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Motown 25
''Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' is a 1983 television special, produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to commemorate Motown's 25th year (Motown was founded in January 1959). The program was taped before a live audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California on March 25, 1983, and broadcast on NBC on May 16. Among its highlights were Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" (which popularized the moonwalk), Smokey Robinson's long-awaited reunion with The Miracles, a Temptations / Four Tops "battle of the bands", Marvin Gaye's inspired speech about black music history and his memorable performance of " What's Going On", a Jackson 5 reunion, and an abbreviated reunion of Diana Ross & the Supremes, who performed their final #1 hit, "Someday We'll Be Together" from 1969. The show was co-written by de Passe with Ruth Adkins Robinson who would go on to write shows with de Passe for the next 25 years, including the follow-up label tributes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suzanne De Passe
Suzanna Celeste de Passe (born July 19, 1946, 1947 or 1948) (sources differ) is an American businesswoman, television, music and film producer. De Passe serves as the co-chairwoman of de Passe Jones Entertainment Group. Biography Early life and education De Passe was born in New York City to a Harlem born mother of Jamaican descent and a father of Haitian and French descent. Raised in Harlem, De Passe attended Manhattan High School and later Syracuse University. Career De Passe began her career in show business at the Cheetah nightclub in New York City. Through her friendship with Cindy Birdsong, who replaced Florence Ballard as a member of The Supremes in 1967, she began working at Motown as Creative Assistant to company founder, Berry Gordy. Early in her career, de Passe developed Michael Jackson and his brothers ( The Jackson 5)'s wardrobe and the act they took on the road. She was instrumental in taking the record label to television with a host of critically accl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. It is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. ''Billboard'' ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time. Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, the original members, were all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit. They formed ''the Primettes'' as the sister act to the Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who went on to form the Temptations). Barbara Martin replac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with The Supremes, The Miracles, The Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the Four Tops, Wells was said to have been part of the charge in black music onto radio stations and record shelves of mainstream America, "bridging the color lines in music at the time." With a string of hit singles composed mainly by Smokey Robinson, including "The One Who Really Loves You", " Two Lovers", and the Grammy-nominated "You Beat Me to the Punch", all in 1962, plus her signature hit, " My Guy" (1964), she became recognized as "The Queen of Motown" until her departure from the company in 1964, at the height of her success. Life and career Early life and initial recordings Mary Esther Wells was born near Detroit's Wayne State University on May 13, 1943, to a mother who worked as a domestic, and an absentee father. One of three chil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvin Gay Sr
Marvin Pentz Gay Sr. (October 1, 1914 – October 10, 1998) was an American Pentecostal minister. He was the father of American recording artists Marvin Gaye and Frankie Gaye and gained notoriety after shooting and killing his son Marvin on April 1, 1984, following an argument at their home. Early life Gay was born the first of 13 children to George and Mamie Gay on October 1, 1914 on a farm along Catnip Hill Pike in Jessamine County, Kentucky and was raised in Lexington. He had a troubled childhood, where his physically abusive father would often beat his mother, Marvin, and his five siblings. According to Gay's wife, Alberta, Gay's family life consisted of constant violence involving domestic abuse and shootings. "Gays against Gays", she told author David Ritz. When Gay was still a child, he and his mother joined the Pentecostal church, the House of God. Gay moved to Washington, D.C. in his late teens to pursue a career as a minister of a House of God church there. Marri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Death Of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye, an American musician who gained worldwide fame for his work with Motown Records, was shot and killed the day before his 45th birthday by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., on April 1, 1984, at their house in the Arlington Heights district of Los Angeles, California. Gaye was shot twice following an altercation with his father after he intervened in an argument between his parents. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the California Hospital Medical Center. Gaye's father later pleaded no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter. Gaye's death inspired several musical tributes over the years including recollections of the incidents leading to his death. Gaye was given a burial plot at Forest Lawn Cemetery and was later cremated and his ashes spread around the Pacific Ocean. Circumstances Marvin Gaye had a bitter relationship with his father, Marvin Gay Sr., since his childhood. Marvin Sr. was a Christian minister who was a strict disciplinarian and often physically ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1983 NBA All-Star Game
The 33rd National Basketball Association All-Star Game was played on February 13, 1983, at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 132–123. The Most Valuable Player was Julius Erving. Billy Cunningham coached the Eastern Conference team. Pat Riley coached the Western Conference team. Both would be the coaches at the following summer's NBA Finals. The game was most notable for Marvin Gaye singing a soulful, drum machine-accompanied version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the game. This rendition gained newfound fame in 2008 when Nike used it in a video promoting the United States men's national basketball team. The colors were by the Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is ... color ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grammy Awards Of 1983
The 25th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 1983, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Album of the Year went to Toto for ''Toto IV'', and Song of the Year went to Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson for " Always on My Mind". Awards General ;Record of the Year * " Rosanna" – Toto ** Toto, producer ; Album of the Year * ''Toto IV'' – Toto ** Toto, producer ; Song of the Year * " Always on My Mind" ** Johnny Christopher, Mark James & Wayne Carson, songwriters (Willie Nelson) ;Best New Artist * Men at Work * Asia * Jennifer Holliday * The Human League * Stray Cats Blues * Best Traditional Blues Recording ** Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown for ''Alright Again'' Children's *Best Recording for Children **David Levine & Lucy Simon (producers) for In Harmony 2 performed by various artists Classical * Best Orchestral Performance **Jay David Saks, Thomas Z. Shepard (producers), James ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sexual Healing
"Sexual Healing" is a song recorded by American singer Marvin Gaye from his seventeenth and final studio album, '' Midnight Love'' (1982). It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the '' In Our Lifetime'' (1981) album the previous year. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Gaye's final top 10 hit) and is listed at number 198 on '' Rolling Stone's'' list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Sexual Healing" is written and composed in the key of E-flat major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 94 beats per minute. Background In the winter of 1981, Marvin Gaye had relocated to Ostend, Belgium, following the end of a European tour amid problems with the Internal Revenue Service and the end of his second marriage. Struggling with depression and cocaine addiction, Gaye had agreed to move to Ostend on the advice of longtime resident Freddy Cousaert. While in Ostend, Gaye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the American Graphophone Company, the successor to the Volta Graphophone Company. Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in the recorded sound business, and the second major company to produce records. From 1961 to 1991, its recordings were released outside North America under the name CBS Records to avoid confusion with EMI's Columbia Graphophone Company. Columbia is one of Sony Music's four flagship record labels, alongside former longtime rival RCA Records, as well as Arista Records and Epic Records. Artists who have recorded for Columbia include AC/DC, Adele, Aerosmith, Julie Andrews, Louis Armstrong, Gene Autry, Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Leonard Bernstein, Beyoncé, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Blue Öyster Cult, David ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Commodores
Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for the Jackson 5 while on tour. The group's most successful period was in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Lionel Richie was the co-lead singer. The band's biggest hit singles are ballads such as " Easy", " Three Times a Lady", and " Nightshift"; and funk-influenced dance songs; including " Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", " Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and " Too Hot ta Trot". Commodores were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The band has also won one Grammy Award out of nine nominations. The Commodores have sold over 70 million albums worldwide. History Commodores were formed from two former student groups, the Mystics and the Jays. Ric ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recording the hit singles " Easy", " Sail On", " Three Times a Lady" and " Still", with the group before his departure. In 1980, he wrote and produced the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one single "Lady" for Kenny Rogers. The following year, he wrote and produced the single " Endless Love", which he recorded as a duet with Diana Ross; it remains among the top 20 bestselling singles of all time, and the biggest career hit for both artists. In 1982, he officially launched his solo career with the album '' Lionel Richie'', which sold over four million copies and spawned the singles " You Are", " My Love", and the number one single " Truly". His second album, '' Can't Slow Down'' (1983), reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart and s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shotgun (Junior Walker & The All Stars Song)
__NOTOC__ "Shotgun" is a song written by Junior Walker and recorded with his group the All Stars. Called a "dance tune", it was produced by Berry Gordy Jr. and Lawrence Horn. Gordy's Soul Records, a Motown Records subsidiary, issued it as a single in 1965. It reached number 1 on the U.S. R&B Singles chart for four non-consecutive weeks and peaked at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In Canada, the song reached number 26. Recording "Shotgun" was Walker's debut as a vocalistwhen the singer who was hired to perform at the recording session did not show up, Walker stood in. Rather than re-record the vocal at a later date, producer Gordy decided to keep Walker's take, much to the latter's surprise. The song opens with the sound of a shotgun blast and a drum roll, with the verses alternating between Walker's vocals and tenor saxophone fills. It does not employ the typical progression, but remains on one chord throughout. Personnel * Junior Walker – tenor saxophone, lead vo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
