Jean Terrell and Motown

[Bluebrock]

Just asking as u mentioned it. Happy holidays !!

You too Luke!!

[marv2]

It's perhaps best not to go into too much detail , especially at this time of year but lets just say that during this particular tour the Supremes were not at their best and Mary knew it but did not approve of being told by certain people. Let' s remain positive. Merry Christmas!

They performed on "Supersonic" during that tour in 1975 and they were great!

[Bluebrock]

They performed on "Supersonic" during that tour in 1975 and they were great!

Yes they did and they were great. They also did TOTP which was okay but they got some stinking reviews for the live shows, but in the interests of fairness they were splendid when they returned the following year when Susaye had replaced Cindy.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I didn't know about a scuffle with the BBC and Radio One and all that over there...never saw it mentioned anywhere..I always wondered why "Heart" hadn't registered over there

[marv2]

I didn't know about a scuffle with the BBC and Radio One and all that over there...never saw it mentioned anywhere..I always wondered why "Heart" hadn't registered over there

I never heard of it either. Merry Christmas Jimi!

[Bluebrock]

I didn't know about a scuffle with the BBC and Radio One and all that over there...never saw it mentioned anywhere..I always wondered why "Heart" hadn't registered over there

There is no reason why you would. In the pre-internet days overseas news did not travel so quickly. In fairness it was hardly headline news over here. I heard about it from a former colleague who worked for Motown UK,

[Jimi LaLumia]

Merry Christmas, Marv, and everyone here! It's Time To Move On....to 2016!..go, Mary!!

[detmotownguy]

Jimi same to you. I enjoy your contributions to the site .

[Jimi LaLumia]

thanks..Happy New Year to everyone and to ALL The Supremes as well..

[franjoy56]

Motown released 8 albums featuring Jean Terrell as lead singer of the group and that is a lot of music. Furthermore every single Motown released with Jean singing lead hit the Hot 100 whether it was in the upper reaches or bottom reaches of the chart they all hit from Up the ladder to the roof #10 thru Bad Weather #87 everybody got the right #21, Nathan Jones 16, Touch 71, Floy Joy 16 Automatically 37, You Wonderful Love 54, I guess Ill miss the man 85. In addition River Deep Mt. high #14 and You Got to Have Love in your Heart #54. That's quite a bit for BG who washed his hands of the Jean Terrell group. Merry Christmas everybody.

[franjoy56]

I forgot "Stoned LOve" their biggest hit #7 #1 r and b this week.

[marv2]

Motown released 8 albums featuring Jean Terrell as lead singer of the group and that is a lot of music. Furthermore every single Motown released with Jean singing lead hit the Hot 100 whether it was in the upper reaches or bottom reaches of the chart they all hit from Up the ladder to the roof #10 thru Bad Weather #87 everybody got the right #21, Nathan Jones 16, Touch 71, Floy Joy 16 Automatically 37, You Wonderful Love 54, I guess Ill miss the man 85. In addition River Deep Mt. high #14 and You Got to Have Love in your Heart #54. That's quite a bit for BG who washed his hands of the Jean Terrell group. Merry Christmas everybody.

~What a great accomplishment. Jean and the Supremes scored from their first time out together.

[Jimi LaLumia]

absolutely.. the fans never washed their hands of the girls , post-Jean,bringing 'Let my Heart.." into the Pop Top 40..

[jim aka jtigre99]

The first record I ever bought was Up The Ladder To The Roof when I was 11. I had to backtrack to the earlier group. Jean Terrell was a great lead singer. I also loved hearing Mary Wilson sing lead. Visually the 60's group was very glamorous with very deliberate choreography. Times changed by the 1970's and Terrell did not offer the visual excitement of the prior group, in my opinion, although Mary & Cindy seemed to excel more visually at this time. Jean had a very distinctive voice. Once Scherrie Payne joined they were very visual and glamorous once again but with the trio all moving to the disco beat. I had always wondered why it took Jean from 1973 until 1978 to release her A & M LP. It was very good but I read she refused to tour to support it. She may have had the talent but she must have lacked the drive to succeed in show business. Very curious as to why she didn't record solo at Motown. Mary Wilson[[Red Hot) & Scherrie Payne[[Fly) both had a solo 45 from Motown even when Motown was not doing well and a few years after the group ended. It is a curiosity.

[marybrewster]

Here is an ad for the Smokey Robinson Special:

[marybrewster]

Additionally, for those that may have missed it, here is the link to another thread on this topic:

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread...binson+special

[Bluebrock]

The first record I ever bought was Up The Ladder To The Roof when I was 11. I had to backtrack to the earlier group. Jean Terrell was a great lead singer. I also loved hearing Mary Wilson sing lead. Visually the 60's group was very glamorous with very deliberate choreography. Times changed by the 1970's and Terrell did not offer the visual excitement of the prior group, in my opinion, although Mary & Cindy seemed to excel more visually at this time. Jean had a very distinctive voice. Once Scherrie Payne joined they were very visual and glamorous once again but with the trio all moving to the disco beat. I had always wondered why it took Jean from 1973 until 1978 to release her A & M LP. It was very good but I read she refused to tour to support it. She may have had the talent but she must have lacked the drive to succeed in show business. Very curious as to why she didn't record solo at Motown. Mary Wilson[[Red Hot) & Scherrie Payne[[Fly) both had a solo 45 from Motown even when Motown was not doing well and a few years after the group ended. It is a curiosity.

Jim - There was never any danger of Jean being offered a solo deal at Motown. She was thoroughly disillusioned with the music business. her relationship with Mary had gone from cordial at best to downright hostile. Berry Gordy had not spoken to her in months, promises made to her had not been fulfilled and all she wanted to do was move out of the limelight. When she returned to record her solo album for A&M she quickly realised she had made a mistake and refused to go out' on the road to promote what was an excellent album. It was far stronger than Marys effort and even Scherrie and Susaye's. It is such a pity that it turned out that way but we do have some excellent music to remeber her by and we can all hope we eventually get the lost and found cd that would be welcomed by many people on this forum.

[Bluebrock]

Jim - There was never any danger of Jean being offered a solo deal at Motown. She was thoroughly disillusioned with the music business. her relationship with Mary had gone from cordial at best to downright hostile. Berry Gordy had not spoken to her in months, promises made to her had not been fulfilled and all she wanted to do was move out of the limelight. When she returned to record her solo album for A&M she quickly realised she had made a mistake and refused to go out' on the road to promote what was an excellent album. It was far stronger than Marys effort and even Scherrie and Susaye's. It is such a pity that it turned out that way but we do have some excellent music to remeber her by and we can all hope we eventually get the lost and found cd that would be welcomed by many people on this forum.

Sorry folks - i meant to say she refused to promote her solo album, not record it. Apologies for that. Put it down to a Christmas hangover!!

[Bokiluis]

ok.. but from a technical point, the Supremes name, minus Jean, had a 7th UK Top 10 in the 1970's, when the original "Baby Love" was re issued as a single,to promote a "Greatest Hits" album, and the re issued single peaked at #12 in August of 1974..Merry Christmas!!

What was always perplexing, save for "Right On" peaking at #25 [[or was it #20), The Supremes '70s had difficulty selling albums. For me personally, at least 5 of their albums were quite good. Despite many fans calling " written and produced by Jim Webb", Jean Terrell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it remains a personal favorite. So as far as quality material, I think Motown gave them great songs. Sometimes you have consider that the public just wasn't interested.
Save for The Supremes [[original)/Diana Ross & The Supremes, the other Motown female groups just couldn't sell albums...despite the quality. And, of course, you make a lot more money from album sales.

[jim aka jtigre99]

Well, Jean is an excellent vocalist. It is show business so one has to deal with the business aspect, as well. It must not have been for her even though she sings very well. Mary seems to know that you have to promote yourself and your product, even if it is something you may not want to do. I guess she saw that A & M was run similar to Motown and decided against promoting her music. Jean seemed to be very sharp, so I am surprised she didn't know what to expect replacing Diana Ross, public and media scrutiny, the record company. I am surprised that she didn't get along with Mary and equally surprised she came back and sang with the FLOs singing older songs that she never really did in the 1970's. I am sure all the singers have artistic temperament but surprised in Jean. I remember reading something that Jean said to Mary it was OK for her to play along with what the record company asked but not for her.I was happy to have Jean, Mary & Partners along with the at their best LP during 1978-9 even though it was not their best work, especially Mary.I think had her Gus Dudgeon LP materialized, she would have hit.

[marv2]

What was always perplexing, save for "Right On" peaking at #25 [[or was it #20), The Supremes '70s had difficulty selling albums. For me personally, at least 5 of their albums were quite good. Despite many fans calling " written and produced by Jim Webb", Jean Terrell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it remains a personal favorite. So as far as quality material, I think Motown gave them great songs. Sometimes you have consider that the public just wasn't interested.
Save for The Supremes [[original)/Diana Ross & The Supremes, the other Motown female groups just couldn't sell albums...despite the quality. And, of course, you make a lot more money from album sales.

Nah that's bullshit, stop it! It had nothing to do with the public not being interested and everything to do with the availability of product! I remember after each debut of a Supremes new record in the 60s, you could find it in all the stores the next day or that same week. The Supremes performed "Bad Weather" for example on television several times and it could not be found in stores in Ohio and Michigan that next day, that next week or the next month! I finally found it in 1975 , 2 whole years after it's release. Motown was no longer supporting the Supremes at that time.

[Bluebrock]

What was always perplexing, save for "Right On" peaking at #25 [[or was it #20), The Supremes '70s had difficulty selling albums. For me personally, at least 5 of their albums were quite good. Despite many fans calling " written and produced by Jim Webb", Jean Terrell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it remains a personal favorite. So as far as quality material, I think Motown gave them great songs. Sometimes you have consider that the public just wasn't interested.
Save for The Supremes [[original)/Diana Ross & The Supremes, the other Motown female groups just couldn't sell albums...despite the quality. And, of course, you make a lot more money from album sales.

I agree the quality was there for the first 3 Jean led albums. If Motown had wanted to kill the Supremes at that point they wouldn't have given them such strong material. The quality of songs did plummet thereafter in my opinion. I know some of you disagree with me on that and of course that is your right, but after "touch" it was all downhill in my opinion. Jean was not happy with the material she was given to sing at this point and with her being at loggerheads with Mary she decided to cut her losses and quit. It is true to say the group were still visible on US TV.
Marv claims he was unable to purchase "bad weather". I am not in a position to disagree with on that because i wasn't there, but if true it all points to Motown failing to meet supply with demand.
They did make a huge promotion push with "high energy" a few years later but that was only partially successful . It would appear too little too late.

[marv2]

I agree the quality was there for the first 3 Jean led albums. If Motown had wanted to kill the Supremes at that point they wouldn't have given them such strong material. The quality of songs did plummet thereafter in my opinion. I know some of you disagree with me on that and of course that is your right, but after "touch" it was all downhill in my opinion. Jean was not happy with the material she was given to sing at this point and with her being at loggerheads with Mary she decided to cut her losses and quit. It is true to say the group were still visible on US TV.
Marv claims he was unable to purchase "bad weather". I am not in a position to disagree with on that because i wasn't there, but if true it all points to Motown failing to meet supply with demand.
They did make a huge promotion push with "high energy" a few years later but that was only partially successful . It would appear too little too late.

You don't have to agree or disagree because what I said and the inability to find the single "Bad Weather" is a fact! There was someone in NYC at the time that said they found it in a hardware store. That NEVER was the case with Supremes releases in the 60s. The material they recorded in the 70s was superb and in many cases better than what they were doing in the 60s.
!

[milven]

Nah that's bullshit, stop it! It had nothing to do with the public not being interested and everything to do with the availability of product! I remember after each debut of a Supremes new record in the 60s, you could find it in all the stores the next day or that same week. The Supremes performed "Bad Weather" for example on television several times and it could not be found in stores in Ohio and Michigan that next day, that next week or the next month! I finally found it in 1975 , 2 whole years after it's release. Motown was no longer supporting the Supremes at that time.

I believe you, but I think you are blaming Motown for not making Bad Weather available. It was available and in distribution throughout the country with indie distributors. Alpha Distributors in NYC had it and it was up to the store buyers to have enough product in their store. Some of these store buyers are conservative and if an artists last record did not sell and had to be returned, then the buyer bought very few of the next release.

Locally, in my area, Bad Weather was sold to dee-jays as a disco record and they bought two at a time to extend them.

As far as getting the song played on radio, I honestly have to say that I don't remember hearing it that much. But the Supremes fan club headed by Carl [[who later transformed it into Mary's fan club) had many of the fans calling in requests for the song.

I can honestly say that I never had any trouble getting any of the Supremes albums or singles.

I also cant understand why a for profit company such as Motown, would spend a huge amount of money getting a song written, produced and recorded and then not try to get that expense recouped by promoting the record in every possible way. It just not sound very wise to deliberately try to bury the record.

If Berry truly hated the group or no longer had a use for them, he could have just released the group and use the money he saved recorded and producing them to promote a group or artist that he liked.

[marv2]

I agree the quality was there for the first 3 Jean led albums. If Motown had wanted to kill the Supremes at that point they wouldn't have given them such strong material. The quality of songs did plummet thereafter in my opinion. I know some of you disagree with me on that and of course that is your right, but after "touch" it was all downhill in my opinion. Jean was not happy with the material she was given to sing at this point and with her being at loggerheads with Mary she decided to cut her losses and quit. It is true to say the group were still visible on US TV.
Marv claims he was unable to purchase "bad weather". I am not in a position to disagree with on that because i wasn't there, but if true it all points to Motown failing to meet supply with demand.
They did make a huge promotion push with "high energy" a few years later but that was only partially successful . It would appear too little too late.

Regarding this mythical "huge promotional push" for High Energy. Scherrie said that she was at a radio station that had been called by a Motown rep and told to stop playing "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" and play Diana Ross instead. That is what Scherrie Payne said. I believe her.

[marv2]

If you want to get an idea of the games Motown were playing with it's artists in the 70s, take some time and listen to this interview with Bubba Knight. He was there and he knows! It is a long one so, when have time to listen and learn, please do so and stop making these comments that the public were just not interested anymore.......

[Bluebrock]

Regarding this mythical "huge promotional push" for High Energy. Scherrie said that she was at a radio station that had been called by a Motown rep and told to stop playing "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" and play Diana Ross instead. That is what Scherrie Payne said. I believe her.

I'm not looking to fall out with you but it is a fact that Motown UK gave High Energy" lots of advertising space in the music publications. It would be very strange to spend such vasts amounts of money and then deliberately try to kill the product. Where is the financial sense in that?
My colleague at Motown UK visited the US office several times a year and he told me that Motown spent bucketloads of money on promoting High Inergy in the US. This is of course going slightly off topic. This is a Jean Terrell thread, but i was told that Motown execs were thoroughly fed up with Jean and Mary's constant fueding which possibly explains why Motown may have given up on them? Once Jean had gone he said they were happy to get behind the group again.

[marv2]

I'm not looking to fall out with you but it is a fact that Motown UK gave High Energy" lots of advertising space in the music publications. It would be very strange to spend such vasts amounts of money and then deliberately try to kill the product. Where is the financial sense in that?
My colleague at Motown UK visited the US office several times a year and he told me that Motown spent bucketloads of money on promoting High Inergy in the US. This is of course going slightly off topic. This is a Jean Terrell thread, but i was told that Motown execs were thoroughly fed up with Jean and Mary's constant fueding which possibly explains why Motown may have given up on them? Once Jean had gone he said they were happy to get behind the group again.

You're friend is mistaken. They did not spend bucket loads of money promoting High Energy in the States and I believe what Scherrie said.

[TheMotownManiac]

The 70's Supremes suffered from severe personnel changes that made it very hard to love the group. Album purchases were big deals and without Ross' familiar face on the cover, it was hard to "know" The Supremes. I think the first two are glorious albums but they were strangers on the covers. Everyone knows the strength of an act is measured by album and ticket sales because that is where the investment is. At Kreske's in Carlinville, IL, singles were 75 cents and we bought the song if we loved it. We bought the album if we loved the group and that didn't happen with The 70s groupings. On another board they were talking about how hit and miss both The Supremes and Ross solo were and it's true but Ross' albums sold better.

What was always perplexing, save for "Right On" peaking at #25 [[or was it #20), The Supremes '70s had difficulty selling albums. For me personally, at least 5 of their albums were quite good. Despite many fans calling " written and produced by Jim Webb", Jean Terrell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it remains a personal favorite. So as far as quality material, I think Motown gave them great songs. Sometimes you have consider that the public just wasn't interested.
Save for The Supremes [[original)/Diana Ross & The Supremes, the other Motown female groups just couldn't sell albums...despite the quality. And, of course, you make a lot more money from album sales.

[marv2]

I believe you, but I think you are blaming Motown for not making Bad Weather available. It was available and in distribution throughout the country with indie distributors. Alpha Distributors in NYC had it and it was up to the store buyers to have enough product in their store. Some of these store buyers are conservative and if an artists last record did not sell and had to be returned, then the buyer bought very few of the next release.

Locally, in my area, Bad Weather was sold to dee-jays as a disco record and they bought two at a time to extend them.

As far as getting the song played on radio, I honestly have to say that I don't remember hearing it that much. But the Supremes fan club headed by Carl [[who later transformed it into Mary's fan club) had many of the fans calling in requests for the song.

I can honestly say that I never had any trouble getting any of the Supremes albums or singles.

I also cant understand why a for profit company such as Motown, would spend a huge amount of money getting a song written, produced and recorded and then not try to get that expense recouped by promoting the record in every possible way. It just not sound very wise to deliberately try to bury the record.

If Berry truly hated the group or no longer had a use for them, he could have just released the group and use the money he saved recorded and producing them to promote a group or artist that he liked.

It was not played on the radio and for clarification, Carl was not the fan club president at that time in 1973. It was Robert [[can't remember his last name at the moment) and it was ran out of New York.

[TheMotownManiac]

Records are in stores if the individual buyer buys them. Bad Weather came months after several failures in a row and it took months until Bad Weather even charted - for one week. Stores don't want to order singles they would get stuck with, so they would wait until they had demand. There was always demand for Supremes singles from WDOLG until the Bad Weather era. Our local store only ordered The Billboard Top 50 unless it was a hot group like DR&TS, The Beatles, J5, Carpenters. After getting stuck with copies of Automatically Sunshine, YWSSL, IGIMTM, so they would wait until Bad Weather became a hit and then order it. That's fairly standard for record stores. They were allowed to return a small percentage on singles that later became 3/$1.00 cut-outs at KMart or Newberry's.
It was the same for Sorry Doesn't Always Make it Right. We had to drive to St Louis to buy it and the only store that had it was in the hood.

Nah that's bullshit, stop it! It had nothing to do with the public not being interested and everything to do with the availability of product! I remember after each debut of a Supremes new record in the 60s, you could find it in all the stores the next day or that same week. The Supremes performed "Bad Weather" for example on television several times and it could not be found in stores in Ohio and Michigan that next day, that next week or the next month! I finally found it in 1975 , 2 whole years after it's release. Motown was no longer supporting the Supremes at that time.

[luke]

I didn't even know the Supremes had a new album out when I stumbled on the he's my man album In a local record store. Diana Ross caused a lot of trouble in the group but Motown didn't stop supporting them then. Motown blew New Ways by that title and the silly pics. If it had been called Stoned Love with the the back cover pic on front it would have sold many more as Mary has said . Motown/BG just did not want the Supremes to eclipse Diana. Look how Florence was moved to background. Why should another replacement be any different?

[Bluebrock]

You're friend is mistaken. They did not spend bucket loads of money promoting High Energy in the States and I believe what Scherrie said.

I cannot honestly answer that. I can only pass on what was told to me but why would Motown spend so much money on such a strong product and then abandon it? It was one of the finest Supremes albums of any era even if in my opinion the real Supremes had kind of died once Jean left. Maybe it was a case of too many personnel changes in too short space a time.
Getting back on topic i think we have covered the reasons why Jean was not offered a solo deal at Motown.

[jobucats]

What was always perplexing, save for "Right On" peaking at #25 [[or was it #20), The Supremes '70s had difficulty selling albums. For me personally, at least 5 of their albums were quite good. Despite many fans calling " written and produced by Jim Webb", Jean Terrell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it remains a personal favorite. So as far as quality material, I think Motown gave them great songs. Sometimes you have consider that the public just wasn't interested.
Save for The Supremes [[original)/Diana Ross & The Supremes, the other Motown female groups just couldn't sell albums...despite the quality. And, of course, you make a lot more money from album sales.

BakIius, I just got off the floor from laughing at your reference to Jean and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Jim Webb album. You are spot on!!!! All jokes aside, it is also a favorite of mine. I consider it a middle of the road classic from the group. Thanks again for the laugh.

[marv2]

I didn't even know the Supremes had a new album out when I stumbled on the he's my man album In a local record store. Diana Ross caused a lot of trouble in the group but Motown didn't stop supporting them then. Motown blew New Ways by that title and the silly pics. If it had been called Stoned Love with the the back cover pic on front it would have sold many more as Mary has said . Motown/BG just did not want the Supremes to eclipse Diana. Look how Florence was moved to background. Why should another replacement be any different?

I'm glad you said that because seems that others are afraid to say it! Mary and the ladies have said it!

[marv2]

I cannot honestly answer that. I can only pass on what was told to me but why would Motown spend so much money on such a strong product and then abandon it? It was one of the finest Supremes albums of any era even if in my opinion the real Supremes had kind of died once Jean left. Maybe it was a case of too many personnel changes in too short space a time.
Getting back on topic i think we have covered the reasons why Jean was not offered a solo deal at Motown.

Why did they record whole albums on artists only to shelve them later? The artists had to bare the brunt of all the costs associated with the recording at Motown! There are no mysteries here.

The REAL Supremes didn't die as long as Mary Wilson was there.

[luke]

Lol. It's not complicated Mary and flo shoved aside. Group name changed. Ross does not like to share spotlight . She was BGs lover. 70s Supremes sound even better... Start to make it even bigger .. Then....Duh??? Just the facts...

[marv2]

Lol. It's not complicated Mary and flo shoved aside. Group name changed. Ross does not like to share spotlight . She was BGs lover. 70s Supremes sound even better... Start to make it even bigger .. Then....Duh??? Just the facts...

Now you know that! Come on Luke ......
PREACH! LOL!!!

[luke]

Lol. Thanks Marv...It's so easy to complicate and obfuscate[[ I think that's the right word lol). Not trash talking. Just the facts. And then with what Scehrrie said ...duh!

[Bluebrock]

Why did they record whole albums on artists only to shelve them later? The artists had to bare the brunt of all the costs associated with the recording at Motown! There are no mysteries here.

The REAL Supremes didn't die as long as Mary Wilson was there.

That is a matter of opinion. Despite looking and sounding great the latter day line up was no longer the Supremes in my opinion. No longer recognisable as such they should have re-named themselves as the new Supremes. Once again just my opinion which i am entitled to so please don't bite my head off because i have the audacity to disagree with you. Differing opinions debated in a mature and dignified manner is what this forum is all about.

[marv2]

Lol. Thanks Marv...It's so easy to complicate and obfuscate[[ I think that's the right word lol). Not trash talking. Just the facts. And then with what Scehrrie said ...duh!

Obfuscate? Well get on down wit yo bad self Luke! LOL!!! Yeah, seriously this is not science. Scherrie has no reason to lie, nor does Mary or Jean Terrell and they all said the same thing.

[midnightman]

@marv2, man I learned a LOT from that Bubba interview! Just wished the Supremes had learned more instead of having everything leased to them, that's what helped to kill their career though they continued to have hits until the mid-1970s.

[midnightman]

I didn't even know the Supremes had a new album out when I stumbled on the he's my man album In a local record store. Diana Ross caused a lot of trouble in the group but Motown didn't stop supporting them then. Motown blew New Ways by that title and the silly pics. If it had been called Stoned Love with the the back cover pic on front it would have sold many more as Mary has said . Motown/BG just did not want the Supremes to eclipse Diana. Look how Florence was moved to background. Why should another replacement be any different?

Being a Diana Ross fan, I can say that you are RIGHT. Motown did everything they could do to stop the Supremes [[and everyone else) from taking away from Diana Ross. That was why Berry created all those labels so attention could be given but not to the degree that Diana got because she was on the "main label" rather than a subsidiary like Tamla, Gordy or Soul. Motown definitely gave someone preferential treatment. It's not a slight against Diana, that's just how the company was run by the mid-1970s... they purposely stopped promoting the Supremes after a certain point. I, myself, growing up as a Motown fan had no idea about any Supremes hits after Stoned Love until high school! Lol

[Jimi LaLumia]

Tamla existed before The Supremes ever came to Motown, and the Gordy label was around when they were the no hit Supremes.. that's not the reason for the dfifferent labels, everyone knows Gordy couldn't chart too many records at radio on just one label that story is ridiculous as are the never ending conspiracy stories, get over it people, it's ancient history, it's Time To Move On! sheesh..

[marv2]

@marv2, man I learned a LOT from that Bubba interview! Just wished the Supremes had learned more instead of having everything leased to them, that's what helped to kill their career though they continued to have hits until the mid-1970s.

Yes so did I. Too often we overlook some of the others that were there and having the same experiences as groups like the Supremes. Bubba is a wealth of knowledge as a show business veteran and a Motown Alumni. I couldn't believe they wanted Gladys and the Pips to join Motown "in debt"? I had never heard of that practice before. Amazing.........

[marv2]

Tamla existed before The Supremes ever came to Motown, and the Gordy label was around when they were the no hit Supremes.. that's not the reason for the dfifferent labels, everyone knows Gordy couldn't chart too many records at radio on just one label that story is ridiculous as are the never ending conspiracy stories, get over it people, it's ancient history, it's Time To Move On! sheesh..

Jimi, Bubba Knight confirms it. The story about the reason behind the various labels at Motown in the interview I posted.

[Jimi LaLumia]

well, the Tamla label existed before the Motown label, that is a matter of historical fact..and in the 70's, Tamla became THE label, bolstered by the massive albums success of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as well as Smokey's groundbreaking efforts.. R&B fans of the 70's bought more Tamla product than they did with the actual Motown label.. that is also a matter of statistical fact.. not to take anything away from Bubba, but sometimes we have to let facts speak for themselves..Happy New Year, Marv..

[marv2]

well, the Tamla label existed before the Motown label, that is a matter of historical fact..and in the 70's, Tamla became THE label, bolstered by the massive albums success of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as well as Smokey's groundbreaking efforts.. R&B fans of the 70's bought more Tamla product than they did with the actual Motown label.. that is also a matter of statistical fact.. not to take anything away from Bubba, but sometimes we have to let facts speak for themselves..Happy New Year, Marv..

Don't forget that Eddie Kendricks was also on Tamla. Same to you! Have a Happy & Prosperous New Year!

[midnightman]

That's true, Jimi.

[Jimi LaLumia]

In the Bubba interview he actually says what I said.. Gordy knew that radio would only chart a certain amount of slots to Tamla at the beginning, so he then created the Gordy, Motown, and Soul divisions...actually, nothing was shaking on the Motown label until Mary Wells came along..and Bubba also thanks Gordy for putting Gladys And The Pips 'on the map'.. I was a teenager in the late 60's, and I had honestly never heard of them until "Grapevine' and the groovy followup "The End Of Our Road" which should have been bigger than it was.. Friendship Train, Neither One Of Us, Nitty Gritty, If I Were Your Woman, etc really provided a great legacy for the group at pop radio ; if they had gone to Jerry Butler's label instead of Motown, who knows what might have happened to them? Their Motown success was the springboard to Buddah, etc...HAPPY NEW YEAR!