Photos of Eugene Remus?

**Tamla Junkie** · 12-30-2016, 07:31 PM

Does anyone here happen to have a photo of Eugene Remus, or even any additional information about his life, pre or post Motown? If my recollection is correct, he cut just the three sides for Motown and disappeared. I have a copy of the third pressing of his single, and it's pretty decent for early-period "primordial" Motown, though easily forgettable.

**mysterysinger** · 12-31-2016, 08:05 AM

Good question. I've drawn a blank. Apparently he was a good looking chap and no mean songwriter in his own right but there's very little info about him on line and no photos of him. Janie Bradford seemed to remember him though.

**woodward** · 12-31-2016, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Tamla Junkie

Does anyone here happen to have a photo of Eugene Remus, or even any additional information about his life, pre or post Motown? If my recollection is correct, he cut just the three sides for Motown and disappeared. I have a copy of the third pressing of his single, and it's pretty decent for early-period "primordial" Motown, though easily forgettable.

If you go to Google and click on images and type in his name I believe there is a picture there of him. How to get it printed out if you need a copy is beyond my technological ability.

**TomatoTom123** · 12-31-2016, 09:39 AM

"a good-looking guy who could sing and write; he just wandered in"

...according to Janie Bradford

**TomatoTom123** · 12-31-2016, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by woodward

If you go to Google and click on images and type in his name I believe there is a picture there of him. How to get it printed out if you need a copy is beyond my technological ability.

Bill, I tried that and I couldn't find a picture of him? There was one of Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, and several pictures of his Motown singles, but none of the man himself!

**mysterysinger** · 12-31-2016, 06:48 PM

Yeah that photo that comes up is of Popcorn.

**Tamla Junkie** · 01-01-2017, 02:32 PM

That's what I got as well. It seems like a lot of the early folks just kind of disappeared into oblivion. Wade Jones is another early artist to seemingly disappear.
I tracked down Mr. Jones to a nursing home in either Royal Oak or Southfield [[I can't remember which) just a few weeks ago but never gathered the gumption to call and ask about him. Frankly it's none of my business what he's up to, if it is him, but at the same time, it is equally possible he'd appreciate his record getting some recognition.

**TomatoTom123** · 01-01-2017, 11:33 PM

WOW! Ben, that's both amazing and fascinating. He did seem to disappear, much like Eugene Remus. The thing I always wonder is if Berry Gordy would remember people like Eugene or Wade, with them being there in the founding days of Motown. Of course, I doubt that question will ever get an answer!

**robb_k** · 01-01-2017, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by Tamla Junkie

That's what I got as well. It seems like a lot of the early folks just kind of disappeared into oblivion. Wade Jones is another early artist to seemingly disappear.
I tracked down Mr. Jones to a nursing home in either Royal Oak or Southfield [[I can't remember which) just a few weeks ago but never gathered the gumption to call and ask about him. Frankly it's none of my business what he's up to, if it is him, but at the same time, it is equally possible he'd appreciate his record getting some recognition.

We asked Louvain Demps about him a few years ago. She new him back in the late '50s and early 60s. She met him in 1958 at Bristoe [[AKA Bristol) Bryant's recording studio, where she was recording a demo of one of her songs she wanted to shop around. She said that was the day that he was getting a demo made of "I Can't Concentrate". She said he was a really nice guy. She saw him around "the hood" for a few years after. He had hoped "I Can't Concentrate" would do well, and get him a recording contract and singing gigs. But, he decided to marry his girlfriend, and have a family, so, he got a job, and pursued a "day job" career when that didn't work out. Someone else I know told me he's living in one of the Detroit suburbs and still reasonably healthy. But that was 3-4 years ago. So, maybe he is in a nursing home now. But, my gut tells me the guy in the home is not, because the other guy who knew him, still had contact with him, and talked about him like he was doing fine.

**robb_k** · 01-01-2017, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by woodward

If you go to Google and click on images and type in his name I believe there is a picture there of him. How to get it printed out if you need a copy is beyond my technological ability.

No chance! People at Motown have been looking for anything on him for many years now, and found absolutely nothing. In about 10 years there, I found something on just about everybody who walked in the door, but nothing on that guy. I've never been able to find a thing. Maybe he moved away from Detroit right after his one recording session with Motown, and didn't have roots there. Nobody remembered him in high school. Maybe he was like Kell Osborne, who came there to get a recording contract and success, and decided to leave, quickly, because nothing happened in a short time?

**mysterysinger** · 01-02-2017, 01:01 AM

Or, Eugene Remus could be a pseudonym for someone else. Presumably, though, someone would get some kind of royalty from the tracks on TCMS1 [[unless they signed the rights away for a one off fee perhaps).

**robb_k** · 01-02-2017, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by mysterysinger

Or, Eugene Remus could be a pseudonym for someone else. Presumably, though, someone would get some kind of royalty from the tracks on TCMS1 [[unless they signed the rights away for a one off fee perhaps).

It could well have been a "Stage Name", and that is why he's been so hard to trace. But I doubt that he also recorded for Motown under another name, as his voice is rather unique. I can't remember hearing a voice similar to his either among all the other Motown male artists, or any of the other Detroit singers on other labels.

**mysterysinger** · 01-02-2017, 05:29 AM

In 1960 a song was copyrighted by Jobete for which the words and music were written by Eugene Remus. The title was "Stay With Me All The Time".

On September 12, 2011 The Nixon Administration posted on Motown Junkies "Sadly, Eugene Remus’ granddaughter has been in touch to say he passed many years ago".

**Tamla Junkie** · 01-02-2017, 07:47 AM

I went and checked my notes on the Wade Jones I found, and I'm pretty sure it's the same guy robb_k's contact found.
I was wrong in my earlier post, the Mr. Jones I found is living in senior apartments and is not in a rest home.
In any case, I'll send a letter to him, certified mail with return receipt requested, and see if I don't get a response of some sort.

**robb_k** · 01-02-2017, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Tamla Junkie

I went and checked my notes on the Wade Jones I found, and I'm pretty sure it's the same guy robb_k's contact found.
I was wrong in my earlier post, the Mr. Jones I found is living in senior apartments and is not in a rest home.
In any case, I'll send a letter to him, certified mail with return receipt requested, and see if I don't get a response of some sort.

I remember Jones' grandaughter posting on Motown Junkies. And the administrator posting later that she had contacted him directly, and told him that Jones died some years ago. I have no reason to believe she was a fraud.

**Tamla Junkie** · 01-02-2017, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by robb_k

I remember Jones' grandaughter posting on Motown Junkies. And the administrator posting later that she had contacted him directly, and told him that Jones died some years ago. I have no reason to believe she was a fraud.

Are you sure you don't mean Eugene Remus is gone? I can't find any comment anywhere on the Motown Junkies site from Mr. Jones' granddaughter, much less anything saying he had passed. Nixon Administration posted comments passed along by Mr. Remus' grandson however saying that he's no longer with us and hadn't been for some deal of time.
I found another comment about Wade Jones on the Motown Junkies site; someone else tracked down the same fellow I tracked down. He had the same middle name and year of birth.
A quick but by no means exhaustive search of the Social Security Death Index shows that no Wade Jones from the Metro-Detroit area has died since the early 2000s.
I am inclined to think that while Mr. Remus is almost assuredly gone, Mr. Jones may still be with us.

**TomatoTom123** · 01-02-2017, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by mysterysinger

In 1960 a song was copyrighted by Jobete for which the words and music were written by Eugene Remus. The title was "Stay With Me All The Time".

Do you know if that song has been recorded by anyone at Motown?

**TomatoTom123** · 01-02-2017, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Tamla Junkie

Are you sure you don't mean Eugene Remus is gone? I can't find any comment anywhere on the Motown Junkies site from Mr. Jones' granddaughter, much less anything saying he had passed. Nixon Administration posted comments passed along by Mr. Remus' grandson however saying that he's no longer with us and hadn't been for some deal of time.
I found another comment about Wade Jones on the Motown Junkies site; someone else tracked down the same fellow I tracked down. He had the same middle name and year of birth.
A quick but by no means exhaustive search of the Social Security Death Index shows that no Wade Jones from the Metro-Detroit area has died since the early 2000s.
I am inclined to think that while Mr. Remus is almost assuredly gone, Mr. Jones may still be with us.

Yes, I found the same comment, the one describing a Wade Berry Jones, born in South Carolina.

**Tamla Junkie** · 01-02-2017, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Yes, I found the same comment, the one describing a Wade Berry Jones, born in South Carolina.

That's him. I have his address. I may still send a letter just for the hell of it. I'm not expecting a response, and it may not even be the Wade Jones I'm looking for, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

**TomatoTom123** · 01-02-2017, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Tamla Junkie

That's him. I have his address. I may still send a letter just for the hell of it. I'm not expecting a response, and it may not even be the Wade Jones I'm looking for, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Wow! If it were him that would be fascinating. I hope it is and that you get a pleasant surprise!!

Good luck with it Ben.