Motown Fiction vs. Motown History - Keep it real for this music fan

**mirage** · 10-04-2011, 07:34 AM

Last Updated: September 30. 2011 7:27PM
Miracles guitarist Tarplin, co-writer of “Tracks of My Tears” dies at 70
Susan Whitall/ Detroit News Music Writer
Billy Wilson of the Motown Alumni Association sent out an email alert late Friday afternoon that Tarplin had died, lauding him as the Miracles' "secret weapon."
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110930/ENT04/109300454/Miracles-guitarist-Tarplin--co-writer-of-“Tracks-of-My-Tears”-dies-at-70#ixzz1ZoAUgSbv
Quote is from Wikipedia – NOT a quote from Billy Wilson [[MAA) – Get it right Whitall & correct it – Detroit “Wannabe” News. I e-mailed the DN; yet still waiting for that correction.
[[Biography – Wikipedia)

Referred to as The Miracles' "secret weapon",[1] Tarplin began his career accompanying a teenage Detroit, Michigan girl group known as The Primettes [[later The Supremes). The Primettes sought an audition with Motown Records, and Tarplin played guitar as they performed for Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson. Robinson was impressed by Tarplin's guitar playing, and lured him away from the Primettes to join The Miracles. Tarplin joined The Miracles in 1958. In the 2006 Motown DVD release, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles: The Definitive Performances 1963-1987, Robinson and fellow Miracles Pete Moore and Bobby Rogers commented that Tarplin's unique guitar playing style was reminiscent of the late Curtis Mayfield, and was the inspiration behind many of their greatest hits.
When it comes to Motown and music, I want the historically and factually correct news; and not some overzealous fanatical Motown fan that has apparently spun himself into a fantasy by implying he was a part of the real Motown. You are a fringe fan; not an alumnus and not part of Motown history. So let's get a legitimate ledger created with the actual Motown alumni. I'm tired of fakes and their schemes.
And he is aided and abetted in getting his name attached to Motown when he gets help from a “cub” reporter that takes a Motown fanatic fan’s word as gospel truth and does not fact check.
Hell, “Cub Reporter” --- I think I originally founded Motown with Berry G.; I wrote a number of Motown hits; I am the individual who actually used to call “Marv Tarplin” The Miracles’ “secret weapon”.
If I want to read and learn about fiction, I’ll hop a ride on the Star Ship Music Enterprise Web site and read about Captain Kirk and Dr. Spock dancing on a moonbeam. Give me raw hardcore Motown history based on fact and reality; don’t give me embellishment; half-truths or untruths. I, humbly, do apologize to all Trekkies on this site. “Beam me up, Billy”.

**jobeterob** · 10-04-2011, 11:28 AM

It's so very clear that for every artist, producer, choreographer, biographer etc., that made it ~ there are hundreds of people that only touched the periphery of success, are unknown to the public and became nurses or secretaries or salespeople. They may have been successful at what they did but many of them didn't make it that far and quite a few are unhappy about it and take every opportunity to talk about their connections.

Motown was no different that any other record company.

And as we see every day, the jealousies that created endure.

**Stone Diamond** · 10-04-2011, 11:50 AM

I only ever take the Wiki, as a rough guide, as it's written by anyone who wants to type into it.

As someone that bought Barrett Strong's "Money" back in 1960, I become a loyal collector of Motown, once I realised that the Marvelettes and the Miracles were from the same stable. [[here in the UK the first singles were issued on different labels), and I only get my info from single labels, LP and now CD liner notes, plus Books and magazine articles written by those that have worked at and for Motown.
Yes it's very annoying to read things like that, but sadly for Wiki, it's par for the course.

It's also sad that the people I have loved through the years are now departing us at a faster rate, and at 65, I wonder just how long I'll be able to keep buying the CD box sets that are now becoming the norm, because they are worth the price just for the information in the booklets let alone the unissued tracks.