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M.P.G.
''M.P.G.'' is the ninth studio album by American soul musician Marvin Gaye, released in 1969 for the Tamla label. His best-selling album of the 1960s, it became Gaye's first solo album to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, peaking at No. 33, and also became his first No. 1 album on the Soul Albums Chart. Three Top 40 hits were released from the album. The title matches the initials of Gaye's full name, Marvin Pentz Gay. Production Norman Whitfield provided the compositions "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" (originally recorded by labelmates The Temptations), " That's The Way Love Is" (originally recorded by The Isley Brothers) and a cover of Gladys Knight and the Pips' "The End of Our Road". The singles "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", the longest-running #1 hit on the R&B charts in 1969 and a #4 Pop hit, and " That's The Way Love Is" (#2 and #7 on the soul and pop charts, respectively) became consecutive million-sellers. These records were among Whitfield's man ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of successes, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul". Gaye's Motown songs include "Ain't That Peculiar", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Gaye also recorded duets with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, and Diana Ross. During the 1970s, Gaye recorded the albums '' What's Going On'' and ''Let's Get It On'' and became one of the first artists in Motown to break away from the reins of a production company. His later recordings influenced several contemporary R&B subgenres, such as quiet storm and neo soul. "Sexual Healing", released in 1982 on the album ''Midnight Love'', won him his first two Grammy Awards. Gaye's last televised appearances we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" is a Motown song written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford. The song was first recorded by The Temptations as a track on their 1966 album '' Gettin' Ready''. Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the recording, which was produced by Whitfield. Jimmy Ruffin also recorded a version with The Temptations providing background vocals in 1966. It remained unreleased until 1997. Three years later, Motown artist Marvin Gaye recorded a cover version of "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" as a follow-up single to his 1968 hit "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", another Whitfield/ Strong composition, which was a trans-atlantic top five hit. Whitfield produced Gaye's version as well, which featured background vocals by The Andantes. The song's lyrics feature the male narrator discussing how he has "no time to discuss weather" or "think about what money can buy", because when he thinks about his woman, "I ain't got time for nothing else". In ter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvin Gaye And His Girls
''Marvin Gaye and His Girls'' is a 1969 compilation album of duets recorded by Marvin Gaye and various female singers on the Tamla label. Among the ladies Gaye sung with were Mary Wells (the hits "Once Upon a Time" and "What's the Matter With You Baby"), Kim Weston ("What Good Am I Without You?" and " It Takes Two") and Tammi Terrell ("Your Precious Love" and "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By"). It was the original album release of "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By," which later appeared on '' Easy''. His solo album ''M.P.G.'' (named with his initials), was released simultaneously, on Gaye's thirtieth birthday. Track listing Credits *Lead (and additional background) vocals by Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Kim Weston, and Tammi Terrell *Background vocals by The Love Tones, The Originals, The Spinners, and The Andantes *Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Easy (Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell Album)
''Easy'' is an album recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and released by Motown Records on September 16, 1969 under the Tamla Records label. One song on the album, "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By", was a hit single and remains popular to this day. Terrell had been ill, suffering from complications caused by a brain tumor, since the fall of 1967. Marvin Gaye later claimed that as a result, most of the female vocals on this album were performed by Valerie Simpson, who served as co-songwriter and co- producer for the LP with her boyfriend and future husband Nickolas Ashford. Simpson is quoted in Ludie Montgomery's biography of Terrell, ''My Sister Tommie'', as not having subbed Terrell for vocals. Simpson again explicitly denied having done so in the liner notes to ''The Complete Motown Singles'' series.The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 9: 1969 (Motown/Hip-O Select, 2008 On the docuseries Unsung about Terrell, Simpson admitted she sang with Gaye during sessions saying, "I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William "Mickey" Stevenson
William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, after spending his formative years recording doowop and gospel music, joined Tamla/Motown in 1959, the year it was founded. He was head of the A&R department there during the company's "glory" years of the mid-1960s when artists such as the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder and Martha & the Vandellas came to the fore. Stevenson was also responsible for organizing and establishing the company's in-house studio band, which came to be known as the Funk Brothers. He wrote and produced many hit records for Motown, some with co-writer and producer Ivy Jo Hunter. They included his biggest successes, "Dancing in the Street", which he co-wrote with Hunter and Marvin Gaye; " It Takes Two" (Gaye and Weston), " Ask the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ivy Jo Hunter
George Ivy Hunter (August 28, 1940 – October 6, 2022), known as Ivy Jo Hunter, was an American R&B songwriter, record producer and singer, most associated with his work for Motown in the 1960s. Life and career Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Hunter was trained in orchestral music — primarily trumpet and keyboards. After a stint in the United States Army, Hunter began performing as a singer in the proto-soul venues around Detroit, where he became friends with songwriter Hank Cosby. Cosby introduced him to Motown's first A&R man, William "Mickey" Stevenson. Hunter played keyboards on Motown sessions before Stevenson began working with him as a songwriter. He became a principal in the Motown Records house band, and began to write some of the most significant hits of the early Motown years. Hunter's songs included The Spinners' " Truly Yours" and "Sweet Thing"; The Temptations' " Sorry Is a Sorry Word"; The Isley Brothers' " Behind a Painted Smile" and "My Love Is Your ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodger Penzabene
Rodger Penzabene (1945 – December 31, 1967) was an American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most notable compositions as a lyricist are "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" by Gladys Knight & the Pips; "The End of Our Road" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye; and a trilogy of hits for The Temptations: " You're My Everything", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)". Penzabene was of Sicilian and Irish descent. He attended Mumford High School in Detroit, Michigan. He was a childhood friend and neighbor of Cornelius Grant, with whom he wrote "You're My Everything". After Grant became musical director for the Temptations, Penzabene continued to contribute songs for the group, and for other Motown acts. The mournful songs "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another" reportedly drew from Penzabene's real-life pain and suffering. Otis Williams wrote that: "We liked Roger a lot. He was young, nice-looking, but k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mort Shuman
Mortimer Shuman (12 November 1938 – 2 November 1991) was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas". He also wrote and sang many songs in French, such as "Le Lac Majeur", "Papa-Tango-Charly", "Sha Mi Sha", "Un Été de Porcelaine", and "Brooklyn by the Sea" which became hits in France. Life and career Shuman was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, of Polish Jewish immigrants and went to Abraham Lincoln High School, subsequently studying music at the New York Conservatory. He became a fan of R&B music and after he met Doc Pomus the two teamed up to compose for Aldon Music at offices in New York City's Brill Building. Their songwriting collaboration saw Pomus write the lyrics and Shuman the melody, although occasionally each worked on both. Their compositions would be recorded by artists such as Dion, The Flamingos, Andy Williams, Bobby Darin, Fabian, Ajda Pekkan, The Drifters, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doc Pomus
Jerome Solon Felder (June 27, 1925 – March 14, 1991), known professionally as Doc Pomus, was an American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the co-writer of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer in 1992, the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992), and the Blues Hall of Fame (2012). Early life Born Jerome Solon Felder in 1925 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of Jewish immigrants. He attended Brooklyn College from 1943 to 1945. Felder became a fan of the blues after hearing a Big Joe Turner record, "Piney Brown Blues". Having contracted polio as a boy, he walked with the aid of crutches. Later, due to post-polio syndrome exacerbated by an accident, Felder relied on a wheelchair. His brother is New York attorney Raoul Felder. Career Using the stage name Doc Pomus, teenager Felder began performing as a blues singer. His stage name was not inspired by anyone in particular; he just thought it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music". Together with a fourth brother, Vernon, the group performed gospel music until Vernon's death a few years after its formation. After moving to New York City in the late 1950s, the group had their first successes during these early years, and rose to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, " Shout", written by the three brothers, which became their first single to chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and sold over a million copies. In the 1960s, the group recorded songs for a variety of labels, including the top 20 single "Twist and Shout" and the Motown single "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)", before recor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
This Magic Moment
"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It was first recorded by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead. Original Drifters version It was recorded first by Ben E. King and the Drifters, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The Drifters version spent 11 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and reached No. 16 on April 2, 1960. The session musicians Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller hired to play on this record were: Phil Bodner on sax, Ernie Hayes on piano, George Barnes and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, and Shep Shepherd on drums. The arranger and conductor was Stan Applebaum. Chart history Jay and the Americans version In 1968, Jay and the Americans released a version of the song, which became the song's most widely successful release. Their version spent 14 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, reaching No. 6 on March 1, 1969, while reaching No. 1 on Canada's "''RPM'' 100" [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anna Gordy
Anna Ruby Gaye (née Gordy; January 28, 1922 – January 31, 2014) was an American businesswoman, composer and songwriter. An elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, she became a record executive in the mid-to-late 1950s distributing records released on Checker and Gone Records before forming the Anna label with Billy Davis and her sister Gwen Gordy Fuqua. Gordy later became known as a songwriter for several hits including the Originals' "Baby, I'm for Real", and at least two songs on Marvin Gaye's '' What's Going On'' album. The first wife of Gaye, their turbulent marriage later served as inspiration for Gaye's 15th studio album, ''Here, My Dear''. Biography Life and career Born Anna Ruby Gordy on January 28, 1922, in Oconee, Georgia, she was the third-eldest child of Berry Gordy Sr. (Berry Gordy II) and Bertha Ida (née Fuller) Gordy's eight children. Into her first year, Gordy's family relocated to Detroit. Following graduation from high school in 1940, Gordy relocate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
