Tag Archives: Berry Gordy

The Temptations: Power

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On April 18, 1980, “Gordy” label released “Power”, the 24th Temptations (The) album. It was recorded in 1979, at “Golden Sound”, “Group IV Audio Inc”, “Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios”, “Jennifudy Studios”, and was produced by Angelo Bond, Berry Gordy, Teddy Randazzo and William Weatherspoon.

Personnel:

  • Dennis Edwards – vocal
  • Melvin Franklin – vocal
  • Glenn Leonard – vocal
  • Richard Street – vocal
  • Otis Williams – vocal
  • Paul M. Jackson Jr. – guitar
  • Tim May – guitar
  • Melvin “Wah Wah” Ragin – guitar
  • Anthony Travaglini – guitar
  • David T. Walker – guitar
  • Reginald “Sonny” Burke – keyboards
  • Eric Butler – keyboards
  • Earl Van Dyke – keyboards
  • Reginald “Sonny” Burke – keyboards
  • Eric Butler – keyboards
  • “Ready” Freddie Washington – bass guitar
  • Nathan Watts – bass guitar
  • Quentin Dennard – drums
  • James Gadson – drums
  • John Arnold – percussion
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – percussion
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Gene Page – horn and string arrangements
  • Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements
  • McKinley Jackson – rhythm arrangements
  • Teddy Randazzo – arrangements
  • Barney Perkins – recording, mixing
  • Bob Robitaille – recording, mixing
  • Steve Williams – recording
  • Guy Costa – recording
  • Lawrence T. Horn – recording
  • Tony Autore – recording assistant
  • Bobby Brooks – recording assistant
  • Dave Mancini – recording assistant
  • Greg Orloff – recording assistant
  • Berry Gordy – mixing, executive producer
  • Paul Ring – mixing assistant
  • Mike Diehl – cover, design, illustration
  • Ginny Livingston – art direction
  • Ron Slenzak – photography
  • Ronald Wakefield – photography
  • Suzee Wendy Ikeda – project management

Track listing:

  1. Power – Angelo Bond, Berry Gordy, Jean Mayer
  2. Struck by Lightning Twice – Angelo Bond, Ronald Weatherspoon, William Weatherspoon
  3. Isn’t the Night Fantastic – Dennis Edwards, David English, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, Otis Williams
  4. How Can I Resist Your Love – Angelo Bond, William Weatherspoon
  5. Shadow of Your Love – Teddy Randazzo, Tony Travaglini
  6. Can’t You See Sweet Thing – Dennis Edwards, David English, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, Otis Williams
  7. Go for It – Angelo Bond, Ronald Weatherspoon, William Weatherspoon
  8. I’m Coming Home – Dennis Edwards, David English, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, Otis Williams

Etta James: The Second Time Around

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On December 14, 1961, “Argo” label released “The Second Time Around”, the second Etta James studio album. It was recorded 1960 – 1961, and was produced by Phil Chess and Leonard Chess.

Personnel:

  • Etta Jemes – vocals
  • Riley Hampton – arrangements, conductor
  • Johnny Magnus – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Cry Baby – Saul Bernie, James P. Johnson, Stella Unger
  2. Fool That I Am – Floyd Hunt
  3. One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  4. In My Diary – Michael Angelo Graham, Mark Silverman
  5. Saven Day Fool – Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Sonny Woods
  6. It’s Too Soon to Know – Deborah Chessler, E.H. Morris
  7. Dream – Johnny Mercer
  8. I’ll Dry My Tears – Etta James, Clyde Walker
  9. Plum Nuts – Robert Plummer
  10. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell

Waylon Jennings: Waylon At JD’s

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In December 1964, “Sound Limited” label released “Waylon at JD’s”, the debut Waylon Jennings studio album. It was recorded in 1964, at “Arizona Recorder” in Phoenix, US, and was produced by Jim Musil and Waylon Jennings.

Personnel:

  • Waylon Jennings – lead vocals, lead guitar
  • Jerry Gropp – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Paul Foster – vocals, bass guitar
  • Richie Albright – drums
  • Jim Musil – arrangements
  • Jack Miller – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Crying – Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
  2. Sally Was a Good Old Girl – Harlan Howard
  3. Burning Memories – Mel Tillis, Wayne Walker
  4. Big Mamou – Link Davis
  5. Money (That’s What I Want) – Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy
  6. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan
  7. Dream Baby – Cindy Walker
  8. It’s So Easy – Buddy Holly, Norman Petty
  9. Lorena – Charlie Williams
  10. Love’s Gonna Live Here – Buck Owens
  11. Abilene – Les Brown, Bob Gibson, John D. Loudermilk
  12. White Lightning – J.P. Richardson

Etta James: At Last!

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On November 15, 1960, “Argo” label released “At Last!”, the debut Etta James studio album. It was recorded January – October 1960, and was produced by Phil Chess and Leonard Chess. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “At Last!” at number 191 on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Harvey Fuqua – vocals
  • Riley Hampton – arrangements, conductor
  • Don Bronstein – cover
  • Don Kamerer – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Anything to Say You’re Mine – Sonny Thompson
  2. My Dearest Darling – Edwin “Eddie Bo” Bocage, Paul Gayten
  3. Trust in Me – Milton Ager, Jean Schwartz, Ned Wever
  4. A Sunday Kind of Love – Louis Prima, Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes
  5. Tough Mary – Etta James, Joe Josea
  6. I Just Want to Make Love to You – Willie Dixon
  7. At Last – Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
  8. All I Could Do Was Cry – Billy Davis, Gwen Fuqua, Berry Gordy
  9. Stormy Weather – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  10. Girl of My Dreams – Charles “Sunny” Clapp

Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell: United

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On August 29, 1967, “Tamla” label released “United”, album by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (the first of three collaborative albums). It was recorded in 1967, and was produced by Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Hal Davis and Berry Gordy, Jr.,

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead and backing vocals
  • Tammi Terrell – lead and backing vocals
  • Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, The Originals, The Andantes, The Spinners – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation

Track listing:

  1. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  2. You Got What It Takes – Berry Gordy, Jr., Gwen Gordy, Tyran Carlo
  3. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock
  4. Somethin’ Stupid – C. Carson Parks
  5. Your Precious Love – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  6. Hold Me Oh My Darling – Harvey Fuqua
  7. Two Can Have a Party – Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Thomas Kemp
  8. Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl – Harvey Fuqua, Etta James, Brook Benton
  9. If This World Were Mine – Marvin Gaye
  10. Sad Wedding – Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers
  11. Give a Little Love – Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Clyde Wilson
  12. Oh How I’d Miss You – Hal Davis, Frank Wilson, Vance Wilson

Ike Turner: Bad Dreams

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In July 1973, “United Artists” label released “Bad Dreams”, the seventh Ike Turner album. It was recorded in March 1973, at “Bolic Sound” in Inglewood, California, and was produced by Ike Turner, Soko Richardson and Warren Dawson.

Personnel:

  • Ike Turner – guitar, arrangements, engineer
  • Barry Keene, John Mills – engineer
  • Mike Salisbury – illustration, design
  • W.T. Vinson – cover illustration

Track listing:

All tracks by Ike Turner except where noted.

  1. These Dreams
  2. That’s How Much I Love You – Eddy Arnold, Wally Fowler, Graydon J. Hall
  3. One Nite Stand
  4. Don’t Hold Your Breath
  5. (You Can Have) The City
  6. Flockin’ with You
  7. Take a Walk with Me
  8. Later for Your Baby – Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones
  9. Rats
  10. I Love the Way You Love – Berry Gordy, Mikaljon (Mike Ossman, Al Abrams, John “Jun” O’den)

Barrett Strong

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On January 29, 2023, Barrett Strong died aged 81. He was singer and songwriter, the performer who had the first hit for Berry Gordy’s label “Tamla Records”, “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Strong was best known for his work as a songwriter, especially in association with the producer Norman Whitfield. In mid 1960s he became “Motown Records” writer lyricist, and together with Whitfield, they wrote some of the best known soul and funk classics of all times, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips; “War” by Edwin Starr; “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” by Marvin Gaye; “Smiling Faces Sometimes” by The Undisputed Truth; “Cloud Nine”, “I Can’t Get Next to You”, “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”, and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”, by The Temptations. In 1973, Strong received “Grammy Award for Best R&B Song” for “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”. As leader, Strong released four albums.

The Isley Brothers: Soul on the Rocks

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On January 24, 1967, “Tamla” label released “Soul on the Rocks”, the fifth studio album by Isley Brothers (The). It was recorded in 1966, at “Studio A”, Hitsville, Detroit, and was produced by Norman Whitfield, Smokey Robinson and Ivy Jo Hunter.

Personnel:

  • Ronald Isley – vocals
  • Rudolph Isley – vocals
  • O’Kelly Isley Jr. – vocals

Track listing:

  1. Got to have You Back – Ivy Jo Hunter, Leon ware, Stephen Bowden
  2. That’s the Way Love Is – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  3. Whispers (Getting’ Louder) – David Scott, Barbara Acklin
  4. Tell Me It’s Just a Rumor baby – Harvey Fugua, Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock
  5. One Too Many Heartaches – Ivy Jo Hunter
  6. It’s Out of the Question – William “Smokey” Robinson, Berry Gordy
  7. Why When Love Is Gone – Ivy Jo Hunter
  8. Save Me from This Misery – Norman Whitfield, Roger Penzabene, Stephen Bowden
  9. Little Miss Sweetness – William “Smokey” Robinson
  10. Good Things – Robert Bruce, Leroy Kirkland
  11. Catching Up on Time – Clarence Paul, Leon Ware, Morris Broadnax
  12. Behind a Painted Smile – Ivy Jo Hunter, Beatrice Verdi

Stevie Wonder: For Once in My Life

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On December 8, 1968, “Motown” label released “For Once in My Life”, the ninth studio and the tenth overall Stevie Wonder album. It was recorded December 1967 – August 1968, at “Hitsville U.S.A.” in Detroit, and was produced by Stevoe Wonder, Henry Cosby and Don Hunter.

Personnel:

  • Stevie Wonder – vocals, harmonica, piano, organ, clavinet, drums, percussion
  • Robert White – guitar
  • Earl Van Dyke – piano
  • James Jamerson – bass
  • Uriel Jones – drums
  • The Funk Brothers – various instruments
  • The Originals – backing vocals
  • The Andantes – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. For Once in My Life – Ron Miller, Orlando Murden
  2. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day – Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder
  3. You Met Your Match – Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Wonder
  4. I Wanna Make Her Love Me – Henry Cosby, Don Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder
  5. I’m More Than Happy (I’m Satisfied) – Henry Cosby, Cameron Grant, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder
  6. I Don’t Know Why – Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder
  7. Sunny – Bobby Hebb
  8. I’d Be a Fool Right Now – Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder
  9. Ain’t No Lovin’ – Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder
  10. God Bless the Child – Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday
  11. Do I Love Her – Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy
  12. The House on the Hill – Lawrence Brown, Berry Gordy, Allen Story

The Flying Lizards: Same

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On July 28, 1979, “Virgin” label released the self-titled, debut Flying Lizards (The) album. It was recorded 1978 – 1979, at “Berry Street Studio”, “Brixton Academy” in London, and in New York City, Munich, and Maidstone, and was produced by David Cunningham.

Personnel:

  • Steve Beresford – guitar, bass, keyboards
  • David Toop – guitar, flute, electronics
  • Julian Marshall – keyboards
  • Michael Upton
  • David Cunningham – engineer
  • Dave Hunt – engineer
  • Laurie Rae Chamberlain – sleeve art
  • Richard Rayner-Canham – sleeve art, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by David Cunningham except where noted

  1. Der Song von Mandelay (Mandelay Song) – Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
  2. Her Story – Dave Solomon, David Cunningham, General-Strike, Vivien Goldman
  3. TV – David Cunningham, Deborah Evans-Stickland, General-Strike
  4. Russia
  5. Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart
  6. Money (That’s What I Want) – Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford
  7. The Flood
  8. Trouble
  9. Events During Flood
  10. The Window – Vivien Goldman