Motown on DWTS?

[mike_sku]

Last night Gladys Knight mentioned that next week on Dancing With the Stars it is Motown Reunion week. Sounds promising....I wonder who would be there...

[reese]

Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations.

[marybrewster]

Any Vandellas?

[reese]

Any Vandellas?

They weren't mentioned, as I recall. But who knows?

[carlo]

What about Shantel Baker?

[kenneth]

What about Shantel Baker?

Please don't go there, Carlo! Can't stand it!

[Roberta75]

Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations.

This is so exciting. I can hardly wait.

Thank you,

Roberta

[luke]

lol Shantel. The Vandellas seem to be history as far as singing with Martha. Karen R?

[randy_russi]

When? This week?

[loveblind]

April 23,2012

[ivyfield]

Oh the Rag is teaming up with Shantel to make an act called 'The Sounds of Diana Ross & The Supremes' featuring former Supremes Shantel Baker and Kaaren Ragland. Can't wait to see them on tour with 'A tribute to Mrs Miller' and the Dissapointer Sisters.

[smark21]

Wouldn’t it be ironic if Gladys Knight gets voted out tonight?

[mike_sku]

While I enjoyed seeing Smokey, Martha, and the Temptations on the show, I was bothered by something else all together. In the opening segment when Tom Bergeron talked about the impact of Motown, there was NOT ONE mention of the Supremes or Diana Ross. [[Others weren't mentioned either, but how do you talk about Motown without mentioning the girls?)

Also: Human Nature was a nice additon as a tribute to the label. Since Mary has sung with them on their CD, why couldn't she have been invited to perform on the show?

Some things I will just never understand.

[milven]

I didn't watch the show, but I take your point that it is difficult to talk about Motown and not mention The Supremes or Diana Ross. But perhaps they only mentioned the artists that appeared on the show. Did they mention any artists that were not there?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHPF52d33vM&feature=player_embedded

Gladys seems to be loved by the judges, but I think she still wound up in last place. One of the judges urged the viewers to vote for her. While checking out the above video of Gladys, I read the below comment about Martha. It seems that she was not in the best of voice.

But if Gladys felt bad for letting down Team Motown, she shouldn't. None of Gladys' moving violations were as much of a problem as what went on at the microphone when R&B star Martha Reeves stepped up to it.

The former Martha and The Vandellas frontwoman sang one of her classics [["Jimmy Mack") for "Dancing" contender Maria Menounos, but the resulting sound was far from the dulcet tones her fans have come to expect. Luckily for her, Len and the gang reserved their paddles for the dance.

[milven]

I just watched the video of Martha singing on DWTS. I was expecting the worst. Yeah, much of her voice is gone, and maybe she should stop performing live, but why should she if people still want to see a legend? Sinatra was performing for top dollar and his voice was mostly gone too. But the audiences still loved him and it gave the younger generation a chance to see a legend. Here is the video. How does she sound?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtgvQ2o4Czg

[randy_russi]

Did you notice that when the mc was talking about Motown on the intro., they flashed a photo of the Miracles and said
the Temptations?

[mike_sku]

You're right, Randy. I also didn't recognize several of the "new" Temptations, but I was glad Ron Tyson was still among them.

[randy_russi]

I thought Smokey's outfits looked good and he sounded good too.

[kenneth]

Obviously, Martha's voice has lost a lot of its power but it still retains enough of its character and evokes enough of her signature sound so we know it's Martha, albeit older and not as strong as she was back in the day. I still think she sounds good and puts over the vocals in a way which makes you appreciate that she's out there.

I feel the same about Smokey. His was never a powerful voice to begin with, like Martha's, but I imagine the falsetto is hard to maintain [[unless you're Little Anthony whose voice has hardly changed since his glory years). He still sounds like Smokey, but some of the notes as written [[and as you want to hear them sung, especially in songs like "Ooh Baby Baby"), he just can't hit them anymore. But I appreciate hearing him. I just wish he would quit with all the work being done on his face, as someone mentioned in the other thread. His face looked positively frozen!

It really is inexplicable that Mary wasn't included in this show or that she, Diane, or the Sups didn't even get a mention. What's up with that?

Still, overall, a very nice tribute.

[marv2]

While I enjoyed seeing Smokey, Martha, and the Temptations on the show, I was bothered by something else all together. In the opening segment when Tom Bergeron talked about the impact of Motown, there was NOT ONE mention of the Supremes or Diana Ross. [[Others weren't mentioned either, but how do you talk about Motown without mentioning the girls?)

Also: Human Nature was a nice additon as a tribute to the label. Since Mary has sung with them on their CD, why couldn't she have been invited to perform on the show?

Some things I will just never understand.

Why couldn't Diana Ross tape the show? She never does anything to honor or promote the Motown Legacy.

[longtimefan]

There is no such thing as a coincidence [[smile). The Supremes were not accidentally omitted from being mentioned. There WAS a reason, but the answer will only be conjecture. It was a backroom decision.

On a happier note, I saw Bobby Rogers in the auduence for sure and Suzanne DePasse [[I think). Were any other Motowners present?

[kenneth]

There is no such thing as a coincidence [[smile). The Supremes were not accidentally omitted from being mentioned. There WAS a reason, but the answer will only be conjecture. It was a backroom decision.

On a happier note, I saw Bobby Rogers in the auduence for sure and Suzanne DePasse [[I think). Were any other Motowners present?

Suzanne was next to Gordy. I think I saw Duke of the 4 Tops in the audience as well. And I'm pretty sure Gladys' brother [[Merald?) was in the audience, but he had gone bald so I wasn't positive!

[marv2]

Duke Fakir was in the audience.

[Penny]

Diana Ross and the Supremes were not mentioned on DWTS last night because the producers have read their threads here and didn't want to get drug into the mess. The fans here rip them all so who would want to be a part of that?

Mary was in the audience last night.

Martha didn't sound too good last night.

Penny

[marv2]

Diana Ross and the Supremes were not mentioned on DWTS last night because the producers have read their threads here and didn't want to get drug into the mess. The fans here rip them all so who would want to be a part of that?

Mary was in the audience last night.

Martha didn't sound too good last night.

Penny

Oh yeah? What are the names of the producers that read threads here?

[kenneth]

Oh yeah? What are the names of the producers that read threads here?

And what producers are we talking about? I find it hard to believe that cat fights on the SDF affect casting decisions on DWTS!

[BabyLuv64]

I cannot respect any ode or tribute to Motown that would exclude the company's leading stars. An oversight is a gross understatement.

To put it simply, "Where they do that at!?!" SMH. What a joke.

Did they mention the Jackson 5?

[Penny]

I meant it as a joke but I can tell some assholes here don't have a sense of humor.

Penny

[kenneth]

I meant it as a joke but I can tell some assholes here don't have a sense of humor.

Penny

As one of the "a-holes," maybe an LOL or Icon would have made it obvious you were joking. I do have a sense of humor unlike what some might think...!

[BabyLuv64]

I wonder what went through Mary's head last night. I can't imagine sitting there for the whole program & not have any mention of a legacy I helped build.

[marybrewster]

On the flip side of the coin, Motown wasn't ONLY Diana Ross and/or the Supremes.

It's nice for others to get their due.

[cbsong]

That was not right of DWTS to not mention The Supremes with Mary sitting right there, at least acknowledge she was in the audience along with Duke.

[marv2]

I meant it as a joke but I can tell some assholes here don't have a sense of humor.

Penny

I asked you about the producers and who they were because you brought it up. Are you now referring to me as an asshole because of that?

[marv2]

I wonder what went through Mary's head last night. I can't imagine sitting there for the whole program & not have any mention of a legacy I helped build.

I am sure it's not that deep with her. It was just a nice, lightweight tribute to the record company. I don't know, but were they mentioned at the celebration of Motown held at the White House last year?

[marv2]

On the flip side of the coin, Motown wasn't ONLY Diana Ross and/or the Supremes.

It's nice for others to get their due.

Exactly.......

[marv2]

That was not right of DWTS to not mention The Supremes with Mary sitting right there, at least acknowledge she was in the audience along with Duke.

I didn't see her, did you see her? I saw Duke and a few other people I recognized. What part did they show Mary?

[kenneth]

I didn't see her, did you see her? I saw Duke and a few other people I recognized. What part did they show Mary?

I didn't see Mary in the audience either, but I wasn't always glued to the set and the audience shots are quick.

[Kamasu_Jr]

MARY WILSON WAS DEFINITELY IN THE DWTS AUDIENCE standing/sitting next to DUKE FAKIR. She got at least two on camera shots.

[simplysupreme]

from last night's show

4789

[marv2]

from last night's show

4789


My peoples!!!! LOL! Don't they look great? Thank you for this picture!

[kenneth]

Great photo. Thanks for posting. That's funny that she was sitting with Duke. Weren't they involved for quite a while?

[marv2]

MARY WILSON WAS DEFINITELY IN THE DWTS AUDIENCE standing/sitting next to DUKE FAKIR. She got at least two on camera shots.

Thank you . I am going to see if I can spot her.

[Roberta75]

from last night's show

4789

Martha Reeves looks like a fashion model.

Thanks for sharing this photo.

Roberta

[carlo]

Yes, I also saw Mary a couple of times during the broadcast. While the couples were dancing, I could also spot her from further away, sitting in the front row. I could tell it was her from the way she was sitting. Her legs were crossed in classic Ms. Powell form. :)

[Kamasu_Jr]

Great photo. Thanks for posting. That's funny that she was sitting with Duke. Weren't they involved for quite a while?

Is Duke Fakir single now? Just wondering.

[Roberta75]

Here is another great photo of the beautiful First Lady of Motown Miss Martha Reeves, a very slender and youthful looking Gladys Knight and the woman with the best chin in show business Miss Mary Wilson.

Enjoy.

Roberta

[simplysupreme]

Thanks for that one, Roberta!

[Roberta75]

Thanks for that one, Roberta!

My pleasure simplysupreme.

Best to you,

Roberta

[randy_russi]

I do think it's a shame they didn't acknowledge those in attendance such as Mary and Duke. Great photos! Thanks
to those for posting.

[smark21]

Gladys Knight’s dance partner ain’t too shabby either.

[mike_sku]

I think it was a disgrace [[no,a sacrilege) that Gladys was voted off last night. Yet, she remained her gracious, happy, upbeat self. Good for her!

[milven]

She sure received a lot of love. And the two judges seemed almost embarrassed to not pick Gladys.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6PAYFJvbmg&feature=player_embedded

[Shaqueetha_Jackson]

They should have metioned florecxce Blonde Ballard

[detmotownguy]

Exactly.......

Actually I agree. I thought Miss Reeves sounded fine and was nice to see her on national TV. She has so many positive things happening for her right now. It would be nice to see what some consider the B goups on the show also so they receive some of the attention. I bet Mary Wilson was tickled to death to see her friend Martha having some of the sporlight.

Hopefully Ralph doesn't pull this thread with the already nasty and foul language posted by Penny...completely uncalled for such a positive thread celebrating the history of Motown. Referring to people as assholes is not appropriate language. But I am sure some will try to rationalize that nasty comment.

[milven]

Actually I agree. I thought Miss Reeves sounded fine and was nice to see her on national TV. ... It would be nice to see what some consider the B groups on the show also so they receive some of the attention.

For anyone who was around in the early sixties, Martha and the Vandellas was not a B group. They were as big as The Miracles, Mary Wells, and the Marvellettes. Of course , as soon as The Supremes came along and shot into the stratosphere, many thought that all the other groups on the label were B groups. Its not so. Gladys may have been treated as a B group at the label, but look at what she and the Pips proved when they left for Buddah and had so many top ten hits.