on the Motown special promo releases from the 70's .....
the series that are numbered as follows ...... PR1, PR2, etc thru to around PR236 from around 1988.

.... Here's the info I have on some of these records [[the earlier releases) ........
PR-1 - Save the Children - Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye [[1973) 7" 45 single -- Save The Children - Marvin Gaye//Save The Children - Diana Ross
PR-2 - Seasons Greeting's from Motown - Various Artists [[11/73) 7" 45 single featuring short Christmas greetings from Motown artists. Walter Gaines [[Originals)/Smokey Robinson/Mike Campbell/Eddie Kendricks/Thelma Houston/Gwendolyn Berry [[Sisters Love)/Karim Patterson [[Devastating Affair)//Willie Hutch/Michael Jackson/Jermaine jackson/Tito Jackson/Jackie Jackson/Edwin Starr/Stevie Wonder
PR-3 - Last Time I Saw Him - Diana Ross [[1973) 7 inch 33rpm
PR-4 - Darin 1936-1973 - Bobby Darin [[1974) 4 track 7" 45 single
PR-5 - November Album Releases - Various Artists [[1974) 12" -- Celebration - PFM/Four Holes In The Ground - PFM/Me And Rock & Roll Are Here To Stay - David Ruffin/Take Me Clear From Here - David Ruffin//Whirlwinds - Stray Dogs/Junkyard Angel - Stray Dogs/Romance - Severin Browne/Tickle My Lips - Severin Browne
PR-6 - Album Sampler January Releases - Various Artists [[1975) 12". Leave It Alone - Dynamic Superiors/Romeo - Dynamic Superiors/Keep On Keepin' On [[Doin' What You Do) - Miracles/Sweet Sweet Lovin - Miracles/It Happens All The Time - Thee Image/Love Is Here - Thee Image//Shakey Ground - Temptations/A Song For You - Temptations/We've Got Forever - Michael Jackson/We're Almost There - Michael Jackson
PR-7 - Caston & Majors - Caston & Majors [[1975) 7" 45 single. I'll Keep My Light In My Window/Everything Is Alright Now//Child Of Love/Satisfied Mind
PR-8 - ???
PR-9 - Love Machine - Miracles [[1975) 12" single.
PR-10 - ????
PR-11 - ????
PR-12 - Walk Away from Love - David Ruffin [[1975) 12" single.
PR-13 - This Empty Place - Stephanie Mills [[1975) 7" 45 single
PR-14 - ???
PR-15 - ???
PR-16 - [[Untitled) - Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye [[1976) 12" single. Love Hangover - Diana Ross [[7:49)/I Want You [[vocal) - Marvin Gaye [[4:36)/I Want You [[instrumental) - Marvin Gaye [[4:36)
PR-17 - 12 Track Promo - Various Artists [[1976) 12". Everything Is Coming Up Love - David Ruffin/The First Round Knockout - David Ruffin/It's Not Tasteful To Fly - Libra/Full Winter's Day Nightmare - Libra/Count Me Out - Originals/It's So Real - Originals//Whole New Thing - Rose Banks/I Get High On You - Rose Banks/Back To Bach - Motown Magic Disco Machine/Midnight Rhapsody - Motown Magic Disco Machine/If I Ever Lose This heaven - G.C. Cameron/Share Your Life [[Let Me In) - G.C. Cameron
PR-18 - It Should Have Been Me - Yvonne Fair [[1976) 12" single. It Should Have Been Me [[mono)/It Should Have Been Me [[stereo)

They seem to have been an odd mix of 7" & 12" singles plus some full album length records & shorter album samplers. Who were these sent out to; just US radio stns ??

There was also the Pro series of releases that were songwriter based .....such as ....
Pro-3 - The Songs of Ashford and Simpson - Various Artists [[1974) -- Ain't No Mountain High Enough-Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing-And If You See Him-Benjie-California Soul/Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow-Could Have Been Sweeter-Destination Anywhere-Didn't You Know [[You'd Have to Cry Sometime)-Drink the Wine/Fix It Alright-Genius-Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By-I Am Your Man-I Believe I'm Gonna Take This Ride/I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel For You-I Just Wanna Be There-I Wouldn't Change the Man He Is-I'm a Winner-I'm Glad About It//Keep an Eye-Keep It Coming-Keep on Loving Me Honey-Love Woke Me Up This Morning-Now That There's You/One More Bridge to cross- One More Baby Child Born-The Onion Song-Reach Out and Touch [[Somebody's Hand)-Remember Me/Sinner Man [[Don't Let Him Catch You)-Some Thing's You Never Get Used To-Something's On My Mind-Surrender-Tear It On Down/What You Gave Me-Where There Was Darkness-You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin'-Your Precious Love-You're All I Need to Get By
Pro-4 - The Songs of Holland-Dozier-Holland - Various Artists [[1974) -- Ain't Too Proud to Beg-All I Need-Baby Don't You Do It-Baby I Need Your Loving-Baby Love-Back In My Arms Again-Beauty Is Only Skin Deep/Bernadette-Can I Get a Witness-Come And Get These Memories-Come See About Me-Darling Baby-Everybody Needs Love-Everything Is Good About You/Forever-Forever Came Today-Function At The Junction-Girl [[Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)-The Girl's Alright With Me-The Happening-Heaven Must Have Sent You/Helpless-How Sweet It Is [[To Be Loved By You)-I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)-I Guess I'll Always Love You-I Hear a Symphony-I'll Turn to Stone-I'm In a Different World/[[I Know) I'm Losing You-I'm Ready For Love-I'm The One You Need [[Come Round Here)-In And Out Of Love-It's The Same Old Song-It's You That I Need [[Loneliness Made Me Realize)-Jimmy Mack//Little Darling [[I Need You)-Live Wire-Love Is Here And Now You're Gone-[[Love Is Like A) Heatwave-Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart-A Love Like Yours [[Don't Come Knocking Everyday)-Love [[Makes Me Do Foolish Things)/Love's Gone Bad-Mickey's Monkey-My World Is Empty Without You-Nothing But Heartaches-Nowhere To Run-Playboy-Please Mr. Postman/Put Yourself In My Place-Quicksand-Reach Out I'll Be There-Reflections-[[I'm A) Road Runner- 7 Rooms Of Gloom-Shake Me Wake Me [[When It's Over)/Something About You-Standing In The Shadows Of Love-Stop! In The Name Of Love-Take Me In Your Arms [[Rock Me A Little While)-This Old Heart Of Mine [[Is Weak For You)-Too Many Fish In The Sea-When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes/Where Did Our Love Go-Without The One You Love-You Can't Hurry Love-You Keep Me Hangin' On-You Keep Running Away-You Lost The Sweetest Boy-You're A Wonderful One

Did any of this series feature unreleased versions of any of the songs [[i.e. the writer's demo versions or different mixes of a released version) ??

[theboyfromxtown]

John

There was a listing of these in one of the early editions of the YTF mag - Yesterday Today and Forever.

[Motown_M_1056]

John

There was a listing of these in one of the early editions of the YTF mag - Yesterday Today and Forever.

sOME OF THE DISCS IN the PR series were sent to radio stations, distributors. journalists and a few Motown collectors to sample and give feedback to the company. Some of the recordings had white labels with the PR number visible. I had a few mailed to me fron people at Motown.
And I bought some of the songwriters' sets as cutouts. My guess is some distributor didn't want them and put them in boxes with other cutout albums to be sold. That's how I got a few. I had Ashford & Simpson, Holland Dozier Holland, Mickey Stevenson, Norman Whitfield etc. The LPs I had all had covers, gold labels that were similar to the cover illustration, but they did not feature any unreleased songs, demos or alternate versions, but snippets of hits edited together to form band 1, band 2 or track 3.
From what I was told, these were sent out to movie producers and artists to promote the writer's catalog.
.

[jsmith]

RE: a listing of these in one of the early editions of the YTF mag - Yesterday Today and Forever.
.... unfortunately I don't have that mag.
What were the BEST OF the other releases then [[with PR #'s up till the end of the 70's ) ??
The series does seem a bit strange as it includes single artist releases; 7" & 12" singles, 33rpm 7" EP type items; LP samplers & full LP's AND I think I'm right in saying cassettes & CD's in the mid to later years ..... in other words, examples of just about every type of format it was possible to manufacture.

[theboyfromxtown]

I'll ask Grape....he has these things in computer form. I still rely on pen and paper!

[pj1]

Sirs John,
In the September 1992 issue of the M.I.C.C. magazine, Reg Bartlette lists the following [[at least from his perspective until then) numbers as unknown :
Pr 8, 11, 15, 25, 36, 44, 49, 50, 59, 79, 86, 137, 140, 149, 152, 167, 170, 174, 191, 193, 196, 200, 202, 203, 206, 210, 213, 215, 216, 219, 221, 226, 227, 232, 234, 236, 237, 238.
I assume that he had either owned or seen label copies sent by fellow collectors of all the other titles.
Although he was said to have sold the majority of his collection to Bery Gordy, he did state that he did keep certain categories of releases. Perhaps this is one of those areas and he would also be able to assist if contacted.

[theboyfromxtown]

PJ

You are so methodical, it hurts! LOL Well done and thank you.

Much of that information came from collectors but there was some that came from official sources. As readers, we would not know the source unless we were involved in the collection of the data. I have lists of stuff I shared with my penfriend and he also shared with me. From that, I know that much of the detail on the PR series was from official sources.

Examples of what was kept have appeared on Ebay and other places fairly recently.

[grapevine]

...most of the PR releases are featured in the pix sites on Motown Treasures

...LPs

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motowntreasurespix2/photos/album/135953910/pic/list

...Singles

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/motowntreasurespix3/photos/album/2032675260/pic/list

...you'll need to join the main Motown Treasures site ...first

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/motowntreasures/

...in order to see the pix sites

:)

[theboyfromxtown]

See what I mean John

With guys like Grape and PJ, I become surplus to requirements!

LOL

[jsmith]

A Sept 78 article that is associated with this topic .........
2653

[tomato tom]

I Have a couple of the songwriter ones. they are on the JOBETE label.

[reg_bartlette]

Hi fellow Motown chums. Have not written anything of late, but thought I'd respond to JSSmith request.
I still own actual copies of MOST Motown "PR" series releases, be they 7", 12" singles, 12" albums, Cassettes or even CD's. It's really the only area of my former collection that is still in tact. This series actually began with the May 13, 1971 release of PR-100 consisting of "A" side 3 tracks by Temptations from "THE SKY'S THE LIMIT", with "B" side 3 tracks by Stevie Wonder from "WHERE I'M COMING FROM". There are actually TWO different printed COVER versions of this disk...one pressed "Exclusive For Members of the record Industry", with the alternate release pressed "Exclusively For Free-Form Radio Stations".
Then there is the 8/27/71 pressed promo on THE SUPREMES "TOUCH" album.
The series then begins in ernest with PR-1 [[of which there are TWO different releases). The first is the 7" single with "A" side by Marvin Gaye, and "B" side by Diana Ross. The 2nd pressing of Motown PR-1 is by THE ORIGINALS. It's a double A/A side track titled "YOUNG TRAIN", which had been issued to Detroit radio & television stations to help promote the election of Detroit city mayor Coleman Young. This 2nd [[and mostly unknown) issue was never released in any other form.
The series continues on in numerical format until Motown PR-237 [[May, 1988). There were numerous "scheduled" but cancelled releases on this series. This is the main reason why there are catalog numbers with "missing" information. There were also numerous instances where there was more than one release using the same catalog number such as numbers PR-101, PR-1, PR-169, PR-178, PR-190, PR-221 and others. I am only missing actual artist and track information on 14 numbers within this series . I own the actual items on most all other PR releases. I also have full information on all Motown "Writer" series disks [[which I also have).
Hope the above provides you with added insight you didn't have before.
I can be contacted at reginald@mail2world.com.

[booty]

Excellent incite to this series reg_bartlette. Do you actually own the second PR1 by The Originals?

[booty]

reg_bartlette - The label copies of both PR100 & PR101 [[B sides) show 4 titles by Stevie Wonder - Do yourself a favor, look around, Sunshine In Their Eyes/Everything Is Happenin',I Wanna Talk To You.

On both releases the Tempts [[side 1) is pressed up with the Gordy logo, whilst side 2 is Tamla!

I would upload scans but have no idea how to!!!

[reg_bartlette]

See label copy of THE ORIGINALS on PR-1. Also scans of BOTH copies of PR-100 [[Stevie Wonder / The Temptations). You will note that both the front and back covers to each album of PR-100 are different to one another.
I have stated in my research database that the Motown "PR" series is [[in my opinion) the least known AND the most fascinating of any Motown numbering series. In numerous cases, many pressings found within the "PR" series were not released in any other format and therefore, are MUCH MORE RARE than better known Motown obscurities. This is due primarily to the fact that so few copies were actually pressed by Motown. They should [[again in my opinion...) fetch much higher prices on the open Collector market. When I had attempted [[about 1 year ago) to solicite comments and additions from fellow members of SOULFUL DETROIT, the thread went mostly un-noticed and ignored! I also did the same with the MOTOWN "WRITER" SERIES, with the same results.

Reg Bartlette
[[author of "OFF THE RECORD" - MOTOWN BY MASTER NUMBER)

[jsmith]

Interesting stuff Reg.
Is the "Young Train" track based on a known Motown tune [[just using alternative lyrics) or is it a 'unknown' tune altogether [[dance tempo or ballad ??).

[booty]

Reg

Thanks for sharing these with us. Is the promo on The Originals a recent acquisition? I have your excellent tome, "Off The Record", but don't recall seeing it listed in there.

[reg_bartlette]

Motown #PR-1 as by THE ORIGINALS is an "unknown" tune. It had been issued to Detroit radio & television stations to help promote the election of Detroit city mayor Coleman Young. The track was never released in any other form. It had not been meant for commericial release. I recall it to have been a dance tempo track, not a ballad. Let me draw your attention to Motown master number shown on the label of PR-1 [[B5-L1-L1-1016S03). This master number is exactly 1 number after the "B" side to The Originals single on Soul #35109B with title ""First Lady [[Sweet Mother's Love)" [[B-S-S-1016S02), which had been released 9/20/73 [[see "OFF THE RECORD"). I had acquired this record in the mid-1990's [[that's why it didn't make entry in to my book), but [[unfortunately) I no longer own the disk. Hope this answered questions?
best,
Reg Bartlette

[JM27]

I've heard that the mixes of the Stevie Wonder tracks on PR-100 and PR-101 are different. Can anyone confirm this?

[JM27]

Were any of these LP promos distributed as sealed? I've seen a few of them in this condition and it strikes me as a bit odd, as I always thought of LP promos in the 70s being sent out without being sealed.

[paul_nixon]

I have notcied a number of LP's for sale being described as sealed, but not sealed in the way I would expect. Sealed to me means mint and never played, sealed as new and never opened.
However nowadays it is all too easy to get a cheap machine that will put stretch plastic over an object and seal it - no matter what state it is in....and doesn't sealed on a sales description make you think you are getting a bargain....

[mysterysinger]

Jobete promo PRO# 3 Ashford & Simpson for sale on Ebay with a signed letter to Tony Orlando.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASHFORD-SIMPSON-Jobete-Publishing-Promo-LP-WITH-SIGNED-LETTER-Soul-Rare-1972/233484253072?hash=item365cbef790:g:MVgAAOSw7xZeN84 ~

[benross]

It seems curious to me that Pro-4 - The Songs of Holland-Dozier-Holland included Everybody Needs Love, written by Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland, not H-D-H.

Did the series producer think that there were too few songs by H-D-H?

[woodward]

I have an unusual Motown 25 vinyl album marked DJ Copy [[not for sale). It is entitled
Moments of Motown, 40 Historical Moments of Motown History. Includes narration by 27 various artists. On the back cover appear 30 questions. It is designated PR-122. In addition to little snippets of the various songs, there is also narration by other Motown artists whose songs do not appear. This was provided to me by Suzanne dePasse along with the M25 Anniversary poster which I cherish.