Martha & The Vandellas

In 1961 Martha Reeves was working as a secretary at Motown and later was responsible for helping acts audition for the label. By 1961, the group The Vels were recording background vocals for Motown acts. After Mary Wells failed to make a scheduled recording session the Vels recorded what was initially a demo recording of I'll Have to Let Him Go. Motown was so impressed by the group's vocals – and Martha's lead vocals in the song – that Berry Gordy offered to give the group a contract. Martha Reeves, Annette Beard, and Rosalind Ashford renamed themselves Martha and the Vandellas, choosing the name "Vandella" as a mixture of two things – Reeves lived on Van Dyke Street in Detroit and her idol was Detroit singer Della Reese. Martha & The Vandellas' hits include:

Come and Get These Memories

Heat Wave

Quicksand

Dancing in the Street

Nowhere to Run

My Baby Loves Me

I'm Ready For Love

Jimmy Mack