Stevie Wonder -Top of the Pops January 31,1974

[marv2]

Someone has gotten ahold of "Wiped" episodes of Britain's "Top of the Pops". Here Stevie is beginning at 7:00 in this video:

[marv2]

Look closely, who is that singing background for Stevie?

[blackguy69]

If this was a non Motown I can see you asking this question. For this group it’s safe to say everyone here knows Denice Williams was in wonderlove along with Shirley brewer and Lani Groves.

[marv2]

If this was a non Motown I can see you asking this question. For this group it’s safe to say everyone here knows Denice Williams was in wonderlove along with Shirley brewer and Lani Groves.

Did you enjoy his performance in this clip?

[Motown Eddie]

Did you enjoy his performance in this clip?

I enjoyed it! Seeing Stevie Wonder perform Live is always a special treat [[and he always picks great players & singers to back him up). Thanks again Marv2.

[soulwally]

Robert Knight is second up, singing live his big Northern Soul song. Stevie too is live - it's a great arrangement too with Wonderlove sounding fantastic

[marv2]

I enjoyed it! Seeing Stevie Wonder perform Live is always a special treat [[and he always picks great players & singers to back him up). Thanks again Marv2.

You are very welcome Motown Eddie. I am happy that you enjoyed it as much as I did.

[marv2]

Robert Knight is second up, singing live his big Northern Soul song. Stevie too is live - it's a great arrangement too with Wonderlove sounding fantastic

I want to find more of these rare gems Soulwally. Some of these clips I never saw because they did not show Top of the Pops here in America.

[soulwally]

Is Niecy really in this particular line-up of Wonderlove? I thought they had a sort of floating membership anyway. Other members included Gloria Barley, Susaye Green and Delores Harvin.

[soulwally]

Is that really Niecy among that particular Wonderlove line-up? I thought they had a sort of floating membership. Other members included Susaye Green, Delores Harvin and Gloria Barley. Marv there were some awful Brit hits on that show - the Wombles, Mud and Jonathan King. That's the problem with TOTP, some absolute dross made our charts

[TomatoTom123]

Mmm-hmm, what a great live performance! Not even one of my fave Stevie songs but I certainly enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing Marv.

Also, when I heard the intro to "The Love I Lost", I thought for a second that Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes would be preforming next... instead, just some ladies dancing to it

[blackguy69]

Denice joined them in 72 I know she is on the Talking Book album. She was with Stevie for at least 3 years. She is great as always.

[midnightman]

I think Deniece said she joined Stevie around 1973.

When Stevie released Talking Book, she still hadn't joined, I don't think. When Talking Book was out, she was not on any of the televised performances or tours Stevie had in 1972.

I could be wrong though.

[marv2]

Is Niecy really in this particular line-up of Wonderlove? I thought they had a sort of floating membership anyway. Other members included Gloria Barley, Susaye Green and Delores Harvin.

Yeah, she is the one in the green with the reddish afro like hairdo.

[copley]

This is a much better clip of the song alone [[with a snippet of HM&TBN) . One of my fav Stevie's. Thanks for the heads up Marv

[marv2]

Is that really Niecy among that particular Wonderlove line-up? I thought they had a sort of floating membership. Other members included Susaye Green, Delores Harvin and Gloria Barley. Marv there were some awful Brit hits on that show - the Wombles, Mud and Jonathan King. That's the problem with TOTP, some absolute dross made our charts

LOL! I still find it interesting hearing some of these acts that we never did. Living close to the Canadian border growing up, we heard many Canadian acts that the rest of the country never did due to Can-Con.

[marv2]

This is a much better clip of the song alone [[with a snippet of HM&TBN) . One of my fav Stevie's. Thanks for the heads up Marv

You're very welcome Copley! This was broadcast when I was in 8th Grade, but never saw it in America.

[blackguy69]

I think Deniece said she joined Stevie around 1973.

When Stevie released Talking Book, she still hadn't joined, I don't think. When Talking Book was out, she was not on any of the televised performances or tours Stevie had in 1972.

I could be wrong though.

She sang on talking book

[midnightman]

She sang on talking book

I checked the credits of TB and she's indeed listed as a background vocalist on Tuesday Heartbreak.

But I still don't think she joined the Wonderlove touring band until '73.

Yeah she did start singing with Stevie in '72. But the Wonderlove girls who sung backup for him on tour from 1972-early '73 didn't include her at first.

And the video shown on OP was from '74 so Deniece had obviously joined them by then on tour. I don't know when she started singing on his touring band but it was definitely AFTER '72. Remember she was a married mother with two kids who still had her nursing job at the time.

[sansradio]

Fun anecdote: Niecy was roommates with Patti Austin and Lani Groves in the Lincoln Center section of NYC around this time. Patti tells of the first time she met Stevie; she was gushing over him in her then-thick Long Island accent when Stevie stopped her and asked, “Are you Jewish?” To this day, whenever they meet, Stevie asks her, “Still Jewish?” 😄

[marv2]

Fun anecdote: Niecy was roommates with Patti Austin and Lani Groves in the Lincoln Center section of NYC around this time. Patti tells of the first time she met Stevie; she was gushing over him in her then-thick Long Island accent when Stevie stopped her and asked, “Are you Jewish?” To this day, whenever they meet, Stevie asks her, “Still Jewish?” ��

Patti is from one of my hometowns on L.I. and Stevie is from another one....Detroit. LOL!

[sansradio]

Patti is from one of my hometowns on L.I. and Stevie is from another one....Detroit. LOL!

Ah! Bay Shore?

[marv2]

Ah! Bay Shore?

Exactly! I also lived in Islip! I love this area! LL Cool J is from Bay Shore too.