Tag Archives: Gladys Knight & the Pips

Gladys Knight & The Pips: Imagination

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On October 9, 1973, “Buddah” label released “Imagination”, the eleventh Gladys Knight & the Pips studio album. It was recorded June – September 1973, at “Venture Sound” in Somerville, New Jersey, “Bell Sound” in New York City, and was produced by Tony Camillo, Kenny Kerner, Richie Wise, Gladys Knight, Bubba Knight, William Guest and Edward Patten.

Personnel:

  • Gladys Knight – lead vocals
  • Merald “Bubba” Knight – backing vocals
  • William Guest – backing vocals
  • Edward Patten – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Jim Weatherly, except where noted.

  1. Midnight Train to Georgia
  2. I’ve Got My Imagination – Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg
  3. Storms of Troubled Times
  4. Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me
  5. Once in a Lifetime Thing
  6. Where Peaceful Waters Flow
  7. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Cash
  8. Perfect Love – Paul Williams
  9. Window raisin Granny – William Guest, Gladys Knight, Merald Knight, Edward Patten

Marvin Gaye: In the Groove

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On August 26, 1968, “Tamla” label released “In the Groove”, the eighth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded 1967 – 1968, and was produced by Norman Whitfield, Ivy Jo Hunter and Frank Wilson.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Originals – backing vocals
  • Gladys Knight & The Pips – backing vocals
  • Telma Hopkins – backing vocals
  • Joyce Vincent Wilson – backing vocals
  • Pamela Vincent – backing vocals 
  • Herbart – design

Track listing:

  1. You – Jeffrey Bowen, Jack Coga, Ivy Jo Hunter
  2. Tear Ot on Down – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  3. Chained -Frank Wilson
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  5. At Last (I Found a Love) – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  6. Some Kind of Wonderful – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  7. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever – Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder
  8. Change What You Can – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  9. It’s Love I Need – Stephen Bowden, Ivy Jo Hunter
  10. Every Now and Then – Eddie Holland, Frank Wilson
  11. You’re What’s Happening (In the World Today) – George Gordy, Robert Gordy, Allen Story
  12. There Goes My Baby – Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell

Gladys Knight & the Pips: All I Need Is Time

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In June 1973, “Soul” label released “All I Need Is Time”, the tenth Gladys Knight & the Pips studio album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Hal Davis, Joe Porter, Clay McMurray and Johnny Bristol.

Personnel:

  • Gladys Knight – lead vocal
  • Merald “Bubba” Knight – vocal
  • William Guest – vocal
  • Edward Patten – vocal
  • David Van DePitte – arrangement
  • Artie Butler – arrangement
  • H.B. Barnum – arrangement
  • Tom Baird – arrangement
  • James Anthony Carmichael – arrangement
  • Paul Riser – arrangement

Track listing:

  1. I’ll Be Here (When You Get Home) – David Jones Jr.,Wade Brown
  2. Jr.,Johnny Bristol
  3. All I Need Is Time – Bud Reneau
  4. Heavy Makes You Happy – Jeff Barry, Robert Bloom
  5. The Only Time You Love Me Is When You’re Losing Me – Clay McMurray, Pam Sawyer, Marty Coleman
  6. Here I Am Again – Clay McMurray, Patricia Foster
  7. There’s a Land to Be Learned – LaVerne Ware, Pam Sawyer
  8. Oh! What a Love I Have Found – Bud Reneau
  9. The Singer – Elliot Willensky
  10. Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin) – Sylvester Stewart

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.

Melvin Ragin

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On October 24, 2018, Melvin M. Ragin aka Wah Wah Watson died aged 67. He was musician (guitar), famous for his unique skills with wah-wah pedal. He was member of The Funk Brothers, the studio band for “Motown Records”, recorded and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams, Thelma Houston, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Michael Jackson, Maxwell, The Beach Boys, George Benson, Bobbi Humphrey, Janet Jackson, Yung Berg, Blondie, Norman Whitfield, The Undisputed Truth, Donald Byrd, Labelle, Love Unlimited, Cher, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gloria Gaynor, The Temptations (his guitar work on “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”), Pointer Sisters, Martha Reeves, Rose Royce, Bob Scaggs and Herbie Hancock. As leader, Wah Wah Watson released one solo album (Elementary, 1976).

Robert Kreinar

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On July 16, 2012, Robert Kreinar aka Bob Babbitt died aged 74. He was musician (bass), member of the “Motown Records” studio band The Funk Brothers, MFSB for “Philadelphia International Records”, and founding member of Scorpion. As a session musician Babbitt recorded for Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow, Gloria Gaynor, Robert Palmer, Alice Cooper, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Spinners, Stevie Wonder, Edwin Starr, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Freda Payne, The Temptations, and The Main Ingredient. “Bass Player” magazine ranked Babbitt at number 59 on its list of the “100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time”.

William Guest

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On December 24, 2015, William Franklin Guest died aged 74. He was singer, best known as member of Gladys Knight & the Pips. His vocal can be heard on all of the group’s major hits, including “Midnight Train To Georgia”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Neither One Of Us”. In 1996, Guest was inducted to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” with Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Gladys Knight & the Pips: Everybody Needs Love

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In September 1967, “Soul Imprint” label released “Everybody Needs Love”, the debut Gladys Knight & the Pips album. It was recorded 1966 – 1967, at “Hitsville U.S.A.” in Detroit, and was produced by Norman  Whitfield, Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol and Smokey Robinson.

Personnel:

  • Gladys Knight – lead vocals
  • Merald “Bubba” Knight, William Guest, Edward Patten – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers: instrumentation

Track listing:

  1. Everybody Needs Love – Norman Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr.
  2. I’ll Be Standing By – Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
  3. Since I’ve Lost You – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  5. You Don’t Love Me No More – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Roger Penzabene
  6. Ain’t No Sun Since You’ve Been Gone – Norman Whitfield, Sylvia Moy, Cornelius Grant
  7. Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me – Barrett Strong, Roger Penzabene, Cornelius Grant
  8. He’s My Kind of Fella – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
  9. Yes, I’m Ready – Barbara Mason
  10. My Bed of Thorns – William “Smokey” Robinson
  11. Do You Love Me Just a Little, Honey – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock, Gladys Knight
  12. Just Walk in My Shoes – Helen Lewis Mastor, Kay Lewis Miller

Johnny Bristol

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On March 21, 2004, John William “Johnny” Bristol died aged 65. He was musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a songwriter for the Motown”  label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His personal most successful recording was “Hang On in There Baby”. As a producer and songwriter he has collaborated with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Edwin Starr, David Ruffin, The Velvelettes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jermaine Jackson, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Randy Crawford, Marlena Shaw, Johnny Mathis and Boz Scaggs.