Informing, Enhancing, Showcasing, Promoting and Educating Michiana -- Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana

February 4, 2019Volume 18, Number 2Benton Harbor, Michigan South Bend, Indiana (“Michiana Area”)www.bentonspiritnews.com

Informing, Enhancing, Showcasing, Promoting and Educating Michiana -- Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana

Celebrating Black HistoryHappy 60th Birthday MOTOWN!

By Ralph Heibutzki and Princella TobiasSpirit Correspondents

Every dream starts with a small step, and Motown Records was no different. Sixty years ago, on January 12, 1959,

Berry Gordy, the grandson of a slave, launched his record label with an $800 loan from his family, inspired by the efficiency he’d observed as a work-er on the Lincoln-Mercury assembly line, as he stated in his memoir, To Be Loved (1994): “I wanted a place where a kid off the street could walk in one door an unknown and come out another a recording artist — a star.”

Motown’s presence in Detroit – and the diversity of its pop-soul sound, and the musicians who created it – is also credited with breaking down the

twin barriers of segregation and dis-crimination, when both were unpleas-ant facts of life for many Americans.

The label’s name – which blended the words “Motor” and “Town,” reflects that ideal, along with Detroit’s sta-

tus as America’s automotive capital. Mary Wells summed up those ideals for AARP’s November 2018 article, “Looking Back At Motown’s 60-Year History,” in succinct fashion: “Until Motown, in Detroit, there were three big careers for a black girl. Babies, the factories or daywork. Period.”

Wells, crowned at 19 as “The Queen of Motown,” spoke as someone who had worked since her preteen years, of help-ing her mother clean stairwells. Those types of experiences made Motown’s achievement-oriented ethic – especial-ly as an African-American-owned and operated label – all the more relevant.

At the time of Motown’s rise, Detroit produced 50 percent of the world’s cars, and had America’s fourth largest black population, as AARP’s article noted: “The odds of escaping the factories or minimum

Berry Gordy, Motown Founder: Then and Now

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wage work for any young person of color were dismal. But soon after Motown’s first hits blared from radios in the city’s schoolyards and housing projects, legions of young hopefuls besieged the hip, allur-ing enterprise on West Grand.”

Early RiseMotown’s story began at a house

on 2468 West Grand Boulevard, which Gordy bought in 1959. He then converted the garage into a small recording studio, with the kitchen as its control room, while Gordy and his family lived on the second floor. The home is now the site of the Motown Museum.

Mary Johnson earned Motown’s first record release with “Come To Me” on January 21, 1959, just nine days after Gordy started the label. However, he’d end up waiting a

year for his first major hit, “Money (That’s What I Want),” a single that he co-wrote himself with Barrett Strong. The song peaked at #2 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and has been redone by many dif-ferent artists, such as The Beatles.

A year later, Motown achieved its first million seller with “Shop Around,” by the Miracles – a vocal quintet led by Smokey Robinson. The song peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100. That same year, the Marvelettes, a teen girl group, earned Motown its first #1 pop hit, “Please Mr. Postman.” The song’s success prompted Motown to sign two more vocal groups who would help lead it into the mainstream, the Supremes, and the Temptations.

(Source: Official M o t o w n Website, https://www.motown-records . com/ )

The Motown EthicFrom the beginning, Motown

earned a reputation for a fiercely competitive atmosphere, where every detail – large or small – didn’t go overlooked, and every artist had to earn their place, as Mary Wells, of the Supremes, recalled: “Understand, we were favorites of Berry’s, little special girls. But unless you had a hit record, you were nobody at Motown.”

In keeping with that ethic, Motown focused on intensive artist development – including depart-ments devoted to choreography, etiquette, and presentation – to shake off commonly-held imag-es of R&B and soul music as undignified or unschooled. To further hone their skills, artists were sent out on cross-country

“Motortown Revue” tours, which typically featured each group or solo artist performing their big-gest hits, or best-known records.

This approach created a poised, elegant style of presentation that helped to make Motown’s artists more appealing to mainstream audiences, particularly white listen-ers. “Crossover at that time meant

that white peo-ple would buy your records,” Robinson said. “Berry’s con-cept in starting Motown was to make music with a funky beat and great sto-ries that would cross over.”

Q u a l i t y Control meet-

ings – where Gordy and his staff decided, every Friday, which albums and singles got released-- became another part of Motown’s ethic. Anyone could voice opinions – which meant that artists and pro-ducers often had to rework songs in hopes of overcoming whatever objections had been raised to them.

Famous examples include two of Marvin Gaye’s biggest hits, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and “What’s Goin’ On” – both rejected, by Gordy, as not being good enough – and The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” which producer Norman Whitfield ended up bringing back to another Friday meeting, after making major changes to the song.

Celebrating MOTOWNWhy Motown Matters:Local Voices Weigh In

Editor’s Note: To shed further light on Motown’s legacy, and why it matters, the Benton Spirit asked local voices from around its coverage area to answer two questions – what Motown means to them person-ally, along their favorite artists or songs that stand out in their memory. Their responses follow below.

“Big Archie” Davis

Being a successful DJ, and a standout

one, means keeping a pulse on what the audi-ence wants – which is what “Big Archie” Davis has done, for nearly 50 years himself, and Motown has been a part of that soundtrack, whether he’s listening at home, or picking out a record to play at an event. To contact Davis, or hire him as a DJ, con-tact: (269) 252-9997.

Archie’s favorite Motown artists: Mary Wells – she came out with “My Guy.” That was the first female artist that really hit the charts. Then, the Temptations. They came out with “The Way You Do Your Thing,” that was a big thing. Then you had the Marvelettes, and the Contours.

Those were my favorites, but of all the male artists, the Temptations stand out – and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, (with) “Tracks Of My Tears,” and “Going To A Go Go.” And I can’t forget Little Stevie (Wonder) – he was from Saginaw, and he made a good name.

What does Motown mean to Archie: Personally, it means a lot – because, back in the ‘50s and the ‘60s, it’s the Young Sound of America. That means, they had a sound different from any other music company. Because it’s the sound of America, and that means, it was music for every kind of gender, and all kinds.

I also want to thank WHFB. Every day, they’re playing Motown, so I want to thank those guys – they really do a good job. I listen to them every day, and I say, “Man, they’re playing some Motown, and they’re going way back, but they’re playing them (the records).”

During the late ‘70s, when I was DJ’ing at the G&W Skating Rink, in Benton Harbor I met (former Temptations singer) David Ruffin. He had left in ‘69, and came down here. It was (with) The David Ruffin Revue. He was a nice person, and talked about different things.

He was a very talented, gifted person. He always said that he’d always been a Temptation for life, but with his experience as an artist, he decided, he wanted to do (other) things. That’s when he came out with his first single, “Walk Away From Love.” He was really doing good for himself. He really was thrilled, and he put on a good show.

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Pictured below (left) are Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and

(right) are the Temptatiions.

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Rise To SuccessBy 1965, Motown’s Golden Age was well underway, led by the Supremes – who

scored an unprecedented string of five straight No. 1 hits, starting with “Where Did Our Love Go” – and the Temptations, who broke through to the mainstream with “My Girl.” Between 1960 and 1969 alone, Motown carved out one of the most spectacular track records of any independent label, with 79 Top Ten hits.

By the end of 1966, Motown had grown into a corporate pow-erhouse that employed 450 people, and earned $20 million in total income. The original “Hitsville USA” site had grown into a net-work of seven neigh-boring houses that Gordy also bought to house his rapidly expanding opera-tions. In 1968, the company scored two more major triumphs – when it held five of the Top 10 Billboard chart positions, and

three records held the top three spots for a month.

All this success allowed Gordy to expand into other genres, as well. Though rightly best known for its R&B and soul classics, at various times, Motown also created labels that released country (Mel-O-Dy), gospel (Divinity), hip-hop (Mad Sounds), jazz (Mo Jazz), rock (Prodigal, Rare Earth), spoken word (Black Forum) and spe-cial reissue (Motown Yesteryear) records.

(Sources: Motown web-site, Wikipedia.com entry)

The Later YearsMore changes came in

1972, when Gordy moved Motown’s operations to Los Angeles. The moves refelct-ed social upheavals, includ-ing the Detroit Riots of 1967, and internal conflicts that led to the loss of his

key songwriting team – Holland-Dozier-Holland – over disputed royalties.

Demands for more artistic control by matur-ing artists like Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder, also forced Motown to loosen its approach – leading to such landmark albums as What’s Going On (1971) and Music Of My Mind (1972), respectively. Other art-ists, like the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Martha Reeves, and theFunk Brothers studio

musicians, either chose to stay in Detroit, or left the company for other reasons.Gordy branched out into areas, including the motion picture indus-

try, which scored major hits with Lady Sings The Blues (1972), and Mahogany (1975) – starring former Supremes lead singer, Diana Ross – and musicals, like Thank God It’s Friday, and The Wiz, released in 1978.

Motown’s commercial fortunes began to decline during the 1970s and 1980s, though it still achieved notable successes with The Commodores, DeBarge, Rick James, and The Dazz Band, among others. Gordy eventually sold off Motown for $61 million in 1988, to MCA Records and Boston Ventures. A year, he did likewise

Why Motown Matters:Local Voices Weigh In

Johnnie Edwards, Benton Harbor

Johnnie Edwards is a local artist who has performed nationally. When asked when he

first started singing, he said, “Probably from my mother’s womb.” Professionally, he has been performing for approximately 30 years. He is a vocalist, and plays the drums, bass, trombone, percussion and some keyboards.

Johnnie’s Favorite Motown art-ists: Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye

What does Motown mean to Johnnie: Motown is the soul of music and I think it brought on so much energy and enthusiasm when listening to this R&B/Motown sound.

Motown is just a smaller side of so many black artists who wish they had an opportunity to perform. I would have loved to have been in that era.

To hire and/or contact Johnnie Edwards, visit him on Facebook or jmu-sic95@yahoo.com.

Beth Haire-Lewis

Beth Haire-Lewis has long been involved in Benton Harbor’s

creative community. She’s currently the lead singer and manager of the local soul-funk-jazz band, Sankofa, a Ghanian word that translates to, “Go back and get it.” To book them, visit https://www.facebook.com/SankofaBHBand/, or call Haire-Lewis at (269) 208-4041.

Beth’s Favorite Motown art-ists: Definitely, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wells, the Marvelettes. Moving forward, it was definitely the Jackson Five, because it was four of my sisters, growing up, and we liked to try to dance those moves. So that was kind of fun. We’d all act like we were the Supremes, or something – we would perform.

What does Motown mean to Beth: Well, I guess that I’m almost 60! There’s a lot of great memories, but it definitely makes me think of my childhood, and how much fun we had in those days, and how prideful how we were, of having an African-American (Motown founder, Berry Gordy), that had a company like Motown, with black musicians.

Kenny Harper

Best known as an organizer and promoter of Chicago Steppin-styled events, Kenny Harper began his involvement with the entertainment industry as a DJ, who went by the name, “Scatman,” though he didn’t

come up with it. “At that time, my friends called me that, and it just kind of stuck – they had ‘Scatman,’ and they also had ‘Scat,’” he said, laughing.

Harper went on to promote the first Benton Harbor blues festivals, in the 1990s, before making the transition to the Steppin world, where he’s known for staging major events like “Steppin Winter White,” a three-day New Year’s Eve extrav-aganza in Fairfield, CA, in December 2018.

Kenny’s favorite Motown artists: I love (Temptations vocalist) Eddie Kendricks, and the Four Tops – that’s when sing-ing was singing! All of them in that era. They were creating music, singing, and going through a lot in life, but I’ll remem-ber David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, and the Supremes – that seemed like that was all part of us, growing up.

You had people with low voices, you had people with high voices, and young people are not brought up with that. It seems like that’s missing. They sung (the Motown artists) like it was such a meaning.

What does Motown mean to Kenny per-sonally: When I hear “Motown,” I hear music and entertainment. Chicago was very good, with dances, but as I learned later, Detroit had it going on! Back when I was spinning – New York and New Jersey people used to come to Detroit. That was their connection.

For more information about Harper and the Steppin Across the USA Ball to be held in Benton Harbor, MI, July 27, 2019, call (269) 208-6918.

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with his Motown Productions film/TV outlet.

Gordy then began focus- i n g his energy on licensing and publish- i n g Motown’s classic songs, which are held by EMI Publishing, while the label is now part of the Universal Music Group, as a subsidiary of Capitol Records. As of this writing, Stevie Wonder is the only artist from Motown’s classic era who still remains with the label.

(Sources: Official Motown website, Wikipedia.com entry)

Why Motown Matters:Local Voices Weigh In

Bonita Mitchell (pictured, right, with Stevie Wonder)

Singer, and nonprofit director Bonita Mitchell is uniquely positioned to offer memories of Motown – having performed and worked as

a wardrobe stylist for many artists, notably Stevie Wonder, who made many landmark records for the label during the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Mitchell formed I’m Saving Myself in 2001, to give local teens an outlet for their feelings through performance – a goal that she also promotes through her label, Thread of Hope Records.

Bonita’s favorite Motown artists: The Jackson Five, and then, “Ben.” “Ben” is my favorite. It really talks about a friendship, though it’s talking about a mouse, or a rat, but I instantly thought of it (the subject) as a friend. There’s some songs you just love singing, because it challenges every aspect of my vocals. I (also) love the Temptations’ (version of) “Silent Night.”

What Motown means to Bonita personally: It’s like, the heart and soul of music. I was that little girl who didn’t think that dreams could become reality, and I sang Stevie’s songs at the age of five years old. One of my favorites was “All Is Fair In Love” – so much, that my family got so tired of it, they were going to break the album!

Stevie’s mother was my first client. I was in fashion and merchandis-ing – at the time, particularly for women, it was hard to find fabulous garments. We ended up meeting her, and I took an outfit to her home. Stevie was in transition with his wardrobe team, and we moved right in, because she was so pleased. That turned into 10 yeas – from Africa, to Monte Carlo, to Paris, to London. You name it, I’ve been there.

To contact Mitchell, call (269) 845-2392.

Ralph HeibutzkiSpirit Correspondent

Ralph Heibutzki has been active as an author and freelancer for three decades now. His most recent projects include We Are

The Clash: Reagan, Thatcher & The Last Stand Of A Band That Mattered(2018), co-authored with Mark Andersen. He’s also written one book by himself, Unfinished Business: The Life & Times Of Danny G a t t o n ( 2 0 0 3 ) .

As Chairman Ralph, he also per-forms music and spo-ken word, locally and regionally. Notable efforts in those fields include Recutting The Crap Vol. 2 (Crooked Beat Records: 2018), a Clash-related tribute album, for which he also wrote the liner notes.

For more details about Ralph’s activities, visit www.chairmanralph.com. For work opportunities and proposals, e-mail: chairmanralph@yahoo.com.

Ralph’s favorite Motown artists: Like everybody here says, there’s so many, it’s hard to make a short list.

On the female side? Martha & The Vandellas, whose records (“Dancing In The Street”) still sound sharp and fresh. There’s many lesser-recalled artists who deserve a closer look, like Tammi Terrell, Marvin Gaye’s duet partner, whose life was tragically cut short by a brain tumor in 1970 – at 24.

On the male side? Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, who never shied from taking risks.

For further reference, see Here, My Dear (1978), Marvin’s epic double album about his own painful divorce – which he released to satisfy the terms of the settlement!

What Motown means to Ralph personally: Motown’s rise is nothing less than a classic Great American Success Story, com-ing at a time when young people held real power through their numbers, their tastes, and their spending money – that needed an outlet. Berry Gordy gave them one. That’s one part of the story.

Though often (rightfully) criticized for his treatment of art-ists, there’s also no question – and no point in denying – that Gordy’s vision, aided by talents like the Funk Brothers stu-dio band, and producers like Norman Whitfield, casts a lasting imprint on popular music and culture. That’s the second part.

To put it another way, just try imagining a world without “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” on one hand, or “What’s Goin’ On,” on the other – two sides of the coin, as only an artist like Marvin Gaye could pull off. You can’t do it. That’s the third, and most important, part of the story.

Why Motown Matters:Local Voices Weigh In

Larry Jones (Sugarman)Local DJ Sugarman, who can he heard 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays (WVVH, 105.3, Benton

Harbor), grew up in a small town in Arkansas, only seven miles from Memphis, TN. He has vivid memories of the music and its lifelong influence on him, as a DJ, and as a fan.

Larry’s Favorite Motown artists: I like the Temptations (sings): “The Girl’s All Right With Me.” You got a Motown ‘60s, and a Motown ‘70s, when Michael Jackson came along,

and the Commodores came along. That was the next generation, but the first generation gave it all its soul.

First of all, Mary Wells – everybody thinks of Diana Ross, when they think of Motown, but Mary Wells pro-duced Motown’s first great hit song. A lot of people don’t give her credit, but she’s the Queen of Motown. I (also) like Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, the Four Tops.

What does Motown mean to Larry: Music! I grew up on Motown. Every year, I remember my older brothers and sisters – since I’m the youngest of 12 – waiting every year, for they called the Motown revue.

I can remember them getting sharp, and back then, the cars were so big, you could get 15 in a car – and they would head to Memphis. I could never forget that – I wasn’t old enough at the time, but I grew up on the music.

To be honest with you, my mom wouldn’t allow a record player in her house. Now, Dad was a swinger, and she went to church all the time, but she couldn’t stop the radio, see? We had those little radios, those little tran-sistors – I could listen to WDAI, out of Memphis, and get all the Motown. At night, they’d sell records. You could buy a Motown packet, they’d send you 10 45s. Anyway, I grew up on Motown. I grew up on that sound.

To hire and/or contact Jones, call him at: (269) 368-4708.

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