Keith & Darrell

[TomatoTom123]

I always thought these guys were a great duo at Motown in the late '70s and early '80s. They were made up of Darrell Littlejohn and Keith Durston, nephews of Smokey Robinson no less! Darrell really sounds like Smokey and he can really sing.

I know they had a handful of singles out during their time at Motown but no albums. I don't believe they had any hits either, sadly. Do you think this was kinda odd considering their uncle was Motown VP and best friend to Berry Gordy?

I believe Darrell later went on to sing lead for The Monitors at Ian Levine's Motorcity Records. They did some nice original tunes there, and recorded versions of some Miracles songs too. Darrell also cut some solo stuff for Ian as well.

Anyway, do you remember the duo? Do you have any of their singles? What do you think of them?

And, if you know any more about them, please feel free to post.

[marv2]

We use to go to the same clubs in Detroit. They no longer sing. Darrell had a situation.

[woodward]

I have only one of their Tamla 45's - #54329. You're My Gardner b/w Don't Be Afraid. They had a total of 4 45's for Motown and one 12" record. My memory escapes me now; I will have to dig it out and refresh my memory.

[Boogiedown]

I always thought these guys were a great duo at Motown in the late '70s and early '80s.

Hmmm interesting , what caused you to think that TomatoTom123??

They were made up of Darrell Littlejohn and Keith Durston, nephews of Smokey Robinson no less! Darrell really sounds like Smokey and he can really sing.

And this might have been their biggest handicap . Who in the early eighties was seeking someone to come along that sounds like Smokey? [[Who yearns for any act to sound like someone else ?)

I know they had a handful of singles out during their time at Motown but no albums. I don't believe they had any hits either, sadly. Do you think this was kinda odd considering their uncle was Motown VP and best friend to Berry Gordy?

Not really, not when I think of other nepotist acts like Lisa Marie Presley, The Nelson Twins, Julian Lennon, and Bobbi Brown . I'd say the nephews had more than an adequate advantage tossed their way! [[As did Apollo and Rockwell)

I believe Darrell later went on to sing lead for The Monitors at Ian Levine's Motorcity Records. They did some nice original tunes there, and recorded versions of some Miracles songs too. Darrell also cut some solo stuff for Ian as well. Anyway, do you remember the duo? Do you have any of their singles? What do you think of them?

nope, nope, and .....

And, if you know any more about them, please feel free to post.

I'm glad you opened a thread about them because I'd never heard of them until Marv2 mentioned them in a recent thread and I was curious so I looked them up.
I guess they tried to enter into a music career through the disco door , not Smokey's forte to start with :



not bad , but propelled by rather generic disco tricks and vocally lacking dance floor energy , not what djs were looking for in 1979. The main dooming aspect I'd say was releasing FEVER as a 7" 45 only, a format that no club dj was responding to in '79.

[TomatoTom123]

We use to go to the same clubs in Detroit. They no longer sing. Darrell had a situation.

Oh, wow. Nice one Marv!

Wait, a 'situation'? Now what does that mean? A personal problem?

[TomatoTom123]

Hmmm interesting , what caused you to think that TomatoTom123??

Haaa... I remember listening to a couple of their songs on YouTube and quite liking them

And this might have been their biggest handicap. Who in the early eighties was seeking someone to come along that sounds like Smokey? [[Who yearns for any act to sound like someone else ?)

Yea, I guess you're right, boogiedown.

Not really, not when I think of other nepotist acts like Lisa Marie Presley, The Nelson Twins, Julian Lennon, and Bobbi Brown . I'd say the nephews had more than an adequate advantage tossed their way! [[As did Apollo and Rockwell)

Yeah, I agree. But seeing as they did have a Smokey-sized advantage, why didn't they have any hits? Why not even an album?

nope, nope, and .....

Ok, that answers those questions, LOL

I'm glad you opened a thread about them because I'd never heard of them until Marv2 mentioned them in a recent thread and I was curious so I looked them up. I guess they tried to enter into a music career through the disco door, not Smokey's forte to start with :



not bad, but propelled by rather generic disco tricks and vocally lacking dance floor energy, not what djs were looking for in 1979. The main dooming aspect I'd say was releasing FEVER as a 7" 45 only, a format that no club dj was responding to in '79.

Good points, boogiedown.

BTW, thank you very much for posting that video... last time I checked there was only a [[rather silly) 1-minute clip of the song available on YouTube, so I can now listen to the whole thing.

Not as good as I remember, but maybe that's 'cause I'm consciously judging it. Quite nice disco sound though.

[BayouMotownMan]

I remember them too, Smokey introduced them on Bandstand. I remember thinking they were o.k., nothing great.

Insofar as having an uncle with ties to the CEO at Motown, let me remind everyone that BG had two sons that flapped around at Motown. One son was in Apollo who was managed by ex-wife Ray Singleton. They were purely cheap disco with perhaps a flashy presentation. When Ray went to Gordy for the second lp she was told Gordy did not feel a second lp was warranted.

Son Kennedy Gordy became Rockwell who had ten minutes of fame with Somebody's Watching Me. Had red-hot Michael Jackson not put a vocal on it this likely would have had no attention either. But Rockwell could not get MJ to help out on future recordings and after three lps Motown dropped the second son.

With BG it was about business. Blood may be thicker than water but it was not thicker than money.

About Keith and Darrell, I believe the latter is the one that Ian Levine signed to Motorcity and put him as lead singer of the re-vamped Monitors. He did two lps with them and sounded exactly like Smokey which probably hurt more than helped him.

[Boogiedown]

BTW, thank you very much for posting that video... last time I checked there was only a [[rather silly) 1-minute clip of the song available on YouTube, so I can now listen to the whole thing.

Not as good as I remember, but maybe that's 'cause I'm consciously judging it. Quite nice disco sound though.

You are welcome ! And for fun , here's the "B" side to it:



I'm guessing that's about all there is to know about nephews Keith And Darrell

BayouMotownMan:
Son Kennedy Gordy became Rockwell who had ten minutes of fame with Somebody's Watching Me. Had red-hot Michael Jackson not put a vocal on it this likely would have had no attention either. But Rockwell could not get MJ to help out on future recordings and after three lps Motown dropped the second son.

I did not realize Rockwell put out two additional albums !

[TomatoTom123]

You are welcome ! And for fun , here's the "B" side to it:



I'm guessing that's about all there is to know about nephews Keith And Darrell

Ah, yes, thank you boogiedown. That's a nice song. Quite groovy.

But I don't understand the logic behind someone who has the track -- the B-Side of a rare single by an unknown act -- uploading it to YouTube and then calling the video "11"...!!!!! Is it just me or does this make literally no sense?! How are people supposed to find the song when you have uploaded it with the title of a random numerical value!!!

LOL, I should probably calm down

[TomatoTom123]

Here are the 7" singles that Keith & Darrell released in the US:

"Feel The Fever" b/w "The Things You're Made Of" [[T 54307F, Oct 1979)

"Kickin' It Around" b/w "I Met This Girl" [[T 54309F, 1980)

"You're My Gardener" b/w "Don't Be Afraid" [[T 54329F, July 1981)

"Work That Body" b/w "The Things You're Made Of" [[1712 TF, 1983)

I also believe that the group had a further single out as "Burston & Littlejohn" [[a change from first names to last names for some reason) on Motown in 1986, entitled "Rich And Famous" [[1852 MF)

They were also featured on the soundtrack to the film A Fine Mess that same year, with the song "Moving So Close"... the track is not currently available on YouTube so I couldn't tell you what it's like

[TomatoTom123]

Keith Burston also recorded a solo album entitled Keepin' It Real, currently available on CDbaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/keithburston

The album was released in 2006. Here are the notes from it:

Keith Burston appeared on "Soul Train" "American Band", Don Kirshner's " Rock
Concert," Diana Shore, and Mike Douglas. Keith with his brother Darrell traveled
with their uncle "Smokey" Robinson opening as "Keith and Darrell". While at Motown,
they recorded five singles, and two albums. Their hits were "Moving So Close", Kick
It Around" which were accepted by audiences nationally. In addition, they recorded
"Moving So Close", which was written for the movie "A Fine Mess", a Blake Edwards
Prouduction. The movie included other Motown artists such as The Temptations,The
Mary Jane Girls, Smokey Robinson and Debarge.

Keith is now recording and producing with his brothers Clifford and Billy. Acting
as his current manager is Roland Bynum, radio DJ on KJLH, which is owned by Stevie
Wonder.

Keith Burston's album is about "Love," respect for women, and the emotions that
create true feelings for love. "Hand Touch," is a soft and warm song that will get
you caught up in its lyrics. "Momma Said," a song written by brother Clifford and
their four year old niece is closely related to "Shop Around" which was written by
his uncle "Smokey Robinson". The experience of being with Motown gave him the work
ethics necessary to succeed in the musical world. Today he is proud to expose to
the world his latest project entitled "Keeping It Real". Keith's album can be
found on CD Baby. Yes, Keith Burston is definitely "Keeping It Real."

Have given some of the tracks a listen and they are not bad at all! Very nice.

Interestingly the notes say that Keith & Darrell recorded two whole albums at Motown!!!!!

[TomatoTom123]

This groovy mid-tempo number has been growing on me...