James Velvet & The Supremes ? Primettes ? - "When I Need You" CUB 9111 1962

Whilst there is nothing on either 45 mentioning the Primettes they or the Supremes were the backing singers to both sides of the record.

It has nearly always been cited that the Primettes were the backing singers, however as they signed to Motown in Jan 1961 and then renamed as the "Supremes" it does make you wonder as if a little "Moonlighting" was going on as "Correc-Tone " was also a Detroit Label!

Both the Correct-Tone & CUB 45s were not released until 1962 & unlike the earlier Primettes tracks, the backing does sound a lot more polished than the earlier pre Motown tracks of the Primettes.

Florence Ballard does the talk over & takes the lead vocals on both sides.

Give a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr8vKWzpX0

This is great. What a find!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by luke

This is great. What a find!

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I thought so too. I am wondering if the two other singers that did background sessions with Mary, Flo, Diane and Betty at Lupine are also singing on this record. They were Barbara Randolph and Betty Kendrick.

This one's a "no" for me. Doesn't sound like them at all. The Supremes, like other acts at Motown and around Detroit, certainly moonlighted on sessions in order to make a quick buck, but to my ears this aint one of them. I don't hear Diana. Her voice is pretty distinctive. I don't hear Barbara either. Truth is that she just wasn't that good of a harmonizer. And I know Flo and Mary's harmonies like I know the back of my hand, so it certainly isn't just the two of them. Whoever these chicks are, they're good, but they aint no Supremes.:cool: