Gladys Horton's book...

[mistercarter2u]

Have you guys read Gladys Horton's biography, A Letter From The Postman? If so, I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on it.

I just finished reading it over the weekend, and the book left me a little disappointed in a number of ways - Disappointed that Gladys never received her due from Motown, Disappointed that she failed to get good representation and allowed herself to be used and abused, Disappointed that she made so many bad decisions in her personal life and seemed to choose all the wrong men, Disappointed that she - perhaps - thought herself a much bigger star than she ever was....

I also felt sadness as I read the book. Gladys and the other Marvelettes deserved so, so, so much more from Motown, and they deserved so much more recognition for their chart hits and accomplishments. If all that Gladys says is true, Motown really screwed the Marvelettes, and that is a shame.

Oh... and what about Gladys' very vocal and very strong feelings about Smokey Robinson, and Vaughan Thornton's [[Gladys' son and the one who put the book out) remarks about fellow-Marvelette Katherine Anderson Schaffner? No holds barred in how they fetlt about those two!!!

[BayouMotownMan]

I posted a review on this site and on the Amazon site where it is being sold. Vaughn Thornton approved.

[arr&bee]

I gotta read this one.

[Circa 1824]

What due are Gladys and others supposed to get? They had their day in the sun. Celebrate it. Is everyone a victim?

[mistercarter2u]

What due are Gladys and others supposed to get? They had their day in the sun. Celebrate it. Is everyone a victim?

If what she says in the book is true, Gladys never got all of the royalties [[performance royalties and song writing royalties, etc...) that Motown owed her. I do not know. I was not there. I do believe her, though. I know that Motown and a lot of the record companies of that time took huge advantage of their artists, signed them to crappy contracts, and paid them very little while reaping tons of company profits. So... That is what I mean when I say they did not get their dues. The problem wasn't just with The Marvelettes. It was - probably still is - wide spread.