109-853: Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1972 as Martha Reeves & The Vandellas ) were an American girl group formed in Detroit , Michigan in 1957. The group achieved fame in the 1960s as a major act for Motown . Formed by friends Annette Beard , Rosalind Ashford and Gloria Williams , Martha Reeves eventually joined the group, and she became its lead vocalist after Williams' departure in 1962. The group signed with and eventually recorded all of their singles for Motown's Gordy imprint. The group's string of hits included " Come and Get These Memories " (1963), " Heat Wave " (1963), " Quicksand " (1963), " Nowhere to Run " (1965), " Jimmy Mack " (1967), " I'm Ready for Love " (1968), " Bless You " (1971), and " Dancing in
218-495: A Detroit club, he offered her an audition. Reeves showed up at Motown's Hitsville USA studios on a Tuesday rather than Thursday, Motown's usual audition day. Initially upset with Reeves, Stevenson soon assigned her as his secretary eventually responsible for handling Motown's auditions. By 1961, the group, now known as The Vels, were recording background vocals for Motown acts. Prior to her success as lead singer of The Elgins , Saundra Edwards (then going by her surname Mallett) recorded
327-648: A Ford auto plant and sat in a Ford Mustang convertible as it's being assembled. Motown struggled to find good material for many of their acts after the exit of Motown contributor and Reeves' mentor William "Mickey" Stevenson in 1967 and Holland–Dozier–Holland in early 1968, but after their former collaborators left the label, the Vandellas initially continued to find success with the Richard Morris -produced singles " Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone " (US #25; R&B #14) and " Honey Chile " (US #11; UK #30; R&B #5) added to their already extended list of charted singles. In
436-472: A Hold on Me " (another Grammy Hall of Fame-inducted hit), " Mickey's Monkey "," What's So Good About Goodbye ", and " I'll Try Something New ", made The Miracles the label's first stars. The Tamla and Motown labels were then merged into a new company, Motown Record Corporation , incorporated on April 14, 1960. In 1960, Gordy signed an unknown singer, Mary Wells , who became the fledgling label's second star, with Smokey Robinson penning her hits " You Beat Me to
545-552: A Los Angeles benefit concert for actor Will Geer . In 1983, Reeves successfully sued for royalties from her Motown hits and the label agreed to have the songs credited as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas from then on. That year, Reeves performed solo at Motown 25 , which alongside some of their songs being placed on the Big Chill soundtrack, helped Reeves and the Vandellas gain a new audience. In 1989, original members Ashford and Beard also sued Motown for royalties. During this time,
654-509: A black, female slave named Esther Johnson. A sexual assault lawsuit filed against Jermaine Jackson in December 2023 by Rita Barrett, who was the wife of Gordy's friend Ben Barrett, alleged Gordy assisted in covering up Jackson's sexual assault of her in 1988. Berry Gordy owned the colt Powis Castle whom he raced under the nom de course Vistas Stables. Racing in California, Powis Castle won
763-456: A co-writer credit, though the song was originally written and recorded by guitarist Bobby Parker for Vee-Jay Records a year and a half earlier. Gordy's next release was the only 45 ever issued on his Rayber label, featuring Wade Jones with an unnamed female backup group. The record did not sell well and is now one of the rarest issues from the Motown stable. Berry's third release was " Bad Girl " by
872-524: A crush or lover, and heartache. Some songs sounded upbeat or cheerful and sang about falling in love, whereas others took a decidedly more melancholic turn. Groups like the Shangri-Las , with the song " I Can Never Go Home Anymore " sang about the darker side of being in love. An especially prevalent theme was adolescence. Since most of the girl groups were composed of young singers, often still in high school, songs mentioned parents in many cases. Adolescence
981-627: A detailed listing of albums and singles, see Martha and the Vandellas discography The following singles reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 song chart in the U.S. Girl group A girl group is a music act featuring three or more female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of whom were influenced by doo-wop and which flourished in
1090-647: A female group, and a film, the Spice Girls became the most commercially successful British group since the Beatles . Unlike their predecessors who were marketed at male record buyers, the Spice Girls redefined the girl group concept by going after a young female fanbase instead. The cultural movement started by the Spice Girls produced a glut of other similar acts, which include the British-Canadian outfit All Saints , Irish girl group B*Witched , Atomic Kitten and
1199-402: A grocery store, owned a plastering and carpentry business, and a printing shop. While his brothers Fuller and George were happy to work at jobs their father assigned to them in construction and printing, Gordy and his brother Robert were less inclined to follow that path; both liked dancing and music, but Gordy's greatest interest was in boxing. Gordy dropped out of Northeastern High School in
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#17330558758601308-468: A million-seller, and one of the most played singles in history. Between 1964 and 1967, singles like " Wild One " (US #34), " Nowhere to Run " (US #8; UK #26), " Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) " (US #70; R&B #22), " You've Been in Love Too Long " (US #36), " My Baby Loves Me " (US #22; R&B #3), " I'm Ready for Love " (US #9; R&B #2; UK #29) and " Jimmy Mack " (US #10; R&B #1; UK #21) kept
1417-596: A modest hit, but had more success internationally, especially in the UK, where it reached the Top 10 and even later topped the chart on re-issue in 1986. Wilson recorded six more songs co-written by Gordy over the next two years, including " Lonely Teardrops ", which topped the R&;B charts and got to number 7 in the pop chart. The Gordy siblings and Davis also wrote " All I Could Do Was Cry " for Etta James at Chess Records . Gordy reinvested
1526-558: A more potent sound allowed girl groups to sing powerfully and in different styles than earlier generations. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller would likewise foster the Exciters , the Dixie Cups , and the Shangri-Las . The Shangri-Las' hit single, " Leader of the Pack ", exemplified the "' death disc ' genre" adopted by some girl groups. These songs usually told the story of teenage love cut short by
1635-575: A number of girl groups emerged, such as the Andrews Sisters . The late 1950s saw the emergence of all-female singing groups as a major force, with 750 distinct girl groups releasing songs that reached US and UK music charts from 1960 to 1966. The Supremes alone held 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 during the height of the wave and throughout most of the British Invasion rivaled
1744-418: A son: Gordy had a daughter with Motown artist Diana Ross , with whom he had an intimate relationship from 1965 through 1970: Gordy's eighth and youngest child is a son born to Nancy Leiviska: Berry married Grace Eaton on July 17, 1990; they divorced in 1993. He is also related to former US President Jimmy Carter . His relation to Carter stems from his white great-grandfather James Thomas Gordy who owned
1853-574: A total of 20 million copies in Japan within three years, with Variety calling them "Japan's top girl group", while Max still hold the record for girl group with the second most consecutive top 10 singles in Japan. Throughout the 2010s, AKB48 sister groups have been launched or will be launched in Indonesia, China, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Several new Japanese idol groups appeared in
1962-457: Is Rosalind Ashford -Holmes, and Beard, whose full name now is Annette Beard -Helton, continue to perform with other singers, most notably Roschelle Laughhunn, as "The Original Vandellas". Reeves, with her sisters Lois and Delphine Reeves, tour as "Martha Reeves and the Vandellas". From 2005 to 2009, Reeves held the eighth seat of Detroit's city council. She has since lost her seat and told the press that she would continue performing. A remake of
2071-454: Is an American retired record executive, record producer, songwriter, film and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record label and its subsidiaries, which was the highest-earning African-American business for decades. As a songwriter, Gordy composed or co-composed a number of hits including " Lonely Teardrops " and "That's Why" ( Jackie Wilson ), " Shop Around " (
2180-726: The Billboard Hot 100 . Selected members of the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. Teenagers Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard first became acquainted after a local music manager hired them to be members of a girl group he named the Del-Phis. Ashford, Beard, and lead vocalist Gloria Williams , performed at local clubs, private events, church benefits, YMCA events and school functions. They were also being coached by Maxine Powell at Detroit's Ferris Center. One of
2289-685: The CBC Lifetime Achievement Award . He was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2009. When Gordy received the Songwriters Hall of Fame 's Pioneer Award on June 13, 2013, he was the first living individual to receive the honor. In 2014, Gordy received the key to the city from Mike Duggan on October 22, 2014. In 2016, Gordy received
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#17330558758602398-755: The Four Tops , Gladys Knight & the Pips , and Stevie Wonder . He was known for carefully directing the public image, dress, manners, and choreography of his acts. Gordy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2016, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021. In 2022, he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame . Berry Gordy III (also known as Berry Gordy Jr.)
2507-556: The Great Depression . The Boswell Sisters , who became one of the most popular singing groups from 1930 to 1936, had over twenty hits. The Andrews Sisters started in 1937 as a Boswell tribute band and continued recording and performing through the 1940s into the late-1960s, achieving more record sales, more Billboard hits, more million-sellers, and more movie appearances than any other girl group to date. The Andrews Sisters had musical hits across multiple genres, which contributed to
2616-602: The Honeyz , who all achieved varying levels of success during the decade. Throughout the 2000s, girl groups from the UK remained popular, with Girls Aloud 's " Sound of the Underground " and Sugababes ' " Round Round " having been called "two huge groundbreaking hits" credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Despite her being a solo artist, Amy Winehouse's 2006 album Back to Black contained heavy influence from 1960s girl groups and garnered Winehouse comparisons to
2725-575: The National Medal of Arts from President Obama for "helping to create a trailblazing new sound in American music. As a record producer and songwriter, he helped build Motown, launching the music careers of countless legendary artists. His unique sound helped shape our Nation's story." Berry Gordy Square in Los Angeles was designated by the City Council at intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Argyle where
2834-653: The Spice Girls , the 1990s also saw the target market for girl groups shift from a male audience to an increasingly female one. In the 2010s, the K-pop phenomenon led to the rise of successful girl groups including Girls' Generation , Twice and Blackpink . One of the first major all-female groups was the Hamilton Sisters and Fordyce , an American trio who successfully toured England and parts of Europe in 1927, recorded and appeared on BBC radio – they toured
2943-565: The disco craze and beyond, female acts included First Choice , Silver Convention , Hot , the Emotions , High Inergy , Odyssey , Sister Sledge , Mary Jane Girls , Belle Epoque , Frantique , Luv' , and Baccara . Groups of the 1980s like the Pointer Sisters , Exposé , and Bananarama updated the concept. In Latin America, there were a number of dance-oriented popular girl groups during
3052-539: The 1950s era would also give advice to other girls, or sing about the advice their mothers gave to them, which was a similarity to some male musical groups of the time (for example, the Miracles ' " Shop Around "). Adolescence was also important (especially starting in the 1950s) from the other end: the consumers were "teenagers [with] disposable income, ready access to automobiles, and consolidated high schools that exposed them to large numbers of other teens. Mass teen culture
3161-579: The 2010s and created a fiercely competitive situation in the music industry, which has been referred to as the "Idol sengoku jidai " (アイドル戦国時代; lit. Age of the Idol Warring States). Since 2009, Hallyu (Korean wave) and K-pop became increasingly significant in the entertainment industry. Its influence spread across Asia and began to reach the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the Americas. At
3270-492: The 2010s. Japan has the music industry's second largest market overall and the largest physical music market in the world, with the physical sales Oricon Singles Chart being dominated by J-pop idol girl groups. In the late 1990s, vocal/dance girl bands Speed and Max gained prominence in Asia, and paved the way for succeeding Japanese girl groups, such as Morning Musume , AKB48 , Perfume , and Momoiro Clover Z . Speed sold
3379-648: The American pop singles chart (the biggest peak of Vandellas' seventies singles in the US), and number twenty-nine on the R&B singles chart. "Bless You" reached number thirty-three in the UK giving the group two big hits that year in England. . "Bless You" reached number 16 in Canada and went all the way to number 2 in Puerto Rico . It was to be the last Billboard Hot 100 hit single for the group. After two successive Top 40 R&B singles,
Martha and the Vandellas - Misplaced Pages Continue
3488-526: The Beatles in popularity. In later eras, the girl group template would be applied to disco , contemporary R&B , and country -based formats, as well as pop . A more globalized music industry gave rise to the popularity of dance-oriented pop music led by major record labels. This emergence, led by the US, UK, South Korea and Japan, produced popular acts, with eight groups debuting after 1990 having sold more than 15 million physical copies of their albums . With
3597-627: The Bonnie Sisters with "Cry Baby" and the Teen Queens with " Eddie My Love " showed early promise for a departure from traditional pop harmonies. With " Mr. Lee ", the Bobbettes lasted for 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 months on the charts in 1957, building momentum and gaining further acceptance of all-female, all- black vocal groups. However, it was the Chantels ' 1958 song " Maybe " that became "arguably,
3706-497: The Chantels and others was followed by an enormous rise in girl groups with varying skills and experience, with the music industry's typical racially segregated genre labels of R&B and pop slowly breaking apart. This rise also allowed a semblance of class mobility to groups of people who often could not otherwise gain such success, and "forming vocal groups together and cutting records gave them access to other opportunities toward professional advancement and personal growth, expanding
3815-590: The Jacksons, Rick James , Commodores, Lionel Richie , and long-term signings Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, the record company was no longer the major force it had been. Gordy sold his interests in Motown Records to MCA and Boston Ventures on June 28, 1988, for $ 61 million (equivalent to $ 135,610,000 in 2023). He later sold most of his interests in Jobete publishing to EMI Publishing. Gordy wrote or co-wrote 240 of
3924-476: The Korean wave's globalization accelerated. These newer girl groups gradually shifted towards more "girl crush" concepts and it became more common for members to be involved in writing or production. Popular South Korean girl groups include Blackpink , Twice , Aespa , NewJeans , IVE and Red Velvet amongst others. Girl groups have a wide array of subject matter in their songs, depending on time and place and who
4033-763: The Miracles ), and " Do You Love Me " ( the Contours ), all of which topped the US R&;B charts, as well as the international hit " Reet Petite " ( Jackie Wilson ). As part of the Corporation , he wrote many hit songs for the Jackson 5 , including " I Want You Back " and " ABC ". As a record producer, he launched the Miracles and signed acts like the Supremes , Marvin Gaye , the Temptations ,
4142-534: The Miracles , the first release on the Motown record label. "Bad Girl" was a solid hit in 1959 after Chess Records picked it up. Barrett Strong 's " Money (That's What I Want) " initially appeared on Tamla and then charted on Gordy's sister's label, Anna Records , in February 1960. It was The Miracles who gave the label its first million-selling hit single, with the 1960 Grammy Hall of Fame smash, " Shop Around " and this song, and its follow up hits," You've Really Got
4251-653: The Murmaids took David Gates ' " Popsicles and Icicles " to the top 3 in January, the Carefrees ' " We Love You Beatles " scraped the top 40 in April, and the Jewels ' "Opportunity" was a small hit in December. Over 750 girl groups were able to chart a song between 1960 and 1966 in the US and UK, although the genre's reach was not as strongly felt in the music industries of other regions. As
4360-660: The Pop Top 40. However, their next single, " Dancing in the Street ", rose up to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also found global success, peaking at No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart in 1964. In 1969, "Dancing in the Street" was re-issued and it was plugged heavily on radio stations. It did not take long for the song to peak at No. 4 in the UK, thus making the song one of the all-time favourite Motown single releases ever. The song became
4469-635: The Punch ", " Two Lovers ", and " My Guy ". The Miracles' hit " Shop Around " peaked at No. 1 on the national R&B charts in late 1960 and at No. 2 on the Billboard magazine pop charts on January 16, 1961 (No. 1 pop, Cash Box ), which established Motown as an independent company worthy of notice. Later in 1961, the Marvelettes ' " Please Mr. Postman " made it to the top of both charts. Gordy's gift for identifying and bringing together musical talent, along with
Martha and the Vandellas - Misplaced Pages Continue
4578-479: The Reeves-led "I'll Let You Know", which flopped. The Del-Phis then went to Checkmate Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records , recording their "There He Is (At My Door)" featuring Williams on lead vocals, which also flopped. Reeves reverted to a solo artist under the name Martha LaVaille in the hope of getting a contract with emerging Detroit label Motown . After Motown staffer Mickey Stevenson saw Reeves singing at
4687-559: The Ronettes. UK girl group continued to have success in the 2000s and 2010s, with acts such as Mis-Teeq , the Saturdays , StooShe and Little Mix , one of the successful acts to come from the British version of The X Factor . Although the emergence of dance-pop focused acts in Asia paralleled their British counterparts in the 1990s, girl groups in Asia sustained as a successful format through
4796-485: The Street " (1964), the last of which became known as their signature song. During their nine-year run on the charts from 1963 to 1972, Martha and the Vandellas charted over twenty-six hits and recorded in the styles of doo-wop , R&B , pop, blues , rock and roll and soul . Ten Vandellas songs reached the top ten of the Billboard R&;B singles chart , including two R&B number ones, and six Top Ten hits on
4905-627: The Three Degrees (which had roots in the 1960s and in 1970, like the Chantels in 1958, began their top 40 pop career with "Maybe"). Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles was a US 1960s girl group whose image Vicki Wickham , their manager, helped remake in the early 1970s, renaming the group Labelle and pushing them in the direction of glam rock . Labelle were the first girl group to eschew matching outfits and identical choreography, instead wearing extravagant spacesuits and feathered headdresses. During
5014-771: The Toys and the Sweet Inspirations , the only girl groups with any significant chart presence from the beginning of the British Invasion through 1970 were Motown girl groups with the Supremes being the only girl group to score number one hits. The distinct girl group sound would not re-emerge until the 21st century, where it would influence modern-day English-speaking pop-soul soloists who have been met with international success, such as Amy Winehouse , Adele , Duffy and Melanie Fiona among others. In addition to influencing individual singers, this generation of girl groups cemented
5123-470: The UK charts at the time was Eternal , but even they "remained largely faceless". Amidst the American domination of the girl group format, the Second British Invasion saw the UK's Spice Girls turn the tide in the mid-1990s, achieving ten number 1 singles in the UK and US. With sold-out concerts, advertisements, merchandise, 86 million worldwide record sales, the best-selling album of all time by
5232-546: The US and UK quickly recognized the potential of this new approach and recruited existing acts (or, in some cases, created new ones) to record their songs in a girl group style. Phil Spector recruited the Crystals , the Blossoms , and the Ronettes , while Goffin and King penned two hit songs for the Cookies . Phil Spector made a huge impact on the ubiquity of the girl group, as well as bringing fame and notoriety to new heights for many girl groups. Phil Spector's so-called Wall of Sound , which used layers of instruments to create
5341-452: The US variety and big-time theaters extensively, and later changed their stage name to the Three X Sisters . The band was together from 1923 until the early 1940s, and known for their close harmonies, as well as barbershop style or novelty tunes, and utilized their 1930s radio success. The Three X Sisters were also especially a notable addition to the music scene, and predicted later girl group success by maintaining their popularity throughout
5450-529: The Vandellas on the map as one of the label's top acts. The Vandellas' popularity helped the group get spots on The Ed Sullivan Show , The Mike Douglas Show , American Bandstand and Shindig! . Throughout this period, the Vandellas had also become one of the label's most popular performing acts. On June 28, 1965, the group appeared with several other popular acts of the period on CBS-TV's Murray The K-It's What's Happening, Baby . Martha, Rosalind and Betty performed " Nowhere to Run ", as they skipped through
5559-419: The Vandellas were a presence throughout her " Murphy Brown " series. The group's picture was displayed prominently in Murphy's office. When Aretha Franklin guest starred and Murphy tried to sing with her, Franklin stopped her, saying, "I'm not Martha, and you ain't no Vandella." The group is briefly portrayed in the 2017 film Detroit , performing "Nowhere to Run" at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Martha and
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#17330558758605668-400: The Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (they were nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the song in 1964). In 1993, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were awarded the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. Except for pre-Vandellas member Gloria Williamson and Vandellas member Sandra Tilley, all members of
5777-406: The Vandellas' split, Reeves' sister Lois sang with the group Quiet Elegance and sang background for Al Green , while Tilley retired from show business in 1972, suddenly dying of a brain aneurysm in 1983 at the age of thirty-seven. Original member Gloria Williams, who retired from show business when she left the group, died in 2000. In 1978, Reeves and original Vandellas Ashford and Beard reunited at
5886-413: The approximately 15,000 songs in Motown's Jobete music catalogue. However, the true test of the label's worth would come a few years later, when Polygram paid over $ 330 million ( Diana Ross was given shares in this version of the label) for the Motown catalog. Gordy published an autobiography, To Be Loved , in 1994. Gordy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1993 he received
5995-555: The ballad "In and Out of My Life" (#22 US R&B) and the Marvin Gaye cover, "Tear It On Down" (#37 US R&B), the group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972, but Martha Reeves is still often billed as 'Martha Reeves & The Vandellas'. The next year, Reeves announced plans of starting a solo career. At the same time, Motown Records moved its operations to Los Angeles. When Reeves did not want to move, she negotiated out of her contract with Motown, signing with MCA in 1974, and releasing
6104-469: The beginning, girl groups such as Girls' Generation , 2NE1 and Wonder Girls were among the leaders of this "Hallyu" wave. The influence of the original girl groups of the United States was not lost on this era of artists, as many adopted visual influences through their "retro" concepts, such as the international 2008 hit " Nobody " by Wonder Girls. From the second half of the 2010s, new generations of Korean girl groups emerged and enjoyed great success as
6213-415: The best-selling album by a girl group in the United States (Diamond certification), while selling over 14 million copies worldwide. Destiny's Child emerged in the late 1990s and sold more than 60 million records. In the mid-to-late-2000s, there was a revival of girl groups. American girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls achieved worldwide success with their singles. Danity Kane also became
6322-435: The careful management of his artists' public image, made Motown a major national and then international success. Over the next decade, he signed such artists as the Supremes , Marvin Gaye , the Temptations , Jimmy Ruffin , the Contours , the Four Tops , Gladys Knight & the Pips , the Commodores , the Velvelettes , Martha and the Vandellas , Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5 . Though he also signed some white acts to
6431-422: The chart performance of many Motown acts with the exception of Marvin Gaye , The Temptations , and Stevie Wonder ) suffered as a result. However it was the infighting among the members of the Vandellas that led to their problems. Kelly was the first to be let go after reportedly missing shows, as well as getting into altercations with Reeves. There were many instances where these "fights" happened on stage. Kelly
6540-471: The charts. Groups in these genres, such as SWV , Xscape , 702 , Total , Zhane , Blaque , and 3LW , managed to have songs chart on both the U.S. Hot 100 and the U.S. R&B charts. However, TLC achieved the most success for a girl group in an era where contemporary R&B would become global mainstream acceptance. TLC remains the best-selling American girl group with 65 million records sold, and their second studio album, CrazySexyCool (1994), remains
6649-433: The chorus, and peaked at number forty-two. Reeves reportedly hated singing the song sensing it "close to home". In 1969 a reissue of "Nowhere To Run" reached the top 40 in the UK. In 1970, the group issued Motown's first protest single, the controversial anti-war song, " I Should Be Proud ", which peaked at a modest forty-five on the R&B singles chart. The song was uncharacteristic of the Vandellas and did nothing to promote
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#17330558758606758-412: The critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, Martha Reeves . Despite rave reviews of her work, neither of Reeves' post-Vandellas/Motown recordings produced the same success as they had the decade before. After living what she called "a rock & roll lifestyle" of prescription pills, cocaine and alcohol, Reeves sobered up in 1977, overcoming her addictions and becoming a born-again Christian . After
6867-407: The death of one of the young lovers. The Paris Sisters had success from 1961 to 1964, especially with " I Love How You Love Me ". The Chiffons , the Angels , and the Orlons were also prominent in the early 1960s. In early fall 1963 one-hit wonder the Jaynetts ' " Sally Go 'Round the Roses " achieved a mysterious sound quite unlike that of any other girl group. In 1964, the one-hit wonder group
6976-469: The elder James and his legal wife), was the grandfather of President Jimmy Carter . Berry Gordy II was led to Detroit both by the job opportunities offered by the booming automotive businesses, and also by worries over the atmosphere in the American South, where black men were lynched "with chilling regularity by the Ku Klux Klan "; in the first twenty years of the twentieth century, 1,502 lynchings were reported, most in Southern states. Gordy's father opened
7085-416: The eleventh grade to become a professional boxer in hopes of becoming rich quickly; he boxed professionally until 1950, when he was drafted by the United States Army in 1951 for service in the Korean War . Arriving in Korea in May 1952, Gordy was first assigned to the 58th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, near Panmunjom . He later became a chaplain's assistant, driving a jeep and playing
7194-410: The era, including the Flans , Pandora and Fandango. In Japan, all-female idol groups Candies and Pink Lady made a series of hits during the 1970s and 1980s as well. The Japanese music program Music Station listed Candies and Pink Lady in their Top 50 Idols of All Time (compiled in 2011), placing them at number 32 and number 15, with sales exceeding 5 and 13 million in Japan, respectively. With
7303-478: The famed writing team, Holland–Dozier–Holland , titled " Come and Get These Memories ". It became the Vandellas' first Top 40 recording, reaching number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at number six on the R&B chart. Their second hit, " Heat Wave ", became a phenomenal record for the group, reaching number four on the Hot 100 and hitting number one on the R&B singles chart for five weeks. It became their first million-seller and eventually got
7412-514: The first girl group in Billboard history to have two consecutive number-one albums, as their self-titled debut album (2006) and their second album Welcome to the Dollhouse (2008) both topped the U.S. Billboard 200 . Girl groups have now been more popular compared to the early 2000s. Girl groups continued their success in the 2010s. Miami -based girl group Fifth Harmony formed in 2012 on The X Factor USA . They reached international success with their debut album Reflection , which featured
7521-414: The first true glimmering of the girl group sound". The "mixture of black doo-wop, rock and roll, and white pop" was appealing to a teenage audience and grew from scandals involving payola and the perceived social effects of rock music . However, early groups such as the Chantels started developing their groups' musical capacities traditionally, through mediums like Latin and choir music. The success of
7630-402: The girl group form and sentiment and provided inspiration for many future groups. Entering the 1970s, the Supremes had continued success with top 10 hits " Up the Ladder to the Roof " and " Stoned Love " along with six other singles charting on Billboard's top 40. Only two other girl groups made top 10 chartings through 1974 with " Want Ads " by Honey Cone and " When Will I See You Again " by
7739-454: The group No. 96 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2005, Martha & The Vandellas were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. Always concert favorites, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were nominated for UK Festival Awards in 2010 and 2011 as "Best Headliner". Martha and the Vandellas were inducted in the inaugural class of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame on August 17, 2013. For
7848-534: The group temporarily due to illness, recovered and returned; Ashford was replaced by another former member of the Velvelettes , Sandra Tilley , and the group continued to release albums and singles into the early 1970s. Although they could not reignite the fire they had made in America they continued to have successful records in the UK and abroad. Among their late 1960s hits was " I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing ", which featured singer Syreeta Wright singing
7957-407: The group the name The Vandellas. As stated in an interview with The History Makers, Ashford emphatically states that contrary to popular belief, The Vandellas were not named after Della Reese and Van Dyke Avenue, nor did Reeves come up with the name. Following their signing to Motown's Gordy imprint in 1962, the Vandellas struck gold with their second release, the first composition and production from
8066-484: The group their only Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance . On the single and album, the song was titled "Heat Wave". It was sometime later that the song was retitled to avoid confusion with the Irving Berlin song. The group's success continued with their second Top Ten single and third Top 40 single, " Quicksand ", which was another composition with Holland-Dozier-Holland and reached number eight pop in
8175-562: The group were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, becoming the second all-female group to be inducted. They were inducted by rock group The B-52's , whose frothy dance music was inspired by the Vandellas. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. Two of their singles, "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" and "Dancing in the Street" were included in the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll . In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked
8284-531: The group's first professional engagements was singing background for singer Mike Hanks. The group originally had up to six members, subsequently reduced to four. When one of the four left the group, she was replaced by Alabama -born vocalist Martha Reeves , a former member of two groups, the Fascinations and the Sabre-Ettes. In 1960, the group signed their first recording contract with Checker Records , releasing
8393-413: The group, Gordy said: "Without the Miracles, Motown would not be the Motown it is today." At the age of 79, Gordy spoke at the memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009. He suggested that "The King of Pop" was perhaps not the best description for Jackson in light of his achievements, referring to him instead as "the greatest entertainer that ever lived." On May 15, 2011, it
8502-410: The group. On some stations, the flip-side "Love, Guess Who" was played instead, however the group reached the top 20 that year in the UK with a reissue of "Jimmy Mack". In 1971, the group scored a top 11 hit in the UK with "Forget Me Not". later that year they scored an international hit with " Bless You " (produced by the Jackson 5's producers The Corporation ). The song peaked at number fifty-three on
8611-513: The hit " Worth It ". " Work from Home ", the lead single from their second studio album , became the first top-five single in the U.S by a girl group in a decade, following the September 2006 peak of " Buttons " by The Pussycat Dolls at number three. "Worth It" and "Work from Home" remain the most-viewed girl group music videos on YouTube . In the early 1990s, the British music scene was dominated by boy bands. The only girl group making an impact on
8720-754: The idea of girlhood as an identity across race and class lines." The group often considered to have achieved the first sustained success in girl group genre is the Shirelles , who first reached the Top 40 with " Tonight's the Night ", and in 1961, became the first girl group to reach number one on the Hot 100 with " Will You Love Me Tomorrow ", written by songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King at 1650 Broadway . The Shirelles solidified their success with five more top 10 hits, most particularly 1962's number one hit " Soldier Boy ", over
8829-500: The label (Rare Earth, Rustix, via the Rare Earth label), he mainly promoted African American artists but carefully controlled their public image, dress, manners and choreography for across-the-board appeal. In 1972, Gordy relocated to Los Angeles, where he produced the commercially successful biographical drama film on Billie Holiday , Lady Sings the Blues , starring Diana Ross (who
8938-411: The late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and start of the British Invasion . All-female bands , in which members also play instruments, are usually considered a separate phenomenon. These groups are sometimes called "girl bands" to differentiate, although this terminology is not universally followed. With the advent of the music industry and radio broadcasting,
9047-407: The late fall of 1963. Around that time, Annette, who was pregnant with her first child and set to get married, chose to leave her singing career behind by 1964. Betty Kelly , formerly of the Velvelettes , was brought in shortly afterward to continue the Vandellas' rise. The next two singles, " Live Wire " and " In My Lonely Room " (#6 R&B Cashbox ) were less successful singles, failing to reach
9156-411: The next two and a half years. " Please Mr. Postman " by the Marvelettes became a major indication of the racial integration of popular music, as it was the first number one song in the US for African-American owned label, Motown Records . Motown would mastermind several major girl groups, including Martha and the Vandellas , the Velvelettes , and the Supremes . Other songwriters and producers in
9265-514: The office of Motown was located. In 2021, he was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors alongside Bette Midler , Joni Mitchell , Justino Díaz , and Lorne Michaels . In 2022, he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame . In 2022, he was awarded with an honorary doctorate from the University of Michigan. Following the funeral of Marvin Gaye on April 5, 1984, Gordy declared Gaye "the greatest of his time." Berry said
9374-526: The organ at religious services at the front. His tour in the Korean War was completed in April 1953. He obtained a GED , which is equivalent to a high school diploma. After his return from Korea in 1953, he married 19-year-old Thelma Louise Coleman in Toledo, Ohio . Gordy developed his interest in music by writing songs and opening the 3-D Record Mart, a record store featuring jazz music and 3-D glasses. The store
9483-463: The original trio were inspired to reunite both as a recording act and in performances. They were offered a recording contract with Ian Levine at Motorcity Records who issued the group's first single since the Vandellas disbanded seventeen years earlier called "Step into My Shoes". Although they are no longer singing together full-time, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas have occasionally reunited for various concerts. Currently, Ashford, whose full name now
9592-827: The prevalence and popularity of the girl group form. As the rock era began, close harmony acts like the Chordettes , the Fontane Sisters , the McGuire Sisters and the DeCastro Sisters remained popular, with the first three acts topping the pop charts and the last reaching number two, at the end of 1954 to the beginning of 1955. Also, the Lennon Sisters were a mainstay on the Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 on. In early 1956, doo-wop one-hit wonder acts like
9701-482: The profits from his songwriting success into producing. In 1957, he discovered the Miracles (originally known as the Matadors) and began building a portfolio of successful artists. In 1959, with the encouragement of Miracles leader Smokey Robinson , Gordy borrowed $ 800 (equivalent to $ 8,361.6 in 2023) from his family to create an R&B record company. Originally, Gordy wanted to name the new label Tammy Records, after
9810-515: The singer "had no musical equals," while also discussing how he carried on the legacy of other soul singers who tackled a range of themes, from love to civil rights, such as Billie Holiday . On March 20, 2009, Gordy was in Hollywood to pay tribute to his first group and first million-selling act, the Miracles , when the members received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Speaking in tribute to
9919-657: The single " Kiss in the Dark ", Pink Lady was also one of only two Japanese artists to have reached the Billboard Top 40 . With their 1990 eponymous debut album , the trio Wilson Phillips sold over 5 million copies worldwide and reached five major US hit singles, four of which cracked the Top 10, with three peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . After the rise of new jack swing , contemporary R&B and hip hop , American girl groups such as En Vogue , Exposé and Sweet Sensation all had singles which hit number one on
10028-420: The song recorded by Debbie Reynolds . However, that name was taken, and he chose the name Tamla Records . The company began operating on January 12, 1959. "Come to Me" by Marv Johnson was issued as Tamla 101. United Artists Records picked up "Come to Me" for national distribution, as well as Johnson's more successful follow-up records such as " You Got What It Takes ", co-produced by Gordy, who also received
10137-467: The song "Camel Walk", in 1962, which featured the Vels in background vocals. That year, the quartet began applying background vocals for emerging Motown star Marvin Gaye , singing on Gaye's first hit single, " Stubborn Kind of Fellow " After Mary Wells failed to make a scheduled recording session feigning a short illness, the Vels recorded what was initially a demo recording of " I'll Have to Let Him Go ". Motown
10246-664: The song "Nowhere To Run", sung by Arnold McCuller, is heard in the film "The Warriors" during the scene in which the Gramercy Riffs call a hit on the Warriors. In a Season One episode of the television show The Golden Girls , Blanche described her car as the "noisiest thing to come out of Detroit since Martha & The Vandellas." Candice Bergen , who hosted the Saturday Night Live episode on which Martha Reeves appeared in its inaugural season, made sure that Martha Reeves and
10355-608: The summer of 1968, the group joined The Supremes , The Temptations , The Four Tops and Marvin Gaye in performing at the Copacabana though much like albums from the Four Tops and Gaye, a live album of their performance there was shelved indefinitely. That same year, label changes had started to take effect, and Gordy focused much of his attention on building the Supremes' as well as Diana Ross' burgeoning upcoming solo career that would follow in 1970. The Vandellas' chart performance (and
10464-511: The years. In the 1990s through the present, with the prevalence of such groups as the Spice Girls, there has been a strong emphasis on women's independence and a sort of feminism. At the very least, the music is more assertive lyrically and relies less on innuendo. This more recent wave of girl groups is more sexually provocative as well, which makes sense within pop music within this time frame as well. Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), also known as Berry Gordy Jr. ,
10573-518: The youth culture of western Continental Europe was deeply immersed in Yé-yé , recording artists of East Asia mostly varied from traditional singers, government-sponsored chorus, or multi-cultural soloists and bands, while bossa nova was trendy in Latin America. Beat music 's global influence eventually pushed out girl groups as a genre and, except for a small number of the foregoing groups and possibly
10682-518: Was also a popular subject because of an emerging audience of young girls listening to and buying records. Adolescence was also reinforced by girl groups in cultivation of a youthful image, since "an unprecedented instance of teenage girls occupying center stage of mainstream commercial culture". An example of this youth branding might be Baby Spice from the Spice Girls . This was shown through flourishes like typically matching outfits for mid-century girl groups and youthful content in songs. Girl groups of
10791-709: Was announced that Gordy was developing a Broadway musical about Motown. The show is said to be an account of events of the 1960s and how they shaped the creation of the label. Gordy hoped that the musical would improve the reputation of Motown Records and clear up any misconceptions regarding the label's demise. Motown: The Musical began previews at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 11, 2013, and began regular performances there on April 14. The musical closed in January 2015. The UK version of Motown: The Musical opened in London's West End in January 2016. Berry Gordy
10900-502: Was born on November 28, 1929, in Detroit, the seventh of the eight children of Berry Gordy II (also known as Berry Gordy Sr.) and Bertha Fuller Gordy , who had relocated to Detroit from Oconee, Washington County, Georgia , in 1922. His grandfather, named Berry Gordy I, was the son of James Gordy, a white plantation owner in Georgia, and one of his slaves. Berry I's half-brother, James (son of
11009-529: Was born." As the girl group structure persisted through further generations, popular cultural sentiments were incorporated into the music. The appearance of " girl power " and feminism was also added, even though beginning groups were very structured in their femininity. It would be simplistic to imply that girl groups only sang about being in love; on the contrary, many groups expressed complex sentiments in their songs. There were songs of support, songs that were gossipy, etc.; like any other musical movement, there
11118-483: Was fired in 1967 and was replaced by Martha Reeves' sister Lois . Simultaneously, the group's name was officially changed to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas , to conform with the company's recent changes of The Supremes ' and The Miracles ' names to reflect their featured lead singers. During this time, Vandellas records including " (We've Got) Honey Love ", "Sweet Darlin'" and "Taking My Love and Leaving Me" were issued as singles with diminishing success. Reeves, out of
11227-508: Was much variation in what was being sung. A prominent theme was often teaching "what it meant to be a woman". Girl groups would exhibit what womanhood looked like from the clothes they were wearing to the actual lyrics in their songs. Of course this changed over the years (what the Supremes were wearing was different from the Spice Girls), but girl groups still served as beacons and examples of certain types of identities to their audiences through
11336-434: Was nominated for an Academy Award ), Richard Pryor , and Billy Dee Williams (cast in a role originally for Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops ). Initially the studio, over Gordy's objections, rejected Williams after several screen tests. However, Gordy, known for his tenacity, eventually prevailed, and the film established Williams as a major movie star. Berry Gordy soon after produced and directed Mahogany ( Tony Richardson
11445-549: Was present at the opening night. Gordy, who was married and divorced three times, has eight children with six different women. His publishing company, Jobete, was named after his three eldest children: Joy, Berry and Terry. He had three children with his first wife, Thelma Coleman, whom he married in 1953 (they were divorced in 1959): In the spring of 1960 he married Raynoma Mayberry Liles (they were divorced in 1964). They had one son: With Jeana Jackson, Gordy had one daughter: With his then-mistress Margaret Norton, Gordy had
11554-536: Was producing. Songs also had a penchant for reflecting the political and cultural climate around them. For instance, songs with abusive undertones were somewhat common during the 1950s–1970s. One notable example was the song " He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss) " by the Crystals . During the "golden age of girl groups", lyrics were disparate, ranging from songs about mean dogs to underage pregnancy. However, common sentiments were also found in ideas like new love, pining after
11663-419: Was so impressed by the group's vocals – and Martha's lead vocals in the song – that the label CEO Berry Gordy offered to give the group a contract. Figuring that being in show business was too rigorous, Williams opted out of the group. With Williams out, the remaining trio of Ashford, Beard and Reeves were told by Gordy that they would need a new name. After failing to come up with a name on their own, Gordy gave
11772-407: Was the original director, but Gordy fired Richardson and took over direction himself after a dispute over minor casting), also starring Ross and Williams. In 1985, he produced the cult martial arts film The Last Dragon , which starred martial artist Taimak and one of Prince's proteges, Vanity . Although Motown continued to produce major hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s by artists including
11881-525: Was unsuccessful, and Gordy sought work at the Lincoln-Mercury plant, but his family connections put him in touch with Al Green (no relation to the singer Reverend Al Green ), owner of the Flame Show Bar Talent Club, where he met the singer Jackie Wilson . In 1957, Wilson recorded " Reet Petite ", a song Gordy had co-written with his sister Gwen and writer-producer Billy Davis . It became
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