Supremes/Andantes question [[yes another one)

**marv2** · 03-14-2013, 07:53 PM

[QUOTE=Jimi LaLumia;153573I think Unsung needs to look at creating an episode on The Andantes..[/QUOTE]

They can't! They were never celebrities. There is also no known video footage of them. What will they use as visuals to fill up an hour?

**Kamasu_Jr** · 03-14-2013, 08:40 PM

Hmmm. I bet there are pictures, interview footage, old super 8 footage. It can be done. There could be an Unsung on session singers in which the Andantes could be featured. Not everyone featured on Unsung thus far would qualify as celebrities in many minds. The Whispers are nice guys, terrific singers, but not celebrities in my opinion. Session or background singers definitely qualify as "unsung" figures in the music industry. A few have even become celebrities....just look at Darlene Love or Cissy Houston.

**jillfoster** · 03-15-2013, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Hmmm. I bet there are pictures, interview footage, old super 8 footage. It can be done. There could be an Unsung on session singers in which the Andantes could be featured. Not everyone featured on Unsung thus far would qualify as celebrities in many minds. The Whispers are nice guys, singers, but not celebrities in my opinion.

But they had 12 songs that made the billboard hot 100. That's something, at least.

**marv2** · 03-15-2013, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by jillfoster

But they had 12 songs that made the billboard hot 100. That's something, at least.

The Whispers are definitely celebrities among the Black Community.

**Kamasu_Jr** · 03-15-2013, 05:27 AM

I would bet any one of the Whispers could walk down Beale St. here in Memphis and few people would recognize them, even though they had chart records. THEY are celebrated, but hardly celebrities, in the truest sense of that word.

**marv2** · 03-15-2013, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

I would bet any one of the Whispers could walk down Beale St. here in Memphis and few people would recognize them, even though they had chart records. THEY are celebrated, but hardly celebrities, in the truest sense of that word.

Maybe Memphis is not that sophisticated. They are very well known here in New York,
Philly and Detroit.

**Kamasu_Jr** · 03-15-2013, 11:47 AM

MEMPHIS is very sophisticated, urban city. People from all over the world come here to tour the city and see attractions like the Rock and Soul Museum, Graceland, Stax, the National Civil Rights Museum, Beale St. We have the opera, ballet, theater and a symphony orchestra here. We have culture. Plus, the city has me- one of the most soulful music jocks and teachers in the city-- And I'm modest too. THE Whispers are celebrated, just not celebrities in my opinion.

**thisoldheart** · 03-15-2013, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

Maybe Memphis is not that sophisticated. They are very well known here in New York,
Philly and Detroit.

i am thinking this is a joke ... i am hoping this is a joke!

**ralpht** · 03-15-2013, 02:07 PM

Marv had me thinking on that one also.

supremester · 03-15-2013, 03:16 PM

I think it's funny that a few fans of the music would be so vocal and negative about the reality of the recordings. I mean, get a life. I'm so glad I resisted the urge to slash my wrists when I found out Barbara did the spoken part of He's Seventeen. Whats to argue about? If Mary or Flo weren't on any records it wouldn't matter at all. They still did the work, were the public faces of the group, the public didn't know so it really didn't matter at all. To lose it over a background credit is kind of weird. During RTL, I spoke with the head of TNT about the controversy. He said they recieved vile, vulgar, threatening faxes from anonymous sources that led them to turn things over to the authorities. He said he they had never seen such hatred and vitriol in their entire careers. On one hand, it's cool that their passion for the music is so strong. On the other, to be psychotic about it is kind of scary. Everyone knows there were always 3 Supremes - who did what is kind of petty except from a historical standpoint. Mary's voice will always be that perfectly haunting sound in WDOLG. Louvaine Demps will always be that wonderful singer giving us that standout note on Love Child. It's all good.

Originally Posted by jobeterob

Fran and Floy, you are both right. It doesn't matter anything to 99.9% of the population and most of them couldn't even name 3 Supremes let alone 9. And regardless of who sang on what, in concert and on tv for many years, Diana Ross and the Supremes were the top of the game from 1964 to 1969.

But it is of interest to a few hundred fans and as time has gone on, it is more and more clear the Andantes did an awful lot for a lot of groups and we are having more people speak out about it - much like Ralph recently did.

The reason it matters more for the Supremes and Diana Ross is the old animosity between Ross and Wilson and that continues amongst some fans if not between Ross and Wilson; some Wilson fans seem to think this is the final nail in the coffin of Wilson and reducing her importance to not much so their disbelief is intense; but she still sang out there day after day with Diana for several years and has survived and performs to this day.

supremester · 03-15-2013, 03:18 PM

I've heard of them but don't know who they are. I am definitely not sophisticated!

Originally Posted by thisoldheart

i am thinking this is a joke ... i am hoping this is a joke!

supremester · 03-15-2013, 03:21 PM

There could easily be an episode on The Andantes. They have a rich, colorful story that is truly unsung. I'm going to suggest it. Maybe others should as well if you feel it would be interesting. They've sung on many of the biggest records ever - they'd be ideal - GREAT IDEA!

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Hmmm. I bet there are pictures, interview footage, old super 8 footage. It can be done. There could be an Unsung on session singers in which the Andantes could be featured. Not everyone featured on Unsung thus far would qualify as celebrities in many minds. The Whispers are nice guys, terrific singers, but not celebrities in my opinion. Session or background singers definitely qualify as "unsung" figures in the music industry. A few have even become celebrities....just look at Darlene Love or Cissy Houston.

**Methuselah2** · 03-15-2013, 04:39 PM

Supremester - I appreciate your postings. And I especially appreciate your mentioning the historial value of knowing the facts of things. But when you also mention that "the public didn't know so it really didn't matter at all," you lose me. If it didn't matter--at the time--that's only because there was no reason to think otherwise, based on how things were being presented to the public. But to a portion of the public who thought they knew what they were purchasing? To me, it matters. Who was actually on those recordings? Yes, to me it matters. And for various other reasons outside of money being exchanged.

Your opinions are your own. But you've posting them. And, therefore, they're deserving of attention. And they have mine. But my question to you is: Why take a stance with others posting theirs? If it's a matter of not being interested or being tired of hearing about certain things, isn't there a very easy remedy for that? I thought SDF was precisely the place to express opinions. I just wasn't expecting it to also be the place where some took exception to those even having an opinion to express and who chose to do so.

supremester · 03-15-2013, 04:55 PM

I'm sorry, hun. I'm not a good communicator on these things. I agree with you 1000%. What I meant was, it didn't matter at the time cuz everyone was buying Love Child cuz it was a killer record - I doubt anyone bought it solely because they thought Mary & Cindy were on it. It didn't matter to the public at the time. Certainly it matters to know the truth. It matters to me. What Marlene barrow took in her coffee matters to me! I love knowing the history of the music I dig. Who did what, chart facts, sales, management of product shipments - it all fascinates me. And, I believe The Andantes deserve to be credited wherever they appear. Period. I was upset in 2000 when CBS reversed it's projection that Gore won. Learning that Flo isn't on YCHL was interesting - even juicy - but not upsetting to me. I still love it.

**marv2** · 03-15-2013, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

MEMPHIS is very sophisticated, urban city. People from all over the world come here to tour the city and see attractions like the Rock and Soul Museum, Graceland, Stax, the National Civil Rights Museum, Beale St. We have the opera, ballet, theater and a symphony orchestra here. We have culture. Plus, the city has me- one of the most soulful music jocks and teachers in the city-- And I'm modest too. THE Whispers are celebrated, just not celebrities in my opinion.

Kamasu! Hold up! I didn't mean to offend Memphis at all. I have been there many times beginning as a kid in the 60's. What I meant [[and I hope this is not misunderstood) is that in some parts of the country, different regions are not tuned into the same things as another. When I was a kid in college in Denver, the people always were asking what was going on back East? What the lastest was in terms of music, dances, clothing, etc whatever was important to teenagers and 20 somethings , Ya know? They somehow felt cut off from the "real deal" living out West. I am sure that there are those in Memphis that know a heck of a lot more about Blues and Gospel artists than in other parts of the country. In New York, they mention Walter and Scottie of the Whispers almost in the same categories as David and Eddie of the Temptations. if you ever get the chance, listen to Felix Hernandez's Rhythm Review Sundays on WBLS 107.5 on the internet.