Internet Radio - Motown

[marybrewster]

I recently got a new cell and decided it what time to get one with all of the bells and whistles.

One thing I am LOVING is that I am able to get Internet Radio, specifically SHOUTcast Radio. They have a "Motown 24-7" station that plays all Motown with ZERO interruptions.

And I am talking GOOD, RARE Motown. Today I heard "Lovelight" by The Supremes [[when's the last time you heard THAT on the radio?) followed by, and I am not kidding, "Mother You, Smother You" by Christine Schumacher and the Supremes.

They play a lot of Shorty Long and Jimmy Ruffin, but am often surprised by the Andantes and The Velvelettes.

One down side is the credit given to artists; I saw something credited today as a duet between Edwin Starr and The Supremes. I for the life of me cannot remember the name of the track, but the female did sound a bit like Jean Terrell and got me thinking about, what if the Jean-lead Supremes DID record something with Edwin Starr? Both had very powerful, soulful voices.

Anyway, you can listen on the internet as well; here are two links for the same great station:

http://www.shoutcast.com/Internet-Radio/motown

http://www.24-7motown.com/

[westgrandboulevard]

Mary

Could it have been 'Private Number', that Edwin Starr recorded with the FLOS in the mid 90s?

[marybrewster]

westgrand:

Thank you; that's exactly what it was. I never even thought of that.....I was thinking "classic" Motown. Stupid me; I even said the female sounded like Jean. Duh.

[westgrandboulevard]

Mary

IMO, some of those recordings made long after the days of Hitsville are, in their own style, still pretty good......

[copley]

Spot the boob!

[westgrandboulevard]

"Build Me Up Buttercup Baby".....??? Four Tops???!

I see. The average UK record-buyer's idea of a Motown record, then?!!

Wasn't that the song that Motown contested as too close to "I'll Turn To Stone"...and some agreement on royalties was then made??

[pj1]

Wouldn't you know it.... I just clicked on the link for the first time and the song that was playing...... that ultra rare classic.....
Baby Love LOL

Now playing: Mary Wells- Will You Love Me Tomorrow.... actually, The Shirelles- Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

[westgrandboulevard]

Really? Is that another one from the vaults?? Never heard of it......

[robbert]

I also tried out this 24/7 Motown radio station.

Doesn't sound very professional to my ears. Every record they play is faded IN and faded OUT [[too early). Why?
Their station calls are all being cut short, the last consonants being left out. Why?
Their overall sound is shrill and unstable and many times I hear the scratches of an old record being played. Why?
Most of the records they play are MONO. Why?

[robbert]

I recently got a new cell and decided it what time to get one with all of the bells and whistles.

One thing I am LOVING is that I am able to get Internet Radio, specifically SHOUTcast Radio. They have a "Motown 24-7" station that plays all Motown with ZERO interruptions.

And I am talking GOOD, RARE Motown. Today I heard "Lovelight" by The Supremes [[when's the last time you heard THAT on the radio?) followed by, and I am not kidding, "Mother You, Smother You" by Christine Schumacher and the Supremes.
They play a lot of Shorty Long and Jimmy Ruffin, but am often surprised by the Andantes and The Velvelettes.
One down side is the credit given to artists; I saw something credited today as a duet between Edwin Starr and The Supremes. I for the life of me cannot remember the name of the track, but the female did sound a bit like Jean Terrell and got me thinking about, what if the Jean-lead Supremes DID record something with Edwin Starr? Both had very powerful, soulful voices.
Anyway, you can listen on the internet as well; here are two links for the same great station:

http://www.shoutcast.com/Internet-Radio/motown

http://www.24-7motown.com/

Mary, I took a few more listens to Motown 24/7, I used my always razorsharp ears and yes, they DO still work after all those years of Motown- and other pounding and still give me great satistaction, as they always have done. LOL.
I noticed the same mishaps as you did. The Supremes & Edwin Starr is obviously a FLOS affair, leadvocal by Lynda Laurence. The BG vocals could be anyone's, though. They don't sound to me like Ian Levine recordings.
I also hear a Ray Charles song sometimes. Hilarious. But then again: how many people younger than let's say 30 y/o know their Motown 'classics'? It's a fact Motown veterans [[the 50+ people) have to take that into account.

My ears tell me the sound quality via the direct link http://www.24-7motown.com/ is a bit better than via the shoutcast link or via http://www.delicast.com.
The mother company http://www.24-7networkradio.com/ seems to be a rather new organisation [[2008) based in Mansfield, UK.
I also read on their Advertising link that "All 24-7 Network Radio music is recorded from vinyl." Hence the slightly lesser quality every now and then, maybe? On the other hand, I can't imagine that e.g. Supremes & Starr was ever on vynil...

Well, this live stream radio with Motown is better than nothing, mind you!

[jobeterob]

This isn't a bad thing although I think I can handle Aretha Franklin being referred to and played as "Motown" better than I can accept The Supremes featuring Lynda Laurence duetting with Edwin Starr being included in the heyday of Motown. But if we are including all things Motown, I guess it fits too.

[tamla617]

it isnt so long ago that we would have given anything for more than 2 hours of soul and funk on the radio [[in the uk) now its 24/7 [[i hate that cliche!)i'm happy with all of it even if they cock up the thing by adding non motown.i know what things were like, i'll take any radio show [[all soul music)with mistakes and inacuracies.because i can remember a time when we had zero!

[drlorne]

I think I just saw Private Number by the FLOS and Edwin Starr on ITunes [[Canada) The Best of the Supremes released 1991.
Lorne

[marymary]

I used to listen to 24-7motown.com and loved its truly diverse playlist but unfortunately it seems that it went defunct in the last year or two. There is another station with a similar name on Shoutcast but it's definitely not the same - it has a different website, only plays the big big hits and tends to repeat songs within the hour [[ugh). If anyone knows of a quality Motown radio station to recommend I'm all ears!

[marv2]

This is the station you should listen to if you want to Motown rarities and the hits. It is called "Absolute Motown" out of New York City:

http://tunein.com/radio/Absolute-Motown-s139788/

[Ngroove]

This is the station you should listen to if you want to Motown rarities and the hits. It is called "Absolute Motown" out of New York City:

http://tunein.com/radio/Absolute-Motown-s139788/

Holy Cow - even playing Edwin Starr's "SOS" - a Ric-Tic tune, but Ric-Tic absorbed by Motown - still awesome to hear!

[marymary]

This is the station you should listen to if you want to Motown rarities and the hits. It is called "Absolute Motown" out of New York City:

http://tunein.com/radio/Absolute-Motown-s139788/

hah I just logged on and it's playing SOS too! Thanks for the recommendation.

[edafan]

I like that Absolute Motown

edafan

[Methuselah2]

If you have a smartphone, there's probably the TuneIn Radio application in your phone's App Store. Usually a free version and one with a fee.

Once have it, simply go into its browse tab and search: Motown. Stations around the world will pop up, including the ones already mentioned in this thread.

I use the free version and think it's great. But apps use data and some can interfere with other phone features. So, downloading apps always need to be watched, checked, and carefully considered.

[marv2]

hah I just logged on and it's playing SOS too! Thanks for the recommendation.

You are very welcome!

[marymary]

If you have a smartphone, there's probably the TuneIn Radio application in your phone's App Store. Usually a free version and one with a fee.

Once have it, simply go into its browse tab and search: Motown. Stations around the world will pop up, including the ones already mentioned in this thread.

I use the free version and think it's great. But apps use data and some can interfere with other phone features. So, downloading apps always need to be watched, checked, and carefully considered.

Oh I have every kind of radio app on my phone, the issue isn't quantity, it's quality. I was hoping to find a station like Motown 24-7 that played the hits and the lesser-known, but I suppose there's isn't as big of a market for that station as there is for one that plays all recognizable hits.

I did listen to Absolute Motown today and enjoyed it, but if they ever had rarities on their playlist they've gotten rid of them by now. Don't think I heard a song over the two hours that wasn't in the top 10 at the time!

[Methuselah2]

Check out SKY.FM CLASSIC MOTOWN. They also play rarities and the out-of-the-ordinary. They just played Linda Griner/GOODBYE CRUEL LOVE & Short Long/CHANTILLY LACE. Wonderful stuff.

[marymary]

Awesome! I am listening to sky.fm and it is exactly what I was looking for...excellent balance of hits and songs/artists I have genuinely never even heard of :P Thank you!

[MotownLover]

I too have been listening to sky.fm internet radio to the Motown classics genre. WOW!! It's truly more than satisfying to hear the great balance of b-sides, album cuts, as well as the big hits and those not so big. I smile every time a song is played that I have NEVER, EVER heard featured on radio in my whole lifetime!

Thanks so much for turning me on to this station!!!!

[Methuselah2]

MaryMary & MotownLover - So glad you're enjoying SKY.FM CLASSIC MOTOWN. I think it's exactly what a lot of posters on this thread have been looking for. It's the very real Motown Sound--from all sides.