"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, 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."""
"replacing Mary Wells and The Andantes on a refuted session with a demonstration record for a Mickey Stevenson song, Motown president Berry Gordy suggested the girls to sign a contract as a recording group. With Reeves as the confirmed lead singer, the name ""Vandellas"" was chosen with the final name being ""Martha and the Vandellas"". Signing to Motown Records' new Gordy subsidiary, Martha and the Vandellas gained a stature as hitmakers in the label almost as quickly after they were signed, boosted by their powerful backing behind Marvin's hit singles, their second single, ""Come and Get These Memories"", written by"
"it's often confusing as to which actual member of the Vandellas sung on the recordings with Martha. It's confirmed, though, that Lois sung on Vandellas hits such as ""I Should Be Proud"" and ""Bless You"" and the entire ""Black Magic"" album, the Vandellas' final album, released in 1972. Lois Reeves heavily contributed to the group's choreography. especially when Sandy Tilly joined the group in 1969. The two are considered by Martha as the best dancers and most elegant of the all the Vandella line-ups. At the end of the year, the group split up and Lois joined background singing group"
"group's twelfth top 40 pop single, and it was also the last top 40 hit the group would score throughout the rest of their Motown tenure though they would score several top 40 R&B singles before leaving the label in 1973. It was also the first single to be credited as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas after the label requested that some of the lead singers of several groups put their name in front of the group's to earn billing for both lead singer and group. The song was covered by The Jackson 5 on their 1971 album ""Maybe Tomorrow""."
"Martha Reeves Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer and former politician, and is the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. They scored over a dozen hit singles, including ""Come and Get These Memories"", ""Nowhere to Run"", ""Heat Wave"", ""Jimmy Mack"", and their signature ""Dancing In The Street"". From 2005 until 2009, Reeves served as an elected council woman for the city of Detroit, Michigan. Martha Rose Reeves was born in Eufaula, Alabama, the first daughter of Elijah Joshua Reeves and Ruby Lee Gilmore Reeves, and the"
"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 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"
"perfectly. It all happened by surprise for the teenaged Lois. One night she was in the wings; the next night, barely 18 years of age, she was asked by her sister to replace Betty Kelly. The group put Lois' business knowledge to work; she took care of the bookkeeping, hotel reservations, travel arrangements and also helped negotiate contracts. Though never under contract to Motown Records, she was under contract to Martha Reeves, and later found herself singing on the Vandellas' singles ""Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone"" and ""Honey Chile"", the latter of which was when the group was known"
"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 renamed themselves The Vandellas, after Detroit's Van Dyke Street and Reeves' favorite singer, Della Reese. Following their signing to Motown's Gordy imprint in 1962, the Vandellas struck gold with their second release, the first composition and production from 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"
"Annette Beard and Martha Reeves. Gordy later changed their name to The Vandellas after the group had been told to change their name before he signed them. Reeves later recalled that upon first meeting Gaye of how shy he was, wearing a hat, glasses and a cigar but had a crush on him as he took the hat and glasses off and began singing. In reaction to how handsome they perceive Gaye, the Vandellas began adding cooing-type background vocals. The Vandellas would be joined in the background list of singers with The Love Tones (who did backing vocals for other"
"Vandellas, the Four Tops, The Celebration, Stacie Johnson, and The Blackberries, a trio that she formed with fellow backing vocalists, Venetta Fields and Clydie King. She also collaborated with the songwriter and producer, Deke Richards, on many of the above projects, which included the co-production of The Jackson Five singing two songs from the musical, ""Pippin"": namely, ""Corner of the Sky"" and ""Skywriter"" and as a member of the group Celebration, which released an album on Motown's Mowest label. Her voice has become a familiar sound as a result of extensive work in voice-overs, commercials and as backup vocalist for"
"of ""Dancing in the Street"" to No. 38 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 15 in Canada on the ""RPM"" chart. A 1985 duet cover by David Bowie and Mick Jagger charted at No. 1 in the UK and reached No. 7 in the US. The song was also covered by The Kinks, The Everly Brothers, Grateful Dead and Black Oak Arkansas. The original version of ""Dancing in the Street"" by Martha and the Vandellas was produced in 1964 by William ""Mickey"" Stevenson and released as a single on the Gordy Records label. The song was written by Stevenson,"
"to That Music You're Playing"", which featured singer Syreeta Wright singing 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 the group. On some stations, the flip-side ""Love, Guess Who"" was played instead,however the group reached"
"& the Vandellas, Edwin Starr, Little Willie John, The Contours and The Spinners. Even before Motown, Detroit had an active R&B and soul community. In 1955, the influential soul singer Little Willie John made his debut, and in 1956, the Detroit-based R&B label Fortune Records enjoyed success with Nolan Strong & The Diablos and their hit songs ""The Wind"", ""Mind Over Matter"", and ""The Way You Dog Me Around"". Smokey Robinson noted in his biography that Strong's high tenor was his biggest vocal influence. Strong is remembered on the 2010 album """" - a tribute compilation that features current rock"
"went on to international fame with Reeves as lead singer under the name of Martha and the Vandellas. Williams died of diabetes complications in Detroit on July 5, 2000. She was 57 years old. Gloria Williams Gloria Williams (August 1, 1942 - July 5, 2000) was an American singer notable for being the original lead singer of an early incarnation of Martha and the Vandellas under the name, The Del-Phis. Born Gloria Jean Williamson in Detroit, Michigan in 1942, Williams auditioned for a spot in a girl group in 1957, and found herself accompanying Annette Beard, Rosalind Ashford and Martha"
"single and third Top 40 single, ""Quicksand"", which was another composition with Holland-Dozier-Holland and reached number eight pop in 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 Kelley, 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 the Pop Top 40. However, their next single, ""Dancing in the Street"", rose up"
"1964. A year before, Kelly was recruited by Motown president Berry Gordy to replace departing Martha and the Vandellas member Annette Beard as a member of the group led by Martha Reeves and featuring Rosalind Ashford. Betty Kelly joined what became the most famed lineup of the Vandellas, coming in quickly to record the single ""Dancing in the Street"". The group found bigger success than they ever had before with that and many other songs recorded during Kelly's tenure with the group, including ""I'm Ready for Love"", ""Nowhere to Run"" and ""My Baby Loves Me"". The lineup of Reeves, Ashford"
"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 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"""
"helped the group to distinguish themselves from the other girl groups in the label including the pop-oriented Marvelettes and the doo-wop-influenced Supremes with a rougher, brassier gospel-influenced sound. Reeves was a brassy alto while Annette was a deep contralto, and Rosalind was a high soprano. Like the Supremes' Florence Ballard, the Marvelettes' Wanda Rogers and The Four Tops' Abdul ""Duke"" Fakir, Ashford registered as the high background vocal in Vandellas records. After ""Quicksand"" gave the group a third top forty pop hit, Beard left to start a family with her new spouse. Reeves recruited a former member of The Velvelettes,"
"inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. Martha performed as part of the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII in 1998, with her sisters, and current Vandellas, Lois and Delphine Reeves. In 2004, Reeves released her first album in 24 years, ""Home to You,"" with songs she wrote and produced herself except for a Billie Holiday cover and an updated version of her big hit, ""Jimmy Mack"". Between leaving the Vandellas and her solo career, Martha served as an early contributor to the music newspaper, ""Soul"", for which she was honored for by the Black Women in"
"Be Home Soon"" (1966), and by Kenny Loggins in the song ""I'm Alright"" (1980). ""Words of Love"" was the second single from the album, appearing in November 1966. In the US it was released as a double A-side with ""Dancing in the Street"" and reached number five (""Dancing in the Street,"" which had been a hit two years earlier for Martha and the Vandellas, struggled to number seventy-three). In the UK it was backed with ""I Can't Wait"" and peaked at number forty-seven. With Michelle Phillips reinstated, the group embarked on a small tour on the East coast to promote"
"double debut of the group on the label, with the latter single also being the debut of the group's new name, Martha and the Vandellas. ""There He Is"", actually received more airplay than its A-side, but neither side of both singles charted. The Vandellas later made a second version of ""There He Is"", but with Reeves lead vocals over the original Instrumental and backing vocal track (and the knocking sound removed). This version would first appear on the group's 1963 debut album, Come and Get These Memories, and then reappear on the B-side of their Top Ten hit single ""Dancing"
"The Siddeleys The Siddeleys were a London-based indie pop band, active during the late 1980s. Although they were relatively short-lived, they were influential. The band formed in 1986, comprising female singer Johnny Johnson, Andrew Brown (bass), Allan Kingdom (guitar), and Phil Goodman (drums). Andy Wake signed the band to his Medium Cool label on the strength of one of their three demo tapes, releasing their first single, ""What Went Wrong This Time?"" in 1987, described by The Legend in ""NME"" as ""A gentle teasing lament with cool female vocals and a lilting backing which trickles around the back of the"
"as ""Martha Reeves and the Vandellas"". Lois was the youngest member of the Vandellas throughout its tenure and performed with the group in Japan, UK and Spain. She also performed with the group when they successfully opened at the renowned Copacabana nightclub in New York. Lois appeared with the group on ""The Mike Douglas Show"" in 1968 and ""Soul Train"" in 1971. Lois and original Vandellas member Rosalind Ashford often had to share background work with The Andantes behind Martha as Motown was limiting the sounds of background vocals. Since the Andantes played a pivotal role in the Motown sound,"
"of this song that was released on their 1967 album ""In A Mellow Mood"". The Vandellas' version was issued as the first official release off the group's 1966 album, ""Watchout!"", though the album's actual first single, the emotive ballad ""What Am I Going to Do Without Your Love"" bombed on the chart. This song renewed the Vandellas' popularity among mainstream audiences with its top ten showing and also was a chart hit for the group in the UK where the song peaked at number twenty-two on the chart. The Vandellas are helped in harmony by session girl group the Andantes,"
"the Vandellas. She also listened to the music of English pop singer Dusty Springfield, and according to Knowles, her ""greatest music influence"" is her mother, Tina Knowles, who was a one-time member of the 1960s harmony group The Veltones. She is also heavily influenced by Aaliyah, who influenced ""A Seat at the Table"". Knowles says her first passion is writing songs. Her early writings were vastly inspired by the writing style of French poet Paul Verlaine. She has been doing this since she was nine years old, and has collaborated with a number of songwriters and producers. On her debut"
"Fashioned after Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes, the group was signed to Motown's Gordy subsidiary in 1977. They quickly found success with the R&B/pop hit, ""You Can't Turn Me Off (In the Middle of Turning Me On),"" which reached R&B number 2 and U.S. number 12. The group became a trio when Vernessa left after the second album to pursue a career in gospel music. Barbara Mitchell replaced her sister as lead singer. The group would score a total of nine R&B hits before disbanding for solo careers in 1984. Group member Linda Howard died on December 17,"
"clear diction, views in accord with majority public opinion at the time. More bravely, he signed Paul Robeson for Vanguard at the height of the McCarthy era. In 1959, he signed Joan Baez, who would remain with the label for the next twelve years. Two years later, Vanguard recorded ""Odetta at Town Hall"" (New York). The Rooftop Singers recorded ""Walk Right In"" in 1963, a hit on both sides of the Atlantic produced by Solomon along with some of their other songs. Unfortunately their next single, ""Tom Cat,"" was banned for being slightly suggestive, though tame by modern standards. It"
"Junction,"" and most recently attending a special artist family night of ""Motown: The Musical"" on Broadway. ^ Clemente, John (2000). Girl Groups—Fabulous Females That Rocked The World. Iola, Wisc. Krause Publications. pp. 276. . ^ Clemente, John (2013). Girl Groups—Fabulous Females Who Rocked The World. Bloomington, IN Authorhouse Publications. pp. 623. (sc); (e). Betty Kelly Betty Kelly (born September 16, 1944) (also known as her correct name Betty Kelley) is a former American singer, most famous for her tenure in the popular Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas. Born in Attalla, Alabama, Kelly's family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan when"
"song as a single, and recorded another single for release, the Williams led ""You'll Never Cherish A Love So True('Til You Lose It)"" / ""There He Is (At My Door)"". But by the time of its release the Vels would become first ""the Vandellas"" and then finally ""Martha and the Vandellas"". Also around this time, Williams would leave the quartet, deciding that show business was too rigorous, making them a trio from then onward. The Williams-led single was released at the same time as this one, but on the Mel-O-Dy subsidiary and still credited to ""the Vells"" . Neither singles"
"These Memories"" and ""Heat Wave"", distinguishing the group from contemporaries and labelmates the Marvelettes, who preceded them, and the Supremes, who followed them. After ""Heat Wave"" became the group's first million-seller, Martha and the Vandellas quickly rose to become one of the label's top draws both as recording stars and as a successful live act. Martha was the one consistent member of the group staying throughout all the group's incarnations and lineups. After the exits of original members Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford, members replacing them included Betty Kelly, Sandra Tilley (both formerly of the Velvelettes) and one of Martha's"
"and Evelyn ""Tan"" Cooper; long-time background vocalist and original Boette, Gloria Jolivet; former Offspring guitarist, long-time friend and co-producer of ""Bo Diddley put the rock in rock'n'roll,"" Scott ""Skyntyte"" Free and Eric Burdon. In the days following his death, tributes were paid by then-President George W. Bush, the United States House of Representatives, and many musicians and performers, including B. B. King, Ronnie Hawkins, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, George Thorogood, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Eric Burdon. Burdon used video footage of the McDaniel family and friends in"
"singers on the track were Cynthia Weil, Linda November, Jay Siegel, and Toni Wine, who co-wrote the song. Phil Margo played drums on the original session, and the arranger was Norman Bergen. After the single hit No. 3 on the ""Billboard"" Hot 100 (No.1 on the Cashbox Top 100), Orlando wanted to perform again. The ensemble recorded the 1970 album ""Candida"", which included the namesake song and the No. 1 hit song ""Knock Three Times"". Bell Records was desperate to have a real-life act to promote Dawn's records. Orlando asked former Motown/Stax backing vocalists Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson,"
"age of 35 or 36 . Tilley had no children, and was survived by her husband and grandmother. Sandra Tilley Sandra L. Tilley (May 6, 1945 or 1946 – September 9, 1981) was an American R&B and soul singer, best known for being a member of Motown girl group the Velvelettes; and later joining Martha and the Vandellas. Tilley was a native of Cleveland, Ohio. Her parents were both former Vaudeville dancers who were killed in an auto accident when she was an infant. After her parents' death, Tilley was raised by her aunt, Shirley Ann Hawk who lived in"