Who would YOU push??

[lockhartgary]

Hi all,
I have a what-if question. We all can probably agree that there are Motown artists who were successful to a large degree: DRATS, Temps, Marvin, Stevie and others. We can also agree that there were some artists whom we feel should have been bigger but were not because Motown did not push/promote/support them hard. If you could go back in time from, let's say 1960 - 1969, which performer[[s) would you push hard? My choices would be the The Marvelettes and The Originals.

[arr&bee]

Good question,i would get behind the spinners because inspite of all thier talent they got dissed bigtime at motown, maybe it was just too much other talent for them to get the attention that they needed.

[robb_k]

The Spinners, Monitors, Originals, Velvelettes, Elgins, Tammi Terrell, Barbara Randolph, J.J. Barnes, Parliaments, Serenaders, Satintones, Equadors, Versatones, Kim Weston, Carolyn Crawford, Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Linda Griner, Chuck Jackson, Isley Brothers, Frances Nero, Gwen Owens, Jimmy Ruffin.

I also would have done all I could to keep Joe Hunter, Don Davis, Popcorn Wylie, Tony Hester, Jack Ashford, Don Juan Mancha, Clyde Wilson [[Steve Mancha), Mike Terry, Robert Bateman, Sonny Sanders, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, William Garrett, William Weatherspoon, Sidney Barnes, George Kerr, George Clinton in house as songwriters, arrangers and producers.

Of course, I would have had to have been a billionaire, even back then, to do what I would have wanted to do

[captainjames]

The Velvelettes
Tammi Terrell
Edwin Starr

[marv2]

Marv Johnson and Kim Weston.

[theboyfromxtown]

THE VELVELETTES

Shorty Long

[marv2]

THE VELVELETTES

Shorty Long

Oh especially the Velvelettes! They have outlasted most groups.

[vgalindo]

Elgins, Originals, Kim Weston, and the Monitors.

[copley]

Blinky - Free Blinky From The Vaults!

Marvelettes

Brenda Holloway
Tammi Terrell
Isley Brothers
Shorty Long
Jimmy Ruffin
Chris Clark
Kim Weston
Barbara Randolph
Elgins
Velvelettes
Syreeta
Edwin Starr
Contours

[lockhartgary]

Good question,i would get behind the spinners because inspite of all thier talent they got dissed bigtime at motown, maybe it was just too much other talent for them to get the attention that they needed.

Yeah, but they sure got the last laugh at Atlantic! Even Atlantic, according to Thom Bell, had little faith in them. The Spinners were at the bottom of a list of artists Thom Bell was to choose from. Their name on said list was even hard to read!!

[marv2]

Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers.

[jboy88]

I believe Berry took more stock in Tammi & Kim than we give him credit for. Thus, ultimately pairing them with Marvin! Fate just wasn't on his side in Tammi's case.

I myself would of tried harder with The Fantastic Four, Shorty Long, and Blinky!

[Ngroove]

Edwin Starr.

Not to say "Twenty Five Miles" was not well pushed; but really, between that and "Soul Master"; he was "Agent Double O Soul"; "I'm Still A Struggling Man" and "Pretty Little Angel" was great too; but "SOS [[Stop Her On Sight)" and "Headline News" are simply more enjoyably played and listened to me; he could have held that same ferocity of Atlantic's and Stax's soul.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

All of the Motown artists mentioned above deserved an extra push in promorion, but my personal favorites would be:

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Wanda Rogers & The Marvelettes
The Velvelettes
Brenda Holloway
Kim Weston

[jillfoster]

The Spinners, Monitors, Originals, Velvelettes, Elgins, Tammi Terrell, Barbara Randolph, J.J. Barnes, Parliaments, Serenaders, Satintones, Equadors, Versatones, Kim Weston, Carolyn Crawford, Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Linda Griner, Chuck Jackson, Isley Brothers, Frances Nero, Gwen Owens, Jimmy Ruffin.

I also would have done all I could to keep Joe Hunter, Don Davis, Popcorn Wylie, Tony Hester, Jack Ashford, Don Juan Mancha, Clyde Wilson [[Steve Mancha), Mike Terry, Robert Bateman, Sonny Sanders, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, William Garrett, William Weatherspoon, Sidney Barnes, George Kerr, George Clinton in house as songwriters, arrangers and producers.

Of course, I would have had to have been a billionaire, even back then, to do what I would have wanted to do

Didn't you just name every other person on the roster?

[TheMotownManiac]

Brenda Holloway
The Spinners
Edwin Starr
Kim Weston

Brenda had it all and was a joy live. The Spinners had a lot of talent but there was just not enough material to go around and The tempt, Tops deservedly got first dibbs.

[mysterysinger]

The Spinners yes, should have also stuck with Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and perhaps Meatloaf. Later on they should have shown faith in Bruno Mars too. That Fantastic Four album should have seen release .

[Ngroove]

Huh? If it's OK to mention someone, or at least some already established pre-1969 singer but would in the Motown fold a little later, I'd suggest shoulda been pushed: Fifth Dimension. Yes, I know, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr were not there, expanding their own stars separate of group they made big infact, but still, they still were Fifth Dimension, bigger than sliced bread between late 60s-mid 70s, pete's sakes! How could a big, quality brand that should ensure "you're in good hands" unpromote "Star Dancing" and "High On Sunshine", plus zero singles, zero chart placement, to the point of obscure oblivion, at least in any further studio albums?