Florence Lyles duets with Marvin: London

[marybrewster]

Am wondering: does anyone know much about Florence Lyles, the singer that duetted with Marvin on his "Live at the London Palladium" LP?

Side 3 of the LP has the following track listing:

1. Medley III [[Performed by Gaye & Florence Lyles) – 11:41:
"You're All I Need to Get By"
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
"Your Precious Love"
"It Takes Two"
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

I would assume she would have been someone "special" to Marvin, as I can't imagine he would let just "anyone" take Tammi's parts. I've heard Ms. Lyles and, no offense, don't think she's "all that". My ears hear a bit of an accent; is she possibly from the area? Did she record anything else in the UK?

[1382hitsville]

Mary, good question!

The CD I have of that concert only states Florence "Magnifique" Lyles-Dancer & Duet Vocals.

There is also a DVD out of this 1976 tour and they taped this in the Netherlands.

But no more information about Ms Lyles.

http://www.discogs.com/Marvin-Gaye-Greatest-Hits-Live-in-1976/release/391988

[reese]

I think on the album, Marvin says she was also one of the dancers. Maybe he figured he could get a two-for-one deal in hiring her. I agree, I didn't find her voice all that great.

Otherwise, I don't know anything about her. I do remember seeing her sing back-up for Mary Wells during a PBS oldies show in the late 80s/early 90s.

[luke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_KOMLZyLu0 Youre All I Need Live

[BayouMotownMan]

She had neither the look nor the soung

[midnightman]

Florence must've been in heaven to be singing with MARVIN GAYE haha... much less dance onstage while he performed... :)

[thisoldheart]

considering the negative comments about this singer's voice, i thought she did a very respectful job at singing both tammi terrel and kim weston tunes. it seems to me as if she deliberately didn't try to sound like the original singers, and marvin was sweet but did not act overly familiar with her, the way he and tammi flirted with each other while singing. it seemed as if marvin did not want this woman to come between the music and the way he performed them out of respect of tammi.

[Methuselah2]

I think what would have been most effective on stage at this point in Marvin's career--and more emotional for both the audience and Marvin himself--are solo versions by Marvin of YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY, followed by his soloing AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH. And no other of his duet tunes. He could have reminisced a bit about recording with Mary and Kim and Diana to start with but then going into just those two songs--starting with YOU'RE ALL and then moving into AIN'T NO, both in complete versions--might have taken everyone by surprise. And maybe their hearts.