The Year Was 1965: Significant Events in Motown’s History Pt. 2

I

Marvin Gaye's first number one hit single

In the month of May Smokey Robinson produced his magic formula again with Marvin Gaye, as the latter stepped out of his studio drumming role and turned to singing as the label’s leading up-and-coming male vocalist. Robinson also found time to compose the song “I’ll Be Doggone” with guitarist Marv Tarplin and Pete Moore, founding members of The Miracles, whilst on tour. Marvin Gaye was an emerging genius who co-wrote his first three hit records, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow”, “Hitch Hike” and “Pride and Joy”. He was one of the first artists at Motown to do so. Gaye became brilliant at interpreting other song-writers’ material, improvising and improving on the original song and making it his own in the process. “I’ll Be Doggone” was certainly one of those songs. It topped the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart week-ending 22^nd May 1965 (1 week). Each member of The Funk Brothers added their own momentum and richness to the song’s groove helping to send the song to the top! 

The Supremes' album  containing
 the 1965 single "Come See About Me"

The Motown organisation was by now a winning brand and a major player within the industry. In the eleven months from August 1964 to June 1965, The Supremes had five number one singles on several singles chart listings. The five consecutive number one hits were “Where Did Our Love Go”, “Baby Love”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In the Name of Love”, and “Back in My Arms Again” The industry was now aware of the fact that Berry Gordy Jr. had tremendous power within his hit-making teams, with the credentials for consistent success. The key leading act The Supremes were performing a musical fusion of gospel and rhythm and blues which was sophisticated, innovative and intoxicating, with a high level of musical excellence. It also helped that the women were beautiful and well-dressed as leading fashion icons of the era!  

The fourth of the hit run, the power house song “Stop! In the Name of Love”, knocked The Beatles song “Eight Days a Week” off the number one position with a big bang and started its reign week-ending 27^th March 1965 (2 weeks). The Supremes became the first group in Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart history to have four chart topping singles in succession!

The hit album featuring the number one
 singles "Stop! In the of Love"
 and "Back In My Arms Again"

The label then released another monster classic recording called “Back in My Arms Again”, which reached the number one position week-ending 29^th May 1965 (1 week), once again produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. It thus became the fifth consecutive number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 12^th June (1 week). A new record! The track vocals were laid down on the 22^nd December 1964, followed by the dynamic and thunderous bass line of James Jamerson Jr. with Mike Terry’s excellent performance on saxophone and James Gittens’s ringing and driving vibes giving the song its special touch. Studio A was packed with musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performing strings, located on a built-up stage up again the wall, until the company acquired more studio space.

By 1965 many experts in the industry were trying to define the sound’s musical elements but Adam White, a British former music editor of Billboard Magazine, captured the essence brilliantly: “ A bedrock bass line; an emphatic beat accentuated by tambourines performed by both Jack Ashford and James Gittens; pounding percussions, drums and piano tracks; saxophone-driven brass charts; shrill femme backup vocals in the classic call-and-response mode of gospel performances; and those swirling, riff-reinforcing strings of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Motown had finally broken down racial barriers. The musical sophistication spread around the world. When you listen to ‘Back in My Arms Again’ you do not think about the track in terms of black or white sound; the music was an international language with a powerful spiritual force that changed the atmosphere all around you.

                                        ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2016

Key Significant Benchmarks in the African American Black Music industry Pt 8

Rap artist extraordinaire Lecrae

Rap artist extraordinaire Lecrae is the most successful artist in gospel Hip Hop music. He is the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Record, and the co-founder and president of the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries.

Lecrae is quickly developing into one of the biggest music stories of the year and his Cinderella rise has been noted everywhere from Rolling Stone Magazine, XXL Magazine, Vibe Magazine, The New York Times, The Atlantic and the cover of The Huffington Post Magazine to industry trades such as Billboard Magazine, Variety and Vulture. His performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, perfectly timed with his album’s release, had fans buzzing as he performed multiple hit records from his recently album “Anomaly”. He went on to  collects his first number-one album on the Billboard 200 Album Charts as his new “Anomaly” actually  opened at top the chart listing week-ending 14^th September 2014 (1 week)  It sold over 88,000 copies  according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's also the first chart-topper for Lecrae's label, Reach Records on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and the first album to top both the 200 and the Gospel chart simultaneously.

The album “Anomaly” is Lecrae’s best sales performance since the release of “Gravity” album in 2012, which debuted and peaked at number- three on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart with over 72,000 units sold that week. “Anomaly” is the Grammy winner's sixth number-one on the Billboard Gospel Albums Chart and his fifth leader on Christian Albums. (Most Christian hip-hop releases are eligible to appear on both sales charts.)

                                          

                                          Researched and compiled by               

                                          Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                          ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014 

1980 A Phenomenal Year for Quincy Jones Pt 3

The Brothers Johnson fourth studio Platinum certified album of their career and final number-one Hip-Hop/R&B Billboard Albums Chart listing in America. The single “Stomp” was number-one on the Hip-Hop/R&B Billboard Singles Chart for week ending the 5^th April 1980 (1 Week ) and also number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Dance Club Songs Chart.

The Brothers Johnson fourth 
platinum certified album

Mr Jones repeated his magic on two other recording artists in the same year with Brothers Johnson and George Benson. First with The Brothers Johnson fourth studio Platinum certified album of their career and final number-one Hip-Hop/R&B Billboard Albums Chart listing in America. The single “Stomp” was number-one on the Hip-Hop/R&B Billboard Singles Chart for week ending the 5^th April 1980 (1 Week ) and also number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Dance Club Songs Chart.

 

George Benson's first platinum album 
for Quincy Jones record label

The final release that year was “Give Me The Night” performed by George Benson. For this album Benson won  three  Grammy Awards in 1981, for "Best Male R&B Vocal Performance"  while "Moody's Mood" received  "Best Jazz Vocal Performance,Male" and "Off Broadway" received  "Best R&B Instrumental Performance."   Quincy Jones and Jerry Hey also won the Grammy Award for "Best Instrumental Arrangement" for the song "Dinorah, Dinorah." The album also achieved the number-one position Hip-Hop/R&B Billboard Albums Chart listing for week ending 20th September 1980 ( 4 weeks).

All three albums by Michael Jackson , Brothers Johnson and George Benson were platinum certified in America according to RIAA for over selling a millions copies plus , with all three album totaling  approximately 22 million copies in America and several million copies sold overseas.

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