Well, another Motown legend just spoke and, uh... let's just say she DOESN'T share Smokey's utopia LOL
https://i.postimg.cc/ZRzfVdM1/hu.png
That message was from Marvelette Katherine Anderson-Schaffner.
Well, another Motown legend just spoke and, uh... let's just say she DOESN'T share Smokey's utopia LOL
https://i.postimg.cc/ZRzfVdM1/hu.png
That message was from Marvelette Katherine Anderson-Schaffner.
Dennis was terrific and MANY musicians including my own brother who played flute in the woodwind session on For Once In My Life and arranged several Motown albums and wrote and produced the theme song for the Motown film the Last Dragon and produced The Commodores and Temptations and literally dozens of musicians from various ethnicities Hell...Irene Ryan [[Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies) recorded for Motown... I wasn't meaning to slight anyone among the dozens of Motowners from various walks of life... Mentioned Joe and Bob as members of the legal entity known as The Funk Brothers who were instrumental in Motowns success. So many others played with the Funk Brothers and had a great impact on the label over the years...
As performers???... I saw them on one of TJ Lubinskys shows several years ago and they were pretty much up to their limit. Once again...I have no personal involvement or interest in any of this, so I trust they will invite those they feel should be invited and not invite those for whatever reason they choose not to invite. As evidenced by this most recent dust up...they will NEVER please everyone, so do what they do and the proof will be in the pudding, although all the amateur "producers" are sure to have their say...
Well said Katherine!
Ive had discussions on this with Patricia Washington and understand she has strong feelings. I just happen to disaagree with her, but like anyone else, is entitled to her opinion. After admitting that she did not watch the J-Lo performance but commenting on it as Katherine from The Marvelettes did only illustrates a very subjective opinion based on nothing but a photograph. I certainly appreciate her contribution to the Motown Sound, however, harking back 55 years to a different day and time when the ladies wore their skirts below the knee is much different than contemporary mores of today, and thankfully, she didn't have to witness Cardi b's performance and outfit...Times change...As for the question of who is invited...I have no idea what the criteria is...I know there are always limitations to these things. I was in charge of one Motown event and had to actually inform a certain member of a certain well known female group that I could not accomodate her for admission into a certain VIP area and felt bad about it in addition to other people I could not accommodate, but ultimately, just decided to accept the fact that in the end...to some folks, I would have to be the "bad guy...but I had my limitations. These things happen. I'm sure Motown will include those they can who they feel should be there, but there are always situations that most of us aren't aware of that influence other decisions...Once again...you can't please everyone...Do your show and move on...
Marv if you talk to Katherine tell her she has support!
It's not controversial to say Motown was a predominantly black record label that revolutionized the world and it appealed to everyone and still diss J Lo. :)
Different people may have different motivations behind their opinions. I can tell you for CERTAIN that I've come across MANY people on both Facebook and YouTube...MANY people who have come right out and criticized the selection of J-Lo because they believe that only a Black artist should be doing that tribute...they admit it and don't hide it. I suspect some others who cite different reasons actually feel the same way, and some may sincerely believe that someone else could have put on a better performance and are disappointed that NARAS didn't seek them out to produce the segment...I can't speak for everyone and folks can explain their position the way they want and everyone is entitled to their opinion, regardless of their stated reasoning...however, I also suspect that some folks would rather see an 80 year old performer trying to sing songs with notes they can't begin to hit leaning on their walker than to accept the fact that J-Lo, a Latina was given the slot to perform the segment... That said...nobody is going to die as a result of this performance and it's funny that a 10 minute performance halfway to Mars by now is still being debated...LOL
MJ controversy led Grammys to change their plans on Motown celebration:
https://www.freep.com/story/entertai...te/2852604002/
THAT'S WHY it changed so much.
Also Stevie was initially part of it but then dropped out [[who knows if it was related to MJ or not; I know he's supposed to be in the actual Motown tribute show). Berry Gordy was also part of the planning lol
I think that's why Smokey is defending the decision lmao :)
So I think I'm finally getting a clue on why they asked Lopez. I know many won't agree with why but eh, they had to do what they do, I guess.
But this is why America is a great country. You can have differing opinions as long as it don't turn into divisive screaming matches. I'm pretty much seeing both sides of the argument though I can agree to disagree on some elements. :)
Most think because it's black history and Motown's history consisted on making a bunch of black musicians world famous icons that they felt black artists were being "shut out". Maybe it's humorous to you but it's not really that much of a baseless complaint. Someone said in another thread that they talked to a Latino worker after the show how they would feel if an R&B artist had done a tribute to a Latino artist and they suddenly were like "oh OK I get it now."
I mean I think it's a complex issue, least on my end, it is!
If according to Brian McCollum who I've had dealings with in the past and is a credible reporter is correct, apparently this Neverland thing on cable [[which I've not seen) created a backlash, either by MJ's family or NARAS not wanting to become embroiled in a serious controversy is understandable... These segments are not put together in a week...way too many end to pull together...set design, musical arrangements, backup singers and dancers, producers and choreographers, etc, etc, etc...and could never have been pulled together from scratch in such short time, so It's completely understandable for them to have stuck that already produced and rehearsed segment into the Grammy telecast... Otherwise, they would have had to slap some much less produced segment into the show that would not have had a Motown flair, or shortened the show... I imagine that changes then had to be made to tonights Motown 60 taping...
If you look at it through a narrow lens, then yes, you could make a case that is cut and dry...but you are now contradicting yourself from two posts up where you stated that race has "nothing" to do with Lopez getting criticized, and now you are making the case that race IS the prime factor based on your anecdote about the Latino worker you mentioned. You are entitled to your feelings based on whatever reason you maintain, but like the weather, you can't have it both ways...And finally... I'm also convinced that so many people who voiced their opposition to this J-Lo segment were so vested in their opposition, that she could have put on the greatest performance in the history of show business and most of those people were not about to admit that perhaps they jumped the gun, although I have come across a few, like Tyler Perry who originally questioned the selection, but gave the performance an enthusiastic thumbs up...
Anyways...by now...J-Lo is still worth over 300 Million and I'm not, and I'm sure she is over it...Many others...not so much...
Late to the party on this one!
Well, I too thought it was a non-Motown Motown show segment. But please know that the producers are TV people. They do not care about tradition. It's only about ratings. What looks good and hopefully sounds good but most importantly the ratings. Ratings which have been going down down for years on ALL Award shows.
The TV networks go crazy with a too-long show...The Grammys are over 3 hours. The Oscars had a major member revolt by sending some awards to be given during commercials to shorten the show! And it's all driven by mega-TV conglomerates who THINK they know what they're doing!
As I see it...
Motown is no more. Sucked up by Universal's UMG its just another label of the past along with Capitol, A&M, Verve and on.... The Enrichment went to the founder along with huge publishing rights. Everyone should be really happy that the memories and the music warrant a 60th anniversary celebration! And now TV and Streaming are the kings.
I will add that IMO it was done in poor taste! J-Lo might be a great performer in her genre but did not belong in a Motown segment.
I ask why is it when it comes to shows, segments or specials for Blacks everyone screams inclusion? The Dolly Parton segment wasn't inclusive. They didn't ask Dionne or J-Lo or to sing her songs. Who remembers when there was talk of Patti Labelle portraying Celia Cruz. It was an uproar. The inclusion and diversity is very selective.
I understand Motown was created for ALL people and intended to bring people together and in the same vain the tribute should have been done by someone who was there and actually a part of it.
This was your typical performance politics at play and nothing more!!!!!
Sorry but where does it say that this opinion piece came from Katherine of the Marvelettes? This seems to come from Patricia, the admin of the Marvelettes fan group. Please double check your facts before posting and attaching someone's name to something. Also, instead of her going on and being offended by Smokey's words, maybe she needs to check herself before she goes on calling J Lo, "this chick". You're allowed to not like her, but I find that kind of label on any woman also disrespectful, especially when she is an accomplished artist in her own right. It's a diminishing choice of words. So before you go off on Smokey insulting 'you', maybe try taking a step back...
I agree with Stu. Everyone wants to be grossly offended by everything these days. I can't believe this is still going on, all these days later. People need to get over themselves. Everyone makes everything so personal. People feel this personal attachment to Motown, so it becomes, "How dare they give us this lackluster tribute!!" Who cares. I tend to wonder if it was Beyonce doing the tribute instead and shaking her booty...would the reaction be the same?
Marv, I see that midnightman wrote in his own post that it comes from Kat, but the screen shot he included, which comes from Facebook, does not say anything about "this comes from Kat". It's like me taking a screen shot of one of your posts from Soulful Detroit and saying it's written by Mary Wilson.
Don't take it with me. I got that from Lipstick Alley. Take that up with them. That was the person who said it came from Katherine.
https://media.giphy.com/media/KYNywoibU1PQ4/giphy.gif
I'm just now reading this link. Boy this whole thing was a mess. Sounds like they just stuck it on the Grammy show at the last minute because they had a J-Lo commitment with nowhere to go. Better lost and forgotten on the Grammies than the more purposeful Motown Salute.
Also good to see someone commenting on what a great country this is when some seem to be losing sight of this.
Yes this is just freedom of discussion with different opinions of just a TV segment , but its also one of the more interesting threads in this forum in awhile which is why it has legs.
Some times you can sense something's in the air by something as simple as a TV segment , something that may get revisited in the future as an event symbolizing something more.
I've had several conversations on this topic with Patricia Washington on different venues and while I'm personally fond of Patricia "sweetpea", she is perhaps the most outspoken person I've come across in her vehement dislike of this J Lo segment.. That said...this link purported to be from a former Marvelette is almost word for word everything Patricia has previously stated...so I would assume that Patricia has had lengthy conversations with this former Marvelette Katherine, and they agree completely, or this is an echo of many statements Patricia has previously stated...
His songs aren't even the best anyway. GOING TO A GOGO is so poppish. The Miracles good stuff was mostly written by real soul legends like Ivy Jo Hunter.