She was right. I miss her and Mrs. Esther Gordy Edwards a lot! Mrs. Edwards was like a grandmother to me. The sweetest lady ever!
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In an interview with A TOUCH OF CLASSIC SOUL, Betty said she was called to a meeting by Berry Gordy's secretary. When she arrived, Martha and Rosalind were sitting outside his office. When she spoke with Berry, it hit her that she was going to be pulled out of the Velevelettes and put into the Vandellas for a trial. She talked it over with Velvelette Cal Gill, who encouraged her to go for it. Betty went on to address the rumor that she was chosen to replace Annette because they looked alike by saying that they didn't but she thought Berry was looking for a similar skin tone and height, so that the change wouldn't be noticed too much.
In her book, Martha tells a totally different story. She wrote that the Velvelettes had broken up and Betty let her overhear her telling someone else that she was no longer in in the group. As Annette was leaving, Martha asked would she consider being a Vandella, and Betty responded that she didn't know, as she was considering going back to Kalamazoo because of her living conditions. Martha offered to let Betty stay at her house until she made enough money to get her own place. Betty thought it over and joined the group.
I think Motown was always promoting them because he knew she had something. They had a lot of records that did nothing, but he kept on. And let’s face it, WDOLG wasn’t even #1 yet before he flew them home to record follow ups. Baby Love hadn’t hit yet and they already were doing Liverpool.
‘’Actually, Motown had two successful albums in 1963. Released in May, Stevie went to #1, released in early January, Queen Mary to #49. By fall of ‘63, I think Heat Wave should have done better and, it turns out, it was an indication of the general appeal of Marthas voice because she’d never have a hit studio album - despite hit singles on them. Watch Out! Was a big disappointment with two top tens at the height of their popularity. The following fall, their live album was a bomb, outsold even by Jr Walker.
As for Marthas stage abilities, it’s all opinion. Please send me a link to one engaging performance on tv before Mike Douglas in 69. I love Martha, and prefer her to Mary, but she didn’t have it to go big and many tried.