(474) BOBBY DARIN RECORDED ON MOTOWN!

We think the writers at REISSUE THEORY did a great job of telling about Bobby Darin on MOTOWN, the label he was signed to at the time of his death (years later) that some of the recordings.

THE SECOND DISK : BOBBY DARIN THE MOTOWN YEARS link here!

EXCERPT: "At the time of his untimely death in 1973, Bobby Darin was signed to Motown Records, where he recorded one solo LP and enough material for a posthumous second LP. Despite their high quality, Darin’s Motown recordings have long been unavailable. Today’s Reissue Theory takes us back to 1970 and the final chapter in the life of the great Bobby Darin." 





LINKING TO A REALLY COOL SITE CALLED "THE OFFICIAL 60's SITE : SUPREMES PAGE!
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES !

(473) HOLLAND -DOZIER - HOLLAND COMPOSERS OF OVER 200 SONGS

We wrote about some famous rock and roll classics songwriters like David Gates a while back, but you may not know about the three sonwriters so associated with Motown.  Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland are the men.  Songs they wrote are still being placed with artists today and that's the way to keep those royalties coming in for years!

HOLLANDDOZIERHOLLAND OFFICIAL link

and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ROCKHALL BIO OF HOLLAND DOZIER and HOLLAND

MOTOWN MUSEUM FOUNDED BY ESTHER GORDY EDWARDS

MOTOWN MUSEUM LINK  Learning more about Motown with our readers!

"Despite the passage of time since Motown Records’ establishment in 1959 by Berry Gordy, tens of thousands of visitors pass through Hitsville U.S.A., home to the Motown Museum, each year. Their presence is a testimony to Motown’s legacy and to the charisma, talent and staying power of the music and those who made it.


The Motown Museum, which was founded by Esther Gordy Edwards in 1985, is one of Southeast Michigan’s most popular tourist destinations. Visitors come from across America and throughout the world to stand in Studio A, where their favorite artists and groups recorded much-loved music, and to view the restored upper flat where Berry Gordy lived with his young family during the company’s earliest days.

Home to an extensive array of Motown artifacts, photographs and other memorabilia, the Museum’s mission, which is presented below, is to preserve the legacy of Motown Record Company and to educate and motivate people, especially youth..."

(469) STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN : MOTOWN "WRECKING CREW" CALLED THE FUNK BROTHERS

A very interesting documentary IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN is.

About ten years ago this DVD came out, and as I watched it, I was reminded that musicians who back stage performers and studio musicians are often responsible for a "Sound." 

Motown's definitive sound when it was Detroit based in the very early days of the label were called THE FUNK BROTHERS, and like the Wrecking Crew in Los Angeles, who listeners heard without knowing the names, this is the story of some unsung song heroes.

The funk brothers included Percussionist Jack "Black Jack" Ashford,  Bassist, Bob Babbitt,  Keyboardist, Joe Hunter,  Drummer Uriel Jones, Guitarist Joe Messina,  Guitarist Eddie "Chank" Willis,  Drummer Richard "Pistol" Allen, Drummer William "Papa Zita" Benjamin, Percussionist Eddie "Bongo" Brown, Keyboardist Johnny Griffith,  Bassist James "Igor" Jamerson, Keyboardist Earl "Chunk of Funk" Van Dyke, and Guitarist Robert White.  (We tried to list all these names in our labels but it didn't fit!)

The DVD features some re-creations of the tunes you know as Classic Motown and some interviews with those who were alive and well to tell the tale a decade ago.  There is also a nice little booklet included that tells you some of the songs these artists played on.  Most played the Blues and Jazz before Motown and brought that feel, as well as (you can tell from all those drummers and percussionists) a beat that was unique.

"They played on more #1 records than the Beatles, The Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley combined..."

Christine Trzyna