Is this Suzanne de Passe in the background?

thomas96 · 02-19-2016, 05:14 PM

The lady in the background of this photo just to the right of Mike's head, is it Ms. de Passe?

**marv2** · 02-19-2016, 05:18 PM

Yes that is that woman.

**theboyfromxtown** · 02-19-2016, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

Yes that is that woman.

lol

Yes THAT woman!

**marv2** · 02-19-2016, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

lol

Yes THAT woman!

I was actually trying to be polite! LOL

**theboyfromxtown** · 02-19-2016, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

I actually trying to be polite! LOL

If I was being honest, I would have to admit that I wasn't being polite. I'm sorry but I am not one of her fans.

Shame on me.

thomas96 · 02-19-2016, 07:10 PM

I thought it looked like her...

**marv2** · 02-19-2016, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

If I was being honest, I would have to admit that I wasn't being polite. I'm sorry but I am not one of her fans.

Shame on me.

You and me both! I am her Anti-fan! LOL!

thomas96 · 02-19-2016, 10:32 PM

Why do you two not care for her?

**bradburger** · 02-20-2016, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by thomas96

Why do you two not care for her?

I think it's not just these two who do not care for her!

And from what I can gather, she was not very popular with a lot of the Motown staff as well.

[[Her time at Motown coincides with Mike McClean's least favourite period in his time at Motown iirc).

Cheers

Paul

**captainjames** · 02-20-2016, 03:58 PM

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Here is another photo from the same session, where you may be able to identify Ms. DePasse better.

**ralpht** · 02-20-2016, 08:51 PM

Brad,
Suzanne was part of the California Motown crowd that gained Berry's favor for a move to L.A. Once this became a reality, we of the Detroit crew were treated like , as we used to say, step children. I watched as more and more of the recording equipment was pillaged for the L.A. studios. Suzzane was made head of the Creative Division while Harry Balk, who guided Motown through one of it's most successful periods, was pushed aside and forgotten. Sure there would be some success for a while, but eventually things would sour for the L.A. operation. So who does one blame? Berry? I have always contended the it was a mistake to move the company west, but always defended Berry's right to do so. It was his football. But to put someone as totally incompetent as Ms. DePasse in charge of the show was , to me, beyond belief. So this was what Mike McLean and I watched as Suzzanne and crew took Detroit apart like boning a chicken.

**luke** · 02-20-2016, 09:00 PM

Ralph....what was the appeal then of Ms DePasse?

**marv2** · 02-20-2016, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by luke

Ralph....what was the appeal then of Ms DePasse?

It was my understanding that she talked herself into it starting with that now infamous limo ride she shared with Berry, Cindy Birdsong and others one night in NYC.

**midnightman** · 02-20-2016, 11:50 PM

How old was Suzanne there? I forget she was quite young when she joined Motown...

**bradsupremes** · 02-21-2016, 01:52 AM

A good friend said this...

"Berry Gordy fired Florence Ballard and replaced her with Cindy Birdsong who brought in her friend Suzanne de Passé and Suzanne de Passé screwed up his company."

I think the problem is a lot of the early Motown people felt slighted especially those who were there in the beginning. Take a look at Motown 25. Even though de Passé put together quite a show, a lot of the early acts were ignored or not invited. No Marvelettes or Contours or Velvelettes, Vandellas, Funk Bros., Andantes, etc.

The move to LA was necessary, but Motown should have kept a presence in Detroit. At least running Hitsville as a secondary studio for the company.

**ralpht** · 02-21-2016, 08:22 AM

Brad,
Harry Balk put forth a proposal to leave Studio B and the Rare Earth label in Detroit. That too would be declined. Then I heard that the company was considering leaving me in charge of a Detroit operation. That too went away. Probably after I left a message with Suzanne's secretary that she should..hmmmm...how shall I say...have sex with herself, after she kept me waiting on a meeting for four hours and then quickly left her office to go play Backgammon without even acknowledging that I had been cooling my heels in her waiting room all that time. It was at that time that I knew it was time for me to move on. The Motown that I had grown to love was no more.

**ralpht** · 02-21-2016, 08:33 AM

Luke,
I'll never understood the appeal of Ms. DePasse. She was, admittedly, very bright, and was one of a crew that seemed to have Berry's ear on the promoting of the California operation. But to put her in charge of the Creative Division, which is the heart and soul of a record company, always puzzled me.

**marv2** · 02-21-2016, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by ralpht

Brad,
Harry Balk put forth a proposal to leave Studio B and the Rare Earth label in Detroit. That too would be declined. Then I heard that the company was considering leaving me in charge of a Detroit operation. That too went away. Probably after I left a message with Suzanne's secretary that she should..hmmmm...how shall I say...have sex with herself, after she kept me waiting on a meeting for four hours and then quickly left her office to go play Backgammon without even acknowledging that I had been cooling my heels in her waiting room all that time. It was at that time that I knew it was time for me to move on. The Motown that I had grown to love was no more.

Ralph, that was awful. I'm telling you she is something else. You were not the only one she did wrong. There is a long list of people she tried running over!

**marv2** · 02-21-2016, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by ralpht

Luke,
I'll never understood the appeal of Ms. DePasse. She was, admittedly, very bright, and was one of a crew that seemed to have Berry's ear on the promoting of the California operation. But to put her in charge of the Creative Division, which is the heart and soul of a record company, always puzzled me.

From what I understand, the only experience she had was as a talent coordinator for a nightclub!

**captainjames** · 02-22-2016, 09:34 PM

who was president when the Jackson 5 walked ? Was it DePasse or Ewart Abner ?

thomas96 · 02-24-2016, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by captainjames

Here is another photo from the same session, where you may be able to identify Ms. DePasse better.

Wow, thanks. Where did you find that photo?

thomas96 · 02-24-2016, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by ralpht

Brad,
Suzanne was part of the California Motown crowd that gained Berry's favor for a move to L.A. Once this became a reality, we of the Detroit crew were treated like , as we used to say, step children. I watched as more and more of the recording equipment was pillaged for the L.A. studios. Suzzane was made head of the Creative Division while Harry Balk, who guided Motown through one of it's most successful periods, was pushed aside and forgotten. Sure there would be some success for a while, but eventually things would sour for the L.A. operation. So who does one blame? Berry? I have always contended the it was a mistake to move the company west, but always defended Berry's right to do so. It was his football. But to put someone as totally incompetent as Ms. DePasse in charge of the show was , to me, beyond belief. So this was what Mike McLean and I watched as Suzzanne and crew took Detroit apart like boning a chicken.

Wow Ralph. Thanks for sharing this, though it was difficult to read. I never cared to learn much about the move to LA as Motown is Detroit, so I had no idea Suzanne de Passe was in charge of anything at that time. I thought she was just put in charge of promoting the Jackson 5 and didn't get promoted until later. Well now I don't care too much for her either. And I certainly am with you on BG. He had every right to move the company, but he sold out and I don't care too much for him because of that decision.