The Year Was 1965: A Significant Events In Motown's History Pt.4

Marvin Gaye

While the main production teams were enjoying spectacular success, other producers at the label were coming up with hits such as “Ain’t That Peculiar” released on Tamla Records and performed by Marvin Gaye, produced and co-written by Smokey Robinson. The song peaked at number one week-ending 27^th November 1965 (1 week) on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart. The development of the song benefited from the expert help of several creative masterminds, including Willie Shorter who was doing the majority of the rhythm charts for Smokey Robinson and his song-writing team, working in conjunction with Robinson’s key creative partner Marv Tarplin during that period, with Paul Riser taking care of string arrangements. Tarplin’s brilliant guitar skills were vitally important to the overall success of the song.  He and Robinson collaborated on songs such as “I’ll Be Doggone” and “The Tracks Of My Tears.”

By the end of 1965 Motown Records had dominated the number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for a total of eight weeks during the year with three different acts. Motown Records also controlled the number one position on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles for a total of twenty-five weeks
. 
While Marvin Gaye was enjoying great success with Smokey Robinson, he also recorded his first major duet with Kim Weston, called “It Takes Two”. The album from which the single was taken, also entitled “It Takes Two”, was co-produced by William “Mickey” Stevenson and Harvey Fuqua. The hit song was co-written by female song-writer Sylvia Moy and William “Mickey” Stevenson. The song charted the following year in May 1966 and reached number four on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart, peaking at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. This was soon to be followed by his successful duets with the late Tammi Terrell, starting in 1966.

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Career Highlights of the Legendary Lawrence Johnson (Part 2).

He was the former co-owner and CEO of his own music session company based in London providing services to the entertainment and creative industries in the UK and overseas. Previously he was recording artist and founder of Nu Colors. The group became one of the best -selling UK gospel act in America during the 1990s. Over the years Lawrence has also written several songs. He is one of the key God Fathers of Contemporary Gospel music in the UK.

In the 1990s, Lawrence did vocal arrangements on the movie
soundtrack to the "Four Weddings and a Funeral"

During the 1990s, Lawrence also conducted vocal arrangements, vocal productions, record producer and recording a track with his recording act Nu Colors on the major film soundtrack for “Four Weddings and a Funeral” which grossed over £200 million at the Box office worldwide and accompanied soundtrack which actually sold over quarter of million copies in the UK.

Lawrence has been responsible for vocal arrangements and vocal productions on number-one albums for such artists as Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Westlife, Shayne Ward, Journeysouth, Alexandra Burke and Bebe Cece Winans, which includes number-one singles and albums in several music markets worldwide.

This is a partial list of clients he has worked with in the music industry has a vocal arranger, music consultant and also vocal production.

Elton John

Tom Jones

Lulu

Stevie Wonder

Bebe and Cece Winans

Eric Clapton

David Bowie

Tina Turner

Rod Stewart

Robbie Williams

Mary J Blige

Spice Girls

Emma Burton

Will-i-am

Soul II Soul

Leona Lewis

Susan Boyle

Gary Barlow

Luther Vandross

Lawrence is definitely a powerful creative eternity of menace proportion with a creative transcending impact and influence across the globe. He is an creative driving force behind-the- scenes and also instrumental behind the career successes of   many music icons. Many of the recording projects that Lawrence received credits for have won major music industry awards such as Grammy Awards and Brit Awards.

                                        

                                          Researched and compiled by               
                                          Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                          ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014