Michael and the Messengers were an attempt to take advantage of the popularity of the group "The Messengers". Originally formed in Minnesota as a high school band, they were re-formed in Milwaukee at

Marquette University Marquette University () is a private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Martin Henni, the first Bishop of the diocese of M ...

by the original bass player, Greg Jeresek. The Messengers had regional hits on USA Records, and mild national success on Motown's Rare Earth label. The Messengers started out in

Winona, Minnesota Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, Winona County, in the U.S. state, state of Minnesota. Located in bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota ...

in 1962 as a high school band consisting of: Greg Jeresek (aka Greg Jennings) bass, guitarists Greg Bambenek and Roy Berger, keyboardist Chip Andrews, and drummer Jim Murray. In Milwaukee, 1965, The band consisted of Peter Barnes-

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featu ...

, Greg Jeresek-

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

, Jesse Roe- organ, Jeff Taylor- lead vocals, and Augie Jurishica- drums. This group released a cover of "

In the Midnight Hour "In the Midnight Hour" is a song originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on his 1965 album of the same name, also appearing on the 1966 album ''The Exciting Wilson Pickett''. The song was composed by Pickett and Steve Crop ...

", and, shortly after, signed with Motown Records. They then moved to Detroit. They had a few releases with Motown that broke into the 'hot 100' nationally and toured with

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 successf ...

. When The Messengers signed with Motown they could not promote or release a followup to "Midnight Hour" on the USA label. At this time a Chicago DJ formed the "Michael and the Messengers" group to cash in on The Messengers' success. This group put out a cover of "

(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet" is a song written by Bob Hamilton and Freddie Gorman, first made famous by the 1964 hit recording by the Reflections. The song is the first person narrative of a young man who plans to find a job so that he can buy ...

", copying the style of The Messengers. They broke up shortly after. In 1968, several of the members of the 'Motown' Messengers left the group and, while still calling themselves "The Messengers", they became: Michael Morgan, Peter Barnes, Bob (Mother) Cavallo, and John Hoier. Morgan and Barnes would team up again in 1976 along with Ted Medbury to form the short lived pop group The Movies. In 1971, this group of Messengers reached number 62 in the US national charts with "That's the Way a Woman is." Perhaps due to the simplicity of the lyrics, this single was an even bigger hit in Japan (under the title "Ki ni naru onna no ko" 気になる女の子). This song had a small revival in 2005 in Japan due to its being used in an

Otsuka Pharmaceutical (), abbreviated OPC, is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tokyo, Osaka and Naruto, Japan. The company was established August 10, 1964. History OPC's parent company Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. joined the Tokyo Stock Exchange through an ini ...

's "Amino Supli" sports drink commercial.

Songs

*"My Baby" Soma Records *"I've Seen You Around" Soma Records *"Midnight Hour" USA Records *"Hard, Hard Year" USA Records *"Up 'til News" USA Records *"Romeo & Juliet" USA Records (New line up - Made famous on the legendary '' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968'' compilation) *"

California Soul "California Soul" is a funk-soul tune written by Ashford & Simpson, issued originally as the B-side of the Messengers' single "Window Shopping" in 1967 under the Motown group of labels. Other recordings *Nick Ashford then released his own ve ...

" Soul/Motown Records *"Window Shopping" Soul/Motown Records * "Gotta See Jane" Rare Earth/Motown Records *"That's the Way a Woman Is" Rare Earth/Motown Records (Michael Morgan - John Hoier) *'"Right On" *"I Gotta Dance" *"The Letter" (the B-side of "That's the Way the Woman Is" in Japan)

References

External links

Music Match "Michael and the Messengers" biography
*Gary Myers, "Do you Hear that Beat ()" {{Authority control Garage rock groups from Minnesota Musical groups established in 1962 1962 establishments in Minnesota ja:メッセンジャーズ