FAUX Marvelettes

http://www.maltshopcruise.com/2012/A...he-marvelettes

http://www.maltshopcruise.com/2012/Contact

To whom this may concern-

I am writing in regards to your "Malt Shop Memories Cruise" scheduled for October/November 2012. While you have gathered quite an amazing line-up performers, I am perplexed by the inclusion of "The Marvelettes". I don't know where their bio information comes from, but stating "Offering an act that contains THEIR biggest hits" surely is sugar-coating this group. From the picture alone it's quite obvious that NONE of the ladies in THIS Marvelettes group have the right to claim ANY of the biggest hits as "theirs". It disgusts me to know that three women in matching gowns can simply call themselves "Marvelettes". Do you suppose these women were around on the chitlin circut, playing one nighters across the United States, facing adversity because of the color of their skin in the racial 1960's? Were any of these women even BORN in the 1960's? It's no wonder why Gladys Horton, an ORIGINAL member of the group had such a difficult time in her later years finding work when there are so many imposter groups out there. And while I do appreciate folks who want to hear the music of their childhood; the "malt shop memories", I sincerely hope that you'll consider billing these women as they should, as a TRIBUTE to the Marvelettes. And yes, I am sure they have every right, LEGALLY, to bill themselves as they do, but just because something is right, it doesn't make it okay.

Please reconsider your inclusion of this faux group, or at least, please bill them as they should TRULY be billed.

Thank you.

good work mb!

I agree. I hope that your letter works.

I can't stand fake groups like this [[the ones that don't call themselves tribute acts, but act like they are the real band), especially when they contain chicks that were never even born in the 60s or were in their diapers during the time that the real group was cranking out hits. And that story is sad about Gladys horton not geting work because of crud like this taking it away from her. :[[

That is quite a lineup, however, for one cruise! Dion, Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, Bobby Rydell, and so many more.
You could book the cruise and half the acts might not be there. However, I emailed them at the above posted
contact and asked if they could replace the fake Marvelettes with Dee Dee Sharp.

Thanks.

I know my letter is a drop in the bucket. I have no hopes that the powers that be will do a thing, but it makes me feel better knowing that someone is bringing this to their attention; that the public isn't fooled that easily. It could very well be that the people that book these shows think they are getting the real Marvelettes? Who knows. It never hurts to educate.

Mostly, I do it because I do have a voice and Gladys, Wanda, etc. do not. And because I have so much respect for Kat.

good for you,marybrewster.My brother & I had several "run-ins" with venues ect that booked the fake Marvelettes in 80's & early 90's. I really hate that lie in the fakes bio where they try to act like the real Marvelettes had to quit & various times these are great replacements & that at different times Gladys & Wanda have appeared with these fakes to legitimize them.The first encounter was at a large club near my house connected to a Holiday Inn, big crowd & the employees really thought it was the Marvelettes, very professional band[[rythm section ) well the lead singer Randy & I recognized as being Denise Edwards who along with Chip Fields[[Kims mother) had been Ronettes when Ronnie Spector had first started working again.One of the other "Marvelettes" had been one of Dee Dee Kenniebrews' Crystals that told Dee Dee she "was moving on to bigger & better things."During their show they never mentioned their names they would jus say things like "we Marvelettes feel this or think that". Afterwards we confronted Ms. Edwards & I said "how are ya'll gettin away with this"?She kinda laughed & said they were workin very hard with the agent that now owns the name & she told me that Wanda had even joined them onstage in New York on her way to Japan where she was now living...I said Huh?Wanda lives in Detroit, I just saw her when I was there last weekend, well she ended our conversation real quick.The Holiday Inn never booked them back, all the other groups in their concert series did return engagements. Thats just one incident we had over the years.Never saw that grouping again.

The person who has written those artist biographies for this seems to suffer from strange flights of fancy.

In the write up for THE TYMES there is mention that their record "So Much in Love" was a #1 hit in England and replaced THE BEATLES at the time ..

http://www.maltshopcruise.com/2012/A...5349/the-tymes

I don't know which chart the author has been looking at, but I don't recall "So Much In Love" being a #1 hit in Britain and according to the "Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles" it peaked at #21.

THE TYMES did eventually have a #1 hit on the UK Charts, but that was in 1975 with "Ms Grace", long after THE BEATLES disbanded and the record it displaced was "Down Down" by STATUS QUO.

Roger

Perhaps they mean in the U.S. that "So Much In Love" hit #1 during the Beatles invasion of the American music
scene.
Again, it does sound like a great cruise. I wish others would send an email requesting to replace the fakes
with the sensational Dee Dee Sharp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randy_russi

Perhaps they mean in the U.S. that "So Much In Love" hit #1 during the Beatles invasion of the American music
scene.

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I think the author is just confused Randy .. "So Much In Love" hit #1 on the Billboard Chart on August 3rd 1963. At that time THE BEATLES were already big in Britain, and had hit #1 with "From Me To You", but it was still prior to the release of "She Loves You" which marked their transition in Britain to the undisputed kings of "Merseybeat" music. Their first US chart entry and the "Invasion" of the U.S. was still more than five months in the future.

Incidentally, that first week in August 1963 when THE TYMES had their US Billboard #1 with "So Much In Love" was the only week in the entire year when the British charts were topped by an American act .. "Devil In Disguise" by ELVIS PRESLEY!!

Roger

This is the same cheesy bio that the Larry Marshak groups have been using for years, typos and all. At least they finally corrected Gladys' last name from 'Gorton' to 'Horton.'

I find it ironic that the writer goes out of his way to mention that the group was able to maintain its hitmaking run with several "highly talented replacements," while dropping the names of the group's "originators", yet completely fails to mention that this group of wannabees is actually comprised of only "highly talented replacements."

I would never buy a ticket to see a group like this who fails to identify themselves as merely a tribute act, which indeed is all they really are, legal rights to the name or no.

So Sad. At least a recent Motown show I saw made no pretence of being the REAL mcoy. It was just a celebration of THE MOTOWN SOUND.The crowd was up dancing and singing along, knowing it wasnt the REAL thing, but heh, much better than being conned..Paulo xxxx

In August 1997 my partner and I went to see The Marvelettes, Martha/Vandella and the Temptations in concert when living in San Francisco at a venue in Concord [[outside of SF). We were really excited.

Then out came The Marvelettes and three women who were not them. Had no idea and were really disappointed. Next up was Martha/Vandellas and was let down again when it wasn't Rox or Betty; it was Lois and Delphine. But they put on a fantastic show!

The Temptations were really good too.

This was in the days long before the internet was a way to find out about the faux groupings of The Marvelettes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by motownlover1964

In August 1997 my partner and I went to see The Marvelettes, Martha/Vandella and the Temptations in concert when living in San Francisco at a venue in Concord [[outside of SF). We were really excited.

Then out came The Marvelettes and three women who were not them. Had no idea and were really disappointed. Next up was Martha/Vandellas and was let down again when it wasn't Rox or Betty; it was Lois and Delphine. But they put on a fantastic show!

The Temptations were really good too.

This was in the days long before the internet was a way to find out about the faux groupings of The Marvelettes.

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That must have been at the Concord Pavillion. I used to live about a mile away from there [[in the 80s).

Mary ... good letter. Here is my personal observation and assessment of the legal entanglement -

If Mr. Gordy actually lost the name of the Marvelettes in an illegal "gaming" situation as has been speculated, then the Marvelettes do have legal recourse against both Gordy and his company and whomever such name was allegedly lost to during what was most likely a "crap" shoot not recognized under legal contracts. Furthermore, if the "faux" group uses any terminology which creates a false public impression that as a faux Marvelettes group that they are able to claim the actual recordings as "their" property, then there are legal grounds for the real Marvelettes to initiate legal proceedings. The proof is "real" vs. "fakes". Which group is actually entitled to own the name and all associated property including royalties?

although I heard the stories of the gambling 20 some odd years ago....in recent years we heard it was actually Smokey selling the name to Larry Marshak or Dick Fox Agency, so who knows whats the truth BUT I have heard recently that Kat was very close to getting their name back.

I wonder how many fake Marvelettes exists? Because with all those publicity pictures of them looks like hundreds.

The fakes have always accepted bookings. If one group is booked in California, another group of girls can be booked
in Florida on the same date; on and on it goes.

Everyone should contact the entertainment company given on this post and request removing them from the cruise;
request replacing them with Dee Dee Sharp. Now, that will be a great lineup!

Did anyone read Darlene Love's bio--says her hits are "He's A Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "He's Sure The Boy I'm
Gonna Marry".

I don't know why she keeps wanting credit for "Da Doo Ron Ron"; she knows it was recorded with La La Brooks.

When I got home last night from the office two things occurred.

The first was my Marvelettes Forever had arrived also in my mail was an advert for the Holiday Hop out on Long Island. To my shock they had the Marvelettes and the Platters listed with a description of The Marvelettes about their long career starting with Please Mr. Postman etc.

http://gatewayplayhouse.com/2011/HolidayHop2011.htm

I have contacted Gateway telling them that in the summer I like to attend their shows but will not be returning or supporting a theater that has fake groups performing at it.

Perhaps if others want to send an email to the general manager his name Dom Ruggiero and his email is: domruggiero@gatewayplayhouse.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dba

When I got home last night from the office two things occurred.

The first was my Marvelettes Forever had arrived also in my mail was an advert for the Holiday Hop out on Long Island. To my shock they had the Marvelettes and the Platters listed with a description of The Marvelettes about their long career starting with Please Mr. Postman etc.

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Reading the blurb on the act it seems that the success of this bunch of "Marvelettes" paved the way for other female acts such as DONNA AND THE VANDELLAS!!!!

http://gatewayplayhouse.com/2011/HolidayHop2011.htm

Sounds a classy joint this Gateway Playhouse ... :)

Roger

The first sentence of the overview calls all three groups Motown Legends. I wonder how many people will see these
fake Marvelettes and wonder "how did THEY pave the way for Donna & the Vandellas and the Supremes". They
certainly won't be old enough!!!!
YUK! Total rip-off of a show. Just WHO are the Platters??? OR which group of Platters????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roger

Reading the blurb on the act it seems that the success of this bunch of "Marvelettes" paved the way for other female acts such as DONNA AND THE VANDELLAS!!!!

http://gatewayplayhouse.com/2011/HolidayHop2011.htm

Sounds a classy joint this Gateway Playhouse ... :)

Roger

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Oh my God...I can't believe that. They're obviously mixing Donna Reeves up with Martha Fargo, Martha Mills, or maybe Martha Douglas! But I don't think any of those ladies ever sang with the Vandellas. But hey, what do I know??? After all, we know that Martha also sang with the Muffins after her stint with the Vandellas was over!

lol,kenneth!!! I think they mixed up Donna Fargo with Martha Washington, after all, during their time both ladies
were "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" :)

And Also the coasters and platters were'nt from motown either. But to some folks they thimk that every black singer from the 60s is Motown.

wow the tickets are only $86.00 for the 10:30 show which includes whore d ovaries & champagne!Man. those fakes work cheap!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by motony

wow the tickets are only $86.00 for the 10:30 show which includes whore d ovaries & champagne!Man. those fakes work cheap!

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And no doubt the platters are there to eat the "whore d'ovaries" off and the coasters are there to rest the champagne glasses on so there won't be any nasty marks left on the tables ..

:)

Roger

Donna & the Vandellas are my favorite Motown group!!!

I have been to a few shows since the Motown 25 TV success that call the shows a Motown night or something to
that effect. I went to a 1999 New Year's Eve show with the Crystals, Shirley Alston Reeves and a group of
Platters and it was billed as a Motown Millenium Show. Go figure! You are right that so many groups from the
60s and 70s are thought to be Motown just because they are black. I've been with Dee Dee Sharp many, many
times and several people do ask if she was with Motown.

And that's all the more reason why fake groups can get away with it. The ignorance of the general public. They
just don't know.