hits continued into the 1970s with ‘Stoned Love’ and ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ (their collaboration with childhood friends The Temptations). When third original Mary Wilson left in 1976 The Supremes finally folded. Ross’ phenomenal solo career, working with top producers including Chic and The Bee Gees, saw UK hits every single year until 1996, although she was ...
a pop-savvy mix of gospel, soul and refined R&B. They wrote over 50 Motown classics, performed by almost every member of the label’s roster, and with The Supremes alone they enjoyed five consecutive US No. 1s. Their bitter departure from Motown in 1967 over artistic and royalty disagreements was Gordy’s biggest mistake, triggering a gradual decline in ...
Go’ when Mary Wells did not show in 1963. Taking their name from raunchy gospel singer Della Reese, The Vandellas were the earthy alternative to Motown’s girl-group sophisticates The Supremes, making pop and R&B Top 10s with Holland-Dozier-Holland belters like ‘Heatwave’, ‘Dancing In The Streets’ and ‘Jimmy Mack’. By 1967, the pressure to compete took its toll in ...
(Vocal group, 1961–71) One of Motown’s first successful vocal groups comprised Gladys Horton, Georgeanna Tillman, Wanda Young, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart (left 1962). Their first release, ‘Please Mr Postman’ (later covered by The Carpenters) was the label’s first US pop No. 1 in 1961. It led to a run of nearly 30 pop and R&B ...
Son, a collection with all the virtues and few of the faults of a virtuoso performance. Styles & Forms | Sixties | Rock Personalities | Diana Ross & The Supremes | Sixties | Rock ...
and solo artists beguiled white fans as much as black, and raised the level of artistry that pop could attain.The likes of Robinson, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder fronted hit after hit, rising from pop ingénues to era-defining artists within the 10 years of ...
with an altogether earthier take on the hip hop-inspired times. En Vogue were stylish, sassy and sang with gospel-derived maturity, providing the world with a new jack feminist Supremes on 1990 debut album Born To Sing. Pundits played with the term ‘New Jill Swing’, as less vocally ferocious but equally feisty and entertaining girl groups such as SWV and ...
In the 1980s, the crossover ideal – not just between black and white music, but between rock and pop, and adults and kids – ruled the airwaves. Even the previously personal and introspective singer-songwriters were forced to adjust, and to dilute their piano-based romantic ballads with uptempo, full-band, dance-friendly songs. The brassy soul-pop nostalgia of ...
never looked back as Motown became a studio and, using one of the most successful songwriting teams ever in Holland-Dozier-Holland, created worldwide hits for the likes of The Supremes, Four Tops, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. Another name, Stevie Wonder, would mature from teen sensation to mature genius over ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.