Tuesday 23 February 2016

The Year Was 1963: Significant Events in Motown’s History




Mary Wells Two Lovers.jpg
The number one single "Two Lovers"
taken from album. 
1963 became a phenomenal year for Motown, with three recording acts topping the Billboard Hot R&B Side Singles Chart. The first artist to have achieved such a fate was the late Mary Well with her first number of career produced and written by Smokey Robinson. The single “Two Lovers” peaked at number one week-ending 19th January 1963 (4 weeks).
The12yearoldgenius.JPG
The single "Fingertips"
from the number
one album.

This was followed by the then newly signed Little Stevie Wonder with the single entitled “Fingertips (Part 2)” which topped  the singles charts on two Billboard listing: Billboard Hot R&B Side Singles Chart week-ending 3rd August 1963 (6 weeks); Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 10th August 1963 (3 weeks). Also the single achieved similar success on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart survey week-ending 3rd August 1963 (4 weeks). It was the first live single in Billboard history to go to number one. The parent album “The 12 Year Old Genius” became the first live album according to Billboard to peak at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 24th August 1963 (1 week). The entire album was produced by the legendary Berry Gordy, Jr.
Image result for Martha and the Vandellas
Martha Reeves & the Vandellas were first
 female  group to have a major hit
 with Holland-Dozier-Holland
with "Heat Wave"
The following month on the 14th September 1963, The Martha Reeves &; the Vandellas stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Side Singles Chart for 4 weeks with their single “Heat Wave” produced by Motown main song writing and music produced team Holland-Dozier-Holland premier hit making team at the label.


The label dominated the number one position that year for total of 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B Side Singles Chart.  All these brilliant tracks and albums released and recorded were underscored by The Funk Brothers with vocal support from The Andantes other members of Motown family.



                                      
                                               
                                          ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2016

About Me

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Old Harlow, Essex, United Kingdom
Kevin Tomlin has over 34 years of teaching experience in Jamaica, England and America, including 15 years teaching music history of black origin and visual art in South Florida, U.S.A., through Arts in Education. Tomlin created special training programmes and workshops for music teachers in South Florida schools, using music history as the foundation, to build exciting programmes of study and support materials for education professionals. Since 2000, he’s taught music history, geography, religious education, history, visual arts and performing arts at schools in Hertfordshire and Essex, at both primary and secondary levels. He conducts research and provides consultancy services for multi-media organisations, schools, recording artists, cultural and faith-based groups and entertainment professionals.

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