RIP Linda Howard of High Inergy

[luke]

http://www.soultracks.com/story-linda-howard-died

[marv2]

This is undoubtedly sad. I was just watching newly uploaded clips of the High Inergy from their Soul Train appearances performing "He's A Pretender" on Sat and now this news.

[marv2]

Here they are with Linda being interviewed by Don Corneilous


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

[marv2]

Here they perform "He's A Pretender" beginning at about 7:25 RIP Linda, you were GREAT!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sj_3CDdj2s

[marv2]

http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2012/12/linda-howard-of-high-inergy-passes-away.html

[rod_rick]

http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2012/12/linda-howard-of-high-inergy-passes-away.html

This is sad news indeed. R.I.P. Ms Howard.

[marv2]

My favorite by High Inergy from 1978:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5TtOVPL3ck

[franjoy56]

"You Can't Turn Me off in the Middle of Turning Me On" is their signature and my favorite. RIP Ms. Howard. I wish Motown ahd done more with the group.

[Ngroove]

Everyone has to go, sooner-or-later. It's just the quality of life that mattered.

Otherwise, I LOVE HIGH INERGY! Their albums are just SOOOO FUN to listen to! Just could never understand why "Shoulda Gone Dancing" or "He's A Pretender" never was any higher than they underratedly were - c'mon, one of them shoulda gone at least top ten dance / disco!

Shoulda been the next Supremes, RIP Linda.

[rod_rick]

Everyone has to go, sooner-or-later. It's just the quality of life that mattered.

Otherwise, I LOVE HIGH INERGY! Their albums are just SOOOO FUN to listen to! Just could never understand why "Shoulda Gone Dancing" or "He's A Pretender" never was any higher than they underratedly were - c'mon, one of them shoulda gone at least top ten dance / disco!

Shoulda been the next Supremes, RIP Linda.

I believe I have ALL of their albums, and you are right these ladies put out some good music. I love their version of "Don't Cha Love It".

[blueskies]

Does anyone know if they did many live performance/concerts, etc? Saw them several times on TV back in the day, but, don't remember any live shows around?

[johnny_raven]

Didn't they open for Diana Ross just after they signed with Motown?

[luke]

Why did they break up not long after M25 when they seemed to be bouncing back? Barbara's solo deal?

[marv2]

Does anyone know if they did many live performance/concerts, etc? Saw them several times on TV back in the day, but, don't remember any live shows around?

I thought I remember them touring with the group Switch at one time.

[marv2]

Why did they break up not long after M25 when they seemed to be bouncing back? Barbara's solo deal?

I think Motown may have pulled the plug on the group after about 8 albums that saw only moderate success.

[BayouMotownMan]

No, Motown had re-invested in High Inergy which is why they were featured on Motown 25 and paired with DeBarge. During the Motown 25 rehearsals, Michelle Martin had some type of nervous breakdown and was quickly replaced by a pretty girl I think named Pat. If you watch their segment from Motown 25 you can see the new girl constantly looking to Linda for cues, as she barely rehearsed the song.

After Motown 25, He's A Pretender started getting national airplay again and shot to No. 1 in LA. Barbara Mitchell was coaxed by producer George Tobin into becoming his first female star, which Barbara agreed to do and announced to Motown that she was going solo. Gordy didn't like this and held Barbara to her contract [[Tobin was trying to get her signed to MCA). The Groove Patrol single was canceled and instead Blame It On Love, a duet with Smokey was rush-released to moderate success. By the time all the legalities were cleared up, it was over a year later that Barbara's excellent first solo lp was issued, on Capitol records.

This left Linda as the only remaining original member of High Inergy. She recruited a replacement for Barbara and showed up in Suzanne dePasse's office with what she considered the new High Inergy. That idea was quickly dismissed and the Mary Jane Girls benefited from increased promotion as Motown's only 80s girl group.

[BayouMotownMan]

High Inergy did practically no public appearances. They performed around LA for their first hit but tensions in the group were high. Vernessa and Barbara were the only real singers while Michelle and Linda's specialty was dancing. After a little over a year after their initial success, Vernessa left the group and record sales plummeted. They did a few tv shows here and there trying to get a hit and appeared at a few discos in California.

They were scheduled to tour with Diana Ross in Europe to coincide with their 1982 lp So Right. The night before they were scheduled the tour, Ross abruptly cut them loose saying she could not get enough insurance to cover them. They were devastated.

[BayouMotownMan]

I wish somebody somewhere would post the four of them doing You Can't Turn Me Off. I'm surprised that never aired anywhere

[rod_rick]

High Inergy did practically no public appearances. They performed around LA for their first hit but tensions in the group were high. Vernessa and Barbara were the only real singers while Michelle and Linda's specialty was dancing. After a little over a year after their initial success, Vernessa left the group and record sales plummeted. They did a few tv shows here and there trying to get a hit and appeared at a few discos in California.

They were scheduled to tour with Diana Ross in Europe to coincide with their 1982 lp So Right. The night before they were scheduled the tour, Ross abruptly cut them loose saying she could not get enough insurance to cover them. They were devastated.

Rick
I would say that Barbara and Vernessa were the lead singers, Stating that they they were the REAL singers implies that Michelle and Linda could not sing at all which is not true. I'm good friends with one of thier former producers and arrangers for their first 4 or 5 albums and he told me that all the ladies could sing it's just that Barbara and Vernessa were their main lead singers. I know Michelle got a lead on the first or second album.
Rick not here for a fight if you know what I mean :) just wanted to clarify that statement is all. Hope that's okay

[BayouMotownMan]

I wish somebody somewhere would post the four of them doing You Can't Turn Me Off. I'm surprised that never aired anywhere

[BayouMotownMan]

I stand corrected Rod. Michelle did a lead turn on Didn't Wanna Tell You I Love You and she actually sounded good. It's just that their voices I don't think were unique or as powerful at the Mitchells. In fact for the last few albums other background singers were utilized. He's A Pretender remains one of my favorite songs of their, but Barbara does her own backing vocals with a couple other ladies

[Ngroove]

Here they perform "He's A Pretender" beginning at about 7:25 RIP Linda, you were GREAT!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sj_3CDdj2s

Totally digging the grooves, but GOOD GOSH, especially for public television airing, people, have some decency! I'm a believer of "havin' fun", but there is a difference between bustin' some "nasty moves" and being just nasty altogether!

[smark21]

No, Motown had re-invested in High Inergy which is why they were featured on Motown 25 and paired with DeBarge. During the Motown 25 rehearsals, Michelle Martin had some type of nervous breakdown and was quickly replaced by a pretty girl I think named Pat. If you watch their segment from Motown 25 you can see the new girl constantly looking to Linda for cues, as she barely rehearsed the song.

After Motown 25, He's A Pretender started getting national airplay again and shot to No. 1 in LA. Barbara Mitchell was coaxed by producer George Tobin into becoming his first female star, which Barbara agreed to do and announced to Motown that she was going solo. Gordy didn't like this and held Barbara to her contract [[Tobin was trying to get her signed to MCA). The Groove Patrol single was canceled and instead Blame It On Love, a duet with Smokey was rush-released to moderate success. By the time all the legalities were cleared up, it was over a year later that Barbara's excellent first solo lp was issued, on Capitol records.

This left Linda as the only remaining original member of High Inergy. She recruited a replacement for Barbara and showed up in Suzanne dePasse's office with what she considered the new High Inergy. That idea was quickly dismissed and the Mary Jane Girls benefited from increased promotion as Motown's only 80s girl group.

Weren’t The Good Girls another 80’s Motown girl group act?

[Ngroove]

Weren’t The Good Girls another 80’s Motown girl group act?

They were, Post-Berry Gordy ownership...loved at least their first album, especially "I Need Your Love".

[Ngroove]

No, Motown had re-invested in High Inergy which is why they were featured on Motown 25 and paired with DeBarge. During the Motown 25 rehearsals, Michelle Martin had some type of nervous breakdown and was quickly replaced by a pretty girl I think named Pat. If you watch their segment from Motown 25 you can see the new girl constantly looking to Linda for cues, as she barely rehearsed the song.

After Motown 25, He's A Pretender started getting national airplay again and shot to No. 1 in LA. Barbara Mitchell was coaxed by producer George Tobin into becoming his first female star, which Barbara agreed to do and announced to Motown that she was going solo. Gordy didn't like this and held Barbara to her contract [[Tobin was trying to get her signed to MCA). The Groove Patrol single was canceled and instead Blame It On Love, a duet with Smokey was rush-released to moderate success. By the time all the legalities were cleared up, it was over a year later that Barbara's excellent first solo lp was issued, on Capitol records.

This left Linda as the only remaining original member of High Inergy. She recruited a replacement for Barbara and showed up in Suzanne dePasse's office with what she considered the new High Inergy. That idea was quickly dismissed and the Mary Jane Girls benefited from increased promotion as Motown's only 80s girl group.

Thank you for the info. It truly did seem Motown 25 attempted to give them that "shot in the arm" into big time with exposure at such a celebrated televised event - to sing in the same show with the likes of Diana Ross, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and Jackson Five...never figured it out why it all stopped there.

[rod_rick]

I stand corrected Rod. Michelle did a lead turn on Didn't Wanna Tell You I Love You and she actually sounded good. It's just that their voices I don't think were unique or as powerful at the Mitchells. In fact for the last few albums other background singers were utilized. He's A Pretender remains one of my favorite songs of their, but Barbara does her own backing vocals with a couple other ladies

Yes you are correct, they used backing vocalist on a lot of their tunes, but from what I understand it was a lot going on with the girls too, but I have to admit again High Inergy had some very good tunes it just too bad they didn't get the push they needed to go further. Motown did keep them on the label for I think 8 albums. As I look back on it I have several theories why that I think I will keep to myself because you know how this board can get :)

[REDHOT]

From the start things was going wrong,Motown was promotin' these young ladies as the new Supremes,while The Supremes Mary Scherrie Susaye were still sign with Motown,Motown even gave these young ladies the title of The Supremes latest album[[at that time),givin' them the name High Inergy[[spelling different),i'm sure Supremes Mary Scherrie and Susaye were not happy about that,I always liked Linda Howard the best,i think Linda even sang with Sister Sledge for a while,it's really sad she passed,she had that extra something,i just got The Best Of High Inergy Lovin'Fever cd about 5 months ago,R.I.P Linda Howard,p.s my hart goes out to her family

[luke]

Good points Red and interesting info from others. Why did Vernessa leave so early? Shes had dance hits recently. Motown sure seemed to stick with them. It sounds like the group imploded. I do remember at one point years later Barbara said something like she wanted to connect with them and seemed to imply a reunion. Whats going on with her now?

[luke]

Now that I think of it I think Vernessa left for religious reasons.

[BayouMotownMan]

Vernessa did leave to become a minister. In truth she never got along with Berry Gordy, who was critical and demanding of those young girls just as much as he was with Diana. Clearly Gordy felt Barbara was better suited for lead vocals.

Barbara really took over after Vernessa left and did virtually all the backing vocals with various session singers. You can hear her clearly backing herself on Don't Park Your Loving, Soakin' Wet, He's A Pretender, etc. Producers loved Barb because she has perfect pitch and usually nailed a song in one or two takes.

Michelle was having emotional problems, is married now with children. Linda and Barbara both got caught up in the party scene for a while but both are now born again Christians. Barbara does session work and did a gospel CD for a label out of Arkansas a few yrs ago.

[REDHOT]

a lot of money was put into High Inergy,they could have really been big,Linda had that star smile,Barbara was great as the lead singer,they did a track with Switch Hold On, with the late Bobby DeBarge singing the lead, that song should have been a hit
Please stay positive

[marv2]

a lot of money was put into High Inergy,they could have really been big,Linda had that star smile,Barbara was great as the lead singer,they did a track with Switch Hold On, with the late Bobby DeBarge singing the lead, that song should have been a hit
Please stay positive

That is true. I know that Gwen Gordy-Fuqua was their strongest supporter and mentor.

[lady soulfyre]

Vernessa did leave to become a minister. In truth she never got along with Berry Gordy, who was critical and demanding of those young girls just as much as he was with Diana. Clearly Gordy felt Barbara was better suited for lead vocals.

Barbara really took over after Vernessa left and did virtually all the backing vocals with various session singers. You can hear her clearly backing herself on Don't Park Your Loving, Soakin' Wet, He's A Pretender, etc. Producers loved Barb because she has perfect pitch and usually nailed a song in one or two takes.

Michelle was having emotional problems, is married now with children. Linda and Barbara both got caught up in the party scene for a while but both are now born again Christians. Barbara does session work and did a gospel CD for a label out of Arkansas a few yrs ago.

Thanks for the info about Linda, Michelle and Barbara whereabouts. I remember recording an episode of Soul Train on my VCR few years ago. And I will never forget looking at the LP jacket of High Inergy's 2nd album Steppin' Out [[1978) while playing it on my York stereo with built-in turntable when I first discovered them in the mid-1990's.
Rest In Paradise Linda Howard

[lady soulfyre]

One of my fave songs from their second album.