Pictures of James Dean?

[TomatoTom123]

James Dean -- the 'Dean' part of Motown's fantastic songwriting-production duo Dean & Weatherspoon -- was responsible for so many great songs by Jimmy Ruffin, Marv Johnson, The Monitors, The Fantastic Four, and more... but I was wondering, are there any pictures of him? I found one of William Weatherspoon but can't find any of James... which is a shame... he was a very underrated lyricist at Motown in my opinion. Do you know if there are any? And, if you have any other James Dean-related information please post it here too. Thanks

[robb_k]

Here's his bio from Wikipedia:
Dean was born in Detroit, and attended Hamtramck High School in Hamtramck, Michigan. He served in the US Army, and then began working as a songwriter for Motown in 1964. He teamed up with William Weatherspoon to write hits for Jimmy Ruffin [["What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", "I've Passed This Way Before", "Farewell Is a Lonely Sound", "I'll Say Forever My Love", and "It's Wonderful [[To Be Loved By You)"); Marv Johnson [["I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose"); Edwin Starr [["I Am the Man for You Baby"); and others. Dean co-wrote The Supremes' "Everything Is Good About You Baby" with Eddie Holland; Eddie and Brian Holland were Dean's cousins. He and Weatherspoon also co-produced "When You're Young and in Love", a hit for The Marvelettes.

With John Glover, Dean co-wrote for The Four Tops, and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., having his greatest success with the latter pair's 1976 US no.1 record "You Don't Have to Be a Star [[To Be in My Show)".

James Dean died at his home in Detroit in 2006 at the age of 63 from cancer.

He was a member of a Detroit singing group. I think it was The Valadiers.

[TomatoTom123]

Thanks Robb.

Wait... The Valadiers?! Motown's Valadiers? The all-white group? Wait, was James Dean white? See, this is why I need pictures... lol

[jboy88]

Thanks Robb.

Wait... The Valadiers?! Motown's Valadiers? The all-white group? Wait, was James Dean white? See, this is why I need pictures... lol

If he was related to the Holland brothers, I doubt it!

[sansradio]

If he was related to the Holland brothers, I doubt it!

Countless Black folks have White relatives. I know you're "making a funny," but come, now. 😏

[robb_k]

I didn't know he was related to The Holland Brothers. Come to think of it, it may have been The Reflections that were said to be the group Dean sang with. In any case, I only read that on a forum thread. So, it could easily be inaccurate "information". There may have been a Dean [[or even a James Dean) in The Reflections, who was NOT the same Motown songwriter, and the two got mixed up. Now, I'd also like to see his picture.

[motownjohnny]

Robb, James Dean never was a member of The Valadiers, at least not while they were with Motown and I'm sure he was not in The Reflections either. Perhaps you're thinking of Marty Coleman, who was a singing member of The Valadiers and remained at the company working mainly as an arranger and songwriter when they broke up.

I know when The Valadiers first formed and introduced themselves to Berry Gordy for an audition in 1959, they were a racially integrated group, so it's possible that James Dean was a member of that original membership and that's why you mentioned them. I'm sure I've seen a photo of him somewhere with William Weatherspoon and he was black.

Now, there was a John "Johnny" Dean who sang bass in The Reflections and I suspect that's who you're referring to. That Johnny Dean was born in Detroit MI. in 1942 and was white. If you have a copy of their Golden World album there's a photo of him on the front of the cover that will confirm his ethnicity.

[TomatoTom123]

Thanks for your efforts, Robb and Johnny. I found some pictures of The Reflections, who did indeed have a Johnny Dean.


[[I think he's on the bottom left)


[[Bottom right here)

So just to be clear James Dean is NOT Johnny Dean of The Reflections. These pictures are NOT of James Dean!

[bradburger]

I'm sure he was identified [[along with writing partner William Weatherspoon), in the Temptations staged 'Sorry is a Sorry Word' session for the CBS TV report on Motown.

I seem to recall he was standing next to William Weatherspoon in one shot [[who was standing up with headphones on), whilst engineer Cal Harris was sat down at the console with shades on.

Cheers

Paul

[TomatoTom123]

I'm sure he was identified [[along with writing partner William Weatherspoon), in the Temptations staged 'Sorry is a Sorry Word' session for the CBS TV report on Motown.

I seem to recall he was standing next to William Weatherspoon [[who was sitting down with headphones on), wearing dark sunglasses.

Cheers

Paul

Wow, Paul, thank you!

I just watched the video and saved these pictures from it:





Is James Dean the one sitting down with dark sunglasses on?

[TomatoTom123]

Here's the video from YouTube:

[robb_k]

Yes, it seems that I read a blog or forum thread which had a poster say that James Dean had previously been a member of The Reflections, probably caused by an urban legend, based on someone having just assumed that J.Dean was James Dean, because both were from Detroit. Then, on top of that, I got Marty Coleman mixed up with Johnny Dean, because both were in "Blue Eyed" Soul groups from Detroit during the early/mid '60s.

[masterblaster]

Here's the video from YouTube:

What at a great clip, never see this before. who else is in the studio other than the Temps. I recognise Ivy Jo Hunter and Eddie Holland and of course some of the Funk Bros. but who is it in the sound booth and who is the recording engineer?

[motownjohnny]

What at a great clip, never see this before. who else is in the studio other than the Temps. I recognise Ivy Jo Hunter and Eddie Holland and of course some of the Funk Bros. but who is it in the sound booth and who is the recording engineer?

Masterblaster, I believe the two engineers in the control room are a very youthful Russ Terrana along with possibly Lawrence Horn.

This is clearly a stage-managed affair, as the guy in the tan colored suit, who stops the session and gives the impression of being in control, is Brian Holland. Now the producer and co-writer of the song is Ivy Hunter along with Eddie Holland, as credited on the label. I therefore really fail to understand why Brian Holland, who had no involvement in its creation or recording, would have been present at the session in the first place and would even have wanted to or been allowed to take over from Ivy Hunter in the middle of what was his production, without him or Eddie Holland, who as you correctly say is also present at the session, objecting strongly to his interference.

By the way, if you or anyone else is interested, this "session" is commercially available as a segment of the "Temptations Get Ready" DVD.

[McMotown]

By the way, if you or anyone else is interested, this "session" is commercially available as a segment of the "Temptations Get Ready" DVD.

Thanks Motownjohnny I knew I had seen that clip somewhere, yes of course on the Get Ready DVD. I'll have to dig it out and have a watch again.

[kenneth]

Wow, Paul, thank you!

I just watched the video and saved these pictures from it:





Is James Dean the one sitting down with dark sunglasses on?

Yeah, I wanna know that guy!

[bradburger]

I had corrected my post but TomatoTom had already quoted me!

That's ex Goldstar studios engineer Cal Harris, who became chief engineer at Motown after Lawrence Horn departed with HDH and some other Motown staffers to form Hotwax/Invictus.

The guy standing on the right was identified as James Dean, whilst William Weatherspoon was identified on the left with the headphones on.

Cheers

Paul

[TomatoTom123]

I had corrected my post but TomatoTom had already quoted me!

That's ex Goldstar studios engineer Cal Harris, who became chief engineer at Motown after Lawrence Horn departed with HDH and some other Motown staffers to form Hotwax/Invictus.

The guy standing on the right was identified as James Dean, whilst William Weatherspoon was identified on the left with the headphones on.

Cheers

Paul

Oops.... sorry, Paul!

Ah right, so Cal Harris is the guy in the glasses... and William is on the left and James is on the right!

SO... THAT'S IT! We've got a picture of him... wonderful!!!


William Weatherspoon, Cal Harris, James Dean


The elusive James Dean!