Marvelettes - talent contest 1961

[pubbis]

Reading about the Marvelettes in books etc and now the great In the basement magazine, I have a question to you all.

The Marvelettes entered the talent contest in 1961 with the hope of winning first prize: An audition at Motown Record Company.
The girls ended at 4th place, [[but were lucky anyway, as we know, to get an audition)

BUT who did win? Did the winner ever audition for Motown and what did happen?

Ulf in Stockholm

[chestersong]

good question!!

[arrr&bee]

If i recall correctly the talent show was held at the high school the girls attended which was in inkster which is a ways from detroit as i understand,so maybe robert bateman who was there i believe saw something in the marvelettes,but i may be wrong,ralph probably knows the story,how bout it ralph?

[kenneth]

I don't think Marc Taylor discussed the winners in his book, but he might know from his interviews with Katherine. I believe the top 3 all won auditions, and a teacher named Mrs. Sharpley urged them to let the girls audition as well. The bit about the teacher is told on the liner notes of the "Please Mr. Postman" LP and also retold in Marc's book, I believe.

Inkster really isn't far from Detroit, but back in those days it seemed a long way. The quote I love from [[someone's) book is that when Diane Ross met the Marvelettes, she said, "Inkster? Where is Inkster?"

[detmotownguy]

I grew up in Inkster and remember the girls in a car waving to us kids at Beech Daly and Michigan Avenue. They were locals heros from the get go in the very early 60's. Every kid on the block had the Marvelettes 45's in their collection. I suggest that they sold records than is actually on record.

[randy_russi]

I don't believe Robert Bateman was at the talent show. I think John O'Den may have been, however, or at least had
something to do with the winners auditioning. I also don't think any of the others auditioned for Motown or if they
did they weren't accepted. Motown was originally interested in the Marvelettes if they could come back with
original material, which they did. Wanda's brother, James Young, wrote the B side of Postman, So Long Baby.

[phil]

a teacher named Mrs. Sharpley urged them to let the girls audition as well. The bit about the teacher is told on the liner notes of the "Please Mr. Postman" LP and also retold in Marc's book, I believe.

That's what Katherine says in the interview from In The Basement : "Mrs Sharpley was determined to have us go to Motown to do an audition, because she thought that the talent show was rigged."

It's also mentionned on the back cover of the LP "Marvelous".




Inkster really isn't far from Detroit, but back in those days it seemed a long way. The quote I love from [[someone's) book is that when Diane Ross met the Marvelettes, she said, "Inkster? Where is Inkster?"

About this, Katherine says that they [[The Marvelettes) were disavantaged because they were not from Detroit but Inkster. She says alot about being ripped off on writing credits, too.

[macuncle]

Ulf in Stockholm, I'll try to answer your questions as clear as possible.
I missed the talent show by two days. I had cousins living in Inkster who were there at the talent show and they raved about this new girl group called "The Casinyets" aka The Marvelettes later on.

I can't recall the 1st place winner's name, but they were a jazz four student group. They did go to Motown's Hitsville building for an audition but was not signed. The reason, B. Gordy was not interested in bands. He was still building his "snake pit" musicians and this jazz band did not want to be broken up.

The 2nd place winner was Clarence E. Finch. He too went for an audition but was rejected by B. Gordy. Clarence did not pursue a singing career and he still resides in Inkster, Mi.

The 3rd place winner was Millicent Morris. She also went for an audition and was also rejected by B. Gordy. It was said she sounded a lot like Flo Ballard [[of the Primettes). She still resides in Inkster, Mi.

Even though the "Casinyets" lost, there were some people there at the talent show who thought the girls should have won. Ms. Shirley Sharpley; student council advisor, was one of those who thought the girls should have won and her move to drive them to the Motown Hitsville building has made The Marvelettes a household name. High school students tend to flock around those people who are popular. It was no different at Inkster High School. Those in the talent show were already known for their musical ability and were a cinch to win or place. It was the same scenario when Georgia Dobson [[whose father wouldn't let her sing secular music with the girls), won the talent shows when she attended Inkster High, in her 11th and 12th grade years.

[macuncle]

Right you are detmotownguy! It was nothing to see the girls out and about before and after "Please Mr. Postman". I remember seeing Georganna Tillman at a clothing store up on Michigan Avenue one Saturday afternoon. When I asked her how was she enjoying singing for Motown, she answered with this big smile, "It's great. I love it."

[marv2]

Macuncle, great and detailed information! It is always great to see someone else here from Michigan and the Detroit area. Thank you

Marv

[marv2]

I grew up in Inkster and remember the girls in a car waving to us kids at Beech Daly and Michigan Avenue. They were locals heros from the get go in the very early 60's. Every kid on the block had the Marvelettes 45's in their collection. I suggest that they sold records than is actually on record.

Beech Daly and Michigan Aves. You are really bringing up memories for me here........

[marybrewster]

Ulf in Stockholm, I'll try to answer your questions as clear as possible.
I missed the talent show by two days. I had cousins living in Inkster who were there at the talent show and they raved about this new girl group called "The Casinyets" aka The Marvelettes later on.

I can't recall the 1st place winner's name, but they were a jazz four student group. They did go to Motown's Hitsville building for an audition but was not signed. The reason, B. Gordy was not interested in bands. He was still building his "snake pit" musicians and this jazz band did not want to be broken up.

The 2nd place winner was Clarence E. Finch. He too went for an audition but was rejected by B. Gordy. Clarence did not pursue a singing career and he still resides in Inkster, Mi.

The 3rd place winner was Millicent Morris. She also went for an audition and was also rejected by B. Gordy. It was said she sounded a lot like Flo Ballard [[of the Primettes). She still resides in Inkster, Mi.

Even though the "Casinyets" lost, there were some people there at the talent show who thought the girls should have won. Ms. Shirley Sharpley; student council advisor, was one of those who thought the girls should have won and her move to drive them to the Motown Hitsville building has made The Marvelettes a household name. High school students tend to flock around those people who are popular. It was no different at Inkster High School. Those in the talent show were already known for their musical ability and were a cinch to win or place. It was the same scenario when Georgia Dobson [[whose father wouldn't let her sing secular music with the girls), won the talent shows when she attended Inkster High, in her 11th and 12th grade years.

This is one of the most enjoyable and informative posts I have read on SDF for ages. Thank you!

[brother_love]

Does anyone know the name of the woman who did a few shows with Gladys and Wanda in the early 70s as the Marvelettes?

[kenneth]

Does anyone know the name of the woman who did a few shows with Gladys and Wanda in the early 70s as the Marvelettes?

I don't know, but I do remember that around that time in one of the advertisements for the concert in the Detroit area, there was blurb in the ad that said "this performance to be recorded for a live album." I have that clipping somewhere, but God only knows if I could ever find it. At the time I was surprised by both the concert and the blurb, because by then we knew the Marvelettes had more or less disbanded but I still wonder if there's a latter day show recording out there with both Gladys and Wanda. It certainly would be great to hear it.