Berry Gordy's 1st Studio Band

[jsmith]

Been looking into Motown studio bands & revue touring bands recently. I'd always assumed that the 1st band BG used in the studio was Joe Hunter's Band [[which with EVD replacing Joe became the Funk Brothers). But it seems Jackie Wilson's childhood friend, Billy Davis, was the guy that BG used on his early studio sessions [[this ain't Roquel Davis by the way).
Billy Davis and his band, the Upsetters aka the Legends, backed up BG's acts ahead of the actual start up of Motown. Not too sure which acts this outfit worked with in the studio but I'd guess it was the likes of Marv Johnson and the Miracles.
Billy Davis also recorded in his own right [[see 45 scan) and then went on the road with Hank Ballad & the Midnighters [[tutoring Jimi Hendrix while in that role). Later on, he backed up some Motown singers and teamed up again with his old pal Jackie Wilson to work in his backing band.
Is it actually documented which pre-Motown tracks BG used Billy's band on ...
AND ... which studio did BG use to cut his tracks back then ?

[jsmith]

While I'm asking questions ... from the 45 label credits, it seems Billy Davis penned songs with Moore & Patterson ... I'm guessing the Moore is Hank Moore who backed them up on their studio session [[so maybe he got his credit for just tweaking an already written song as the session unfolded). Was Hank Moore's Band Detroit based and are the other guys named on the label [[Henry Howard, Freddie Pride) known Detroit singers / musicians ?
. . . BTW, Joe Hunter was also in the Midnighters backing band in the mid to late 1950's. In fact, he first met BG when Berry used him to try to get one of his songs to Hank Ballard [[Berry wanted him to record it), so I guess this would have been around 1958.

[jsmith]

There's a video on Youtube where Joe Hunter states that BG did a lot of demo recording in a garage at 9706 Cameron St [[Albert Leigh's place). After that, he'd make use of WJLB DJ Bristoe Bryant's recording equipment till BG bought it off the DJ.

[Graham Jarvis]

Once Berry had the recording equipment he and Roquel recorded two songs for Cortez Young in Cortez's garage in Detroit. The two songs Berry and Roquel recorded "Everybody's Going" & "I Have The Time".The record on the Detroit "Gold 101" Label 1959.

Cortez had one other 45 on the same Label on "Gold 102" 1959 [[likely his Label). He then recorded both sides and Louvain Demps also recorded as one of the backing singers this time in Chicago. The two Gold Label records has no other known discs? Here's Gold 102 45 "Come Back Pretty Baby"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kjtuuTTAk

Pre & Early "Ro"; is Roquel [Billy) Davis [aka Tyrone Carlo] & "Gor" is Berry and or Gwen Gordy, [Billy's wife].

[The photo for Cortez & Pop-Corn courtesy of Nick Soule]

[/VIDEO]

[jsmith]

Great info Graham. Any idea who the musicians were on the Detroit cut versions ?

[Graham Jarvis]

No idea at all, if you look back at Popcorn he mentions the other artists and his record releases, for well over ten years or more we have never been able to establish the Names? The same as the Chicago release on the other Disc, the only one being our "Louvain Demps".

[jsmith]

Jumping to another Motown musician [[though this was before he joined Motown) ...
is much known about EVD's Renaissance 45 "Somebody Loves You". I believe his 45 is the only release on this tiny Detroit label. It may well have been picked up for distribution by Chess after it was put out in 1958 [[so it predated BG's Miracles / Chess deal).
Which studio was it cut in, who were the other musicians on the session & who penned the song. Is the answer to any of those questions Known ?

[robb_k]

Freddie Pride was a Detroit singer and songwriter. He was in a couple Detroit groups [[I forget which), and he recorded solo, several singles for Diamond Jim Riley's labels. I think he also played guitar. I don't know if he played any other instrument. I seem to remember Hank Moore having been also from Detroit, and operating out of that city during the 1950's. Billy Davis was a guitarist, too. Interesting to me that Detroit's [[and later, Motown's) Downbeats also had a record out on Houston's Peacock Records around that time. I think the connections for both were Joe Hunter, who a few years later, made a production deal with Duke/Peacock owner, Don Robey, to work on recordings both in Houston and Detroit.

[robb_k]

Jumping to another Motown musician [[though this was before he joined Motown) ...
is much known about EVD's Renaissance 45 "Somebody Loves You". I believe his 45 is the only release on this tiny Detroit label. It may well have been picked up for distribution by Chess after it was put out in 1958 [[so it predated BG's Miracles / Chess deal).
Which studio was it cut in, who were the other musicians on the session & who penned the song. Is the answer to any of those questions Known ?

I seem to remember reading that Earl Van Dyke's combo, playing on this record was made up of a couple members of Joe Hunters' Band [[ who played later for Hunter's Band at Motown). So, you would likely be familiar with them. I think there was only one whose name I didn't recognise as being a Detroit session player.

[robb_k]

Once Berry had the recording equipment he and Roquel recorded two songs for Cortez Young in Cortez's garage in Detroit. The two songs Berry and Roquel recorded "Everybody's Going" & "I Have The Time".The record on the Detroit "Gold 101" Label 1959.

Cortez had one other 45 on the same Label on "Gold 102" 1959 [[likely his Label). He then recorded both sides and Louvain Demps also recorded as one of the backing singers this time in Chicago. The two Gold Label records has no other known discs? Here's Gold 102 45 "Come Back Pretty Baby"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kjtuuTTAk

Pre & Early "Ro"; is Roquel [Billy) Davis [aka Tyrone Carlo] & "Gor" is Berry and or Gwen Gordy, [Billy's wife].

Ro-Gor Music was a partnership between Billy [[Roquel) Davis and Gwen Gordy. Berry was not involved. When Berry partnered with his sister and Davis, that partnership trio was represented by "Fidelity Music". The flute on "Everybody's Going" sounds suspiciously like Dr. Beans Bowles, who also played flute on several of Roquel's and Gwen's and Anna's Anna Records releases. He also played alto Saxophone on several sessions for them.

[robb_k]

While I'm asking questions ... from the 45 label credits, it seems Billy Davis penned songs with Moore & Patterson ... I'm guessing the Moore is Hank Moore who backed them up on their studio session [[so maybe he got his credit for just tweaking an already written song as the session unfolded). Was Hank Moore's Band Detroit based and are the other guys named on the label [[Henry Howard, Freddie Pride) known Detroit singers / musicians ?
. . . BTW, Joe Hunter was also in the Midnighters backing band in the mid to late 1950's. In fact, he first met BG when Berry used him to try to get one of his songs to Hank Ballard [[Berry wanted him to record it), so I guess this would have been around 1958.

THIS, Billy Davis, Hank Moore and Pat Patterson, were all musicians in The Midnighters' backing band. Davis was well known much more for playing Blues than for R&B [[although he did a fair amount of that, too.

[Graham Jarvis]

Thanks for that here is both sides for Earl Van Dyke from 1958: I can't remember all of the details, I'll have to dig it out.

[Graham Jarvis]

Hi Robb good to hear from you. Here's Freddy Pride on HOB.

[jsmith]

Thanks for all the above info.
Could the Flame Show Bar have been a location that was used to set up any of the above sessions / record releases. The Gordy's did work there & spent a lot of time at the bar. Maurice King led the bar's resident band for many years [[with the likes of Beans Bowles being a member) and when the venue started to fall on harder times & so couldn't afford to employ Maurice King's band any longer [[all skilled / well paid musicians), the venue employed EVD & a couple of his associates from around 1061 to 63 [[or so I believe). The likes of Jackie Wilson would have been backed on shows at the Flame in 57/58 by Maurice King's guys [[around the time Jackie & BG were working together on BG's / Roquel Davis songs. Some folk who worked at the Flame ended up employed by the Gordy's down the line.
Would the Detroit doo-wop group from the mid to late 50's the Comets, who morphed into the Nitecaps [[Freddie Pride, Al Kent, Ronnie Savoy, etc), have worked venues such as the Flame Show Bar [[& therefore have come into contact with some / all of the above mentioned folk ?

[robb_k]

Thanks for all the above info.
[[1) Could the Flame Show Bar have been a location that was used to set up any of the above sessions / record releases.

[[2)The Gordy's did work there & spent a lot of time at the bar.

[[3) Maurice King led the bar's resident band for many years [[with the likes of Beans Bowles being a member) and when the venue started to fall on harder times & so couldn't afford to employ Maurice King's band any longer [[all skilled / well paid musicians), the venue employed EVD & a couple of his associates from around 1061 to 63 [[or so I believe). The likes of Jackie Wilson would have been backed on shows at the Flame in 57/58 by Maurice King's guys [[around the time Jackie & BG were working together on BG's / Roquel Davis songs. Some folk who worked at the Flame ended up employed by the Gordy's down the line.
[[4) Would the Detroit doo-wop group from the mid to late 50's the Comets, who morphed into the Nitecaps [[Freddie Pride, Al Kent, Ronnie Savoy, etc), have worked venues such as the Flame Show Bar [[& therefore have come into contact with some / all of the above mentioned folk ?

[[1) What do you mean by "using The Flame Show Bar to set up recording sessions or record releases"? Do you mean "Did Berry, Gwen, and Roquel[[Billy) Davis try out young talent at The Flame Show Bar [[and Grill), or make demo recordings there? or make final record recordings there [[all using Maurice King's Band)?

[[1) I'm sure no final recordings were made there. [[2) Gwen Gordy worked there for Carmen Murphy, getting the cigarette and candy concession for a few years. Berry used to go there to listen to Jazz. He didn't work there. I doubt that record deals were finalised there; but, probably some deals and agreements were discussed there. [[3) Maurice King and Dr. Beans Bowles were advisors to Berry when he set up his first record company RayBer Music, and also for Tamla. They were also among his first musicians and employees, along with Popcorn Wylie, and Joe Hunter and his band. Johnny Allen soon followed. That venue [[along with a handful of others) were hangouts for the African Americans' music industry in Detroit, and many of the well-known Detroit Jazz, R&B, Blues, and Gospel artists and groups appeared there.

I don't remember if The Nitecaps appeared there, but it is likely. Al Hamilton [[AKA Al Kent) was too young and not a member of The Nitecaps. His two brothers, Eugene [[AKA Ronnie Savoy) and Bob Hamilton [[AKA Rob Reeco) were members.

Mrs. Murphy was Gwen's hairdresser, and became her mentor in The Music Industry, advising her and Anna, when they set up Anna Records. Billy Davis and she were dating, so he came into the company. He had been a member of The Five Jets, who became the Five Stars [[produced by Berry and Billy), who later morphed into The Voice Masters [[a few of whom later became The Originals).

[jsmith]

Great info again Robb.