[REMOVE ADS]




Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    2,184
    Rep Power
    247

    Question on Motown labels Kim Weston recorded on.

    Kim's last Tamla label release was I'm Still Loving You [T54110]. The next release was on the Gordy label [G7041].

    Just wondering, does anyone know of the explanation why she went from the Tamla label to the Gordy label?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Probably to reduce the volume of product on the Tamla label. Radio stations would play only so many records on a label. It was a balancing act to not overload radio stations with too many Motown, Tamla, Gordy, etc. records.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    3,942
    Rep Power
    436
    I don't know if there's any explanation for why Motown artists were switched from one of the label's imprints to another. I remember there was a thread on this forum that had a list of acts whose records were released on different Motown labels.

    PS: I'd still like to know why Stevie Wonder's The Woman In Red soundtrack LP came out on Motown instead of Tamla [[this album came out a couple of years before the Tamla/Gordy/Motown labels were consolidated).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    10,798
    Rep Power
    350
    ^^^ Soundtracks tended to come out on Motown.
    Maybe because of the potential marketing opportunities for these, there was a policy decision that the Motown label was their natural home.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    3,942
    Rep Power
    436
    Quote Originally Posted by 144man View Post
    ^^^ Soundtracks tended to come out on Motown.
    That's a good point. I guess they made exceptions for Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man & Smokey Robinson's Big Time soundtracks which both came out on the Tamla imprint.



    Last edited by Motown Eddie; 01-02-2021 at 09:15 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    583
    Rep Power
    173
    As far as I am aware the move to placing all soundtrack albums on the Motown imprint did not start until the combined 6000 series of album releases started.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    2,098
    Rep Power
    253
    The biggest mystery to me was Kiki Dee. Her lp and first single were on the Tamla label. Then her only charted Motown single Love Makes The World Go 'Round was on the Rare Earth label.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    3,942
    Rep Power
    436
    We can guess & speculate on this but I think this is something that Adam White could discuss on his West Grand Blog. He could get with someone who worked at Motown at the time and provide info on who got assigned to what Motown label imprint [[and why they were moved over to another one).
    Last edited by Motown Eddie; 01-04-2021 at 05:14 AM. Reason: spelling

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    839
    Rep Power
    157
    A number of acts got shuttled from one imprint to another. Kim and Kiki as mentioned. Supremes, Chris Clark, Velvelettes, and Spinners also come to mind. I imagine there were others I can’t remember just now. It was a common practice. I do wonder, however, how the decisions were made — what criteria were used in determining which acts would be transferred to which labels.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

[REMOVE ADS]

Ralph Terrana
MODERATOR

Welcome to Soulful Detroit! Kindly Consider Turning Off Your Ad BlockingX
Soulful Detroit is a free service that relies on revenue from ad display [regrettably] and donations. We notice that you are using an ad-blocking program that prevents us from earning revenue during your visit.
Ads are REMOVED for Members who donate to Soulful Detroit. [You must be logged in for ads to disappear]
DONATE HERE »
And have Ads removed.