Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Spinners
The Spinners formed in Detroit at Ferndale High School in the early 60s. They released four single for Motown between 1965 and 1971 and had many hits in the 1970s after they signed with Atlantic Records.
The Originals
The Originals formed in Detroit in 1966 and had two hits for Motown, Baby I'm For Real in 1969 and The Bells in 1970.
Edwin Starr
Born Charles Hatcher in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1942, Edwin Starr had a couple of hits for Motown, Twenty-Five Miles in 1969 and War which went to #1 in the summer of 1970. Edwin Starr died at his home in Bramcote, England, of a heart attack in 2003 at the age of 61.
Diana Ross
Born Diana Earle in Detroit, Michigan, in 1944, Diana Ross was the lead singer of The Supremes from 1961-1969. She began a solo career in 1970 that included such hits as Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Remember Me, Touch Me in the Morning, Last Time I Saw Him, Theme From Mahogany, Love Hangover, Upside Down, It's My Turn, I'm Coming Out and Endless Love with Lionel Richie.
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5, a quintet of brothers Michael, Tito, Jermaine, Jackie, and Marion Jackson, formed and was managed by their father in Gary, Indiana, in 1966. They signed with Motown in the late 60s. Their first 4 singles went to #1 on the Billboard chart. The Jackson 5 Motown hits include I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, I'll Be There, Mama's Pearl, Never Can Say Goodbye, and Sugar Daddy.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson had several solo hits on Motown in the early 70s, including Got to Be There, Ben, I Wanna Be Where You Are, and Rockin' Robin.
The Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the late summer of 1971 with "Smiling Faces Sometimes". They never had another hit.
The Commodores
The Commodores formed in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1970 and joined Motown in 1972. The group consisted of lead singer Lionel Richie, William King, Thomas McClary, Milan Williams, Ronald LaPread, and Walter "Clyde" Orange. The Commodores hits include Sweet Love, Just to Be Close to You, Easy, Brick House, Three Times a Lady, Sail On, Still, Lady (You Bring Me Up), and Oh No.
Lionel Richie
Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1949, Lionel Richie, former lead singer of the Commodores, began a solo career in 1982 that resulted in five #1 singles, including a duet with Diana Ross, "Endless Love".
DeBarge
De Barge was a family group from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who had several hits in the mid 80s, including All This Love,Time Will Reveal, Rhythm of the Night, and Who's Holding Donna Now. The group featured brothers El DeBarge, Mark DeBarge, James DeBarge, Randy DeBarge, and their sister Bunny DeBarge.
