Levi Stubbs, whose yearning voice helped power Berry Gordy’s Motown Records into one of the most successful entertainment companies in the world as lead singer for the Four Tops, has died. His songs were pitched at the edge of his range, which gave them a pleading emotional timbre that connected with millions of listeners. It [...]
Norman Whitfield – a key member of Motown’s late 60s assembly line as a writer/producer, is dead at age 65. At Motown he co-wrote classics like “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”, “Just my Imagination”, “Ball of Confusion”, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, “Cloud Nine”, and “War” pushing the staid label into more socially conscious [...]
Here are the best re-issues and archival releases of the year according to yours truly. Each of them would make a fine Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Ramadan or Zoroaster’s Feast gift: 1) Various artists (including Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Temptations etc. )- The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7 1967, Vol. 8 1968These were two of [...]
The Twitters