Tag Archives: Marvin Gaye

Etta James: All the Way

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On March 14, 2006, “RCA Victor” label released “All the Way”, the 28th Etta James album. It was recorded in 2005, and was produced by Sametto James, Donto James and Joshua Sklair.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – lead and backing vocals, executive producer
  • Joshua Sklair – acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals, recording, mastering, music director
  • Bobby Murray – electric guitar
  • David K. Mathews – keyboards, strings
  • Sametto James – acoustic and electric bass, backing vocals, recording
  • Donto James – drums, percussion, backing vocals, recording
  • Ronnie Buttacavoli – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Randy Williams – backing vocals
  • Tamara Oliver – backing vocals
  • Ed Cherney – mixing, mastering
  • Anthony Montes De Oca – photography
  • Lithofayne Pridgeon – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. All the Way – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
  2. Stop On By – Thomas Truman, Bobby Womack
  3. Strung Out – Johnny Watson
  4. Somewhere – Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
  5. Holding Back the Years – Michael James Hucknall, Neil Moss
  6. Imagine – John Lennon
  7. I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
  8. It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World – James Brown, Betty Newsome
  9. Purple Rain – Prince
  10. What’s Going On – Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
  11. Calling You – Robert E. Telson
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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.

Jeffrey Deon Estus

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On October 11, 2021, Jeffery Deon Estus died aged 65. He was musician (bass), singer and songwriter, member of collective Boogie Box High and band Switch, but was best known as the bass player of Wham. He recorded and performed with Marvin Gaye, George Michael, Elton John, Aaron Neville, Tina Turner, Frank Zappa, Annie Lennox, Edgar Winter and George Clinton. As leader Estus released one album.

Michael Lang

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On August 5, 2022, Michael Anthony Lang died aged 80. He was musician (piano, keyboards, organ, synthesizer) and composer, recorded more than 2500 film scores, and worked with some of the biggest names of modern music such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Vince Gill, Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Arturo Sandoval, Josh Groban, Frank Zappa, Lee Ritenour, Oliver Nelson, Bud Shank, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Peggy Lee, Vanessa Williams, Jose Feliciano, Bette Midler, Russell Watson, Michael Bolton, Don Ellis, Robbie Williams, Paul Anka, Sarah Vaughan, Amy Grant, Willie Nelson, Natalie Cole, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond, Shelly Manne and Stan Kenton.  

Marvin Gaye: Moods of Marvin Gaye

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On May 23, 1966, “Tamla” label released “Moods of Marvin Gaye”, the seventh Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded 1965 – 1966, at “Hitsville” in Detroit, US, and was produced by Smokey Robinson, Brian Holland, Clarence Paul and Lamont Dozier.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead vocals
  • Marv Tarplin – guitar
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Miracles – backing vocals
  • The Spinners – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. I’ll Be Doggone – Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarpin
  2. Little Darling (I Need You) – Holland – Dozier – Holland
  3. Take This Heart of Mine – Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin
  4. Hey Diddle Diddle – Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fugua, Marvin Gaye
  5. One More Heartache – Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marvin Tarplin, Ronald White
  6. Ain’t That Peculiar – Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marvin Tarplin
  7. Night Life – Walt Breeland, Paul Buskrik, Willie Nelson
  8. You’ve Been a Long Time Coming – Holland – Dozier – Holland
  9. Your Unchanging Love – Holland – Dozier – Holland
  10. You’re the One for Me – Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, Stevie Wonder
  11. I Worry ‘Bout You – Norman Mapp
  12. One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer

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).

On March 14, 2000.

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On March 14, 2000, “Slow River Records” label released “Home”, the second Josh Rouse studio album. It was recorded in 1999, at “True Tone Studio” in Nashville, “Alex the Great” in Berry Hill, Tennessee, and was produced by Brad Jones, David Henry and Josh Rouse.

Personnel:

  • Josh Rouse – vocals, guitar
  • David Henry – bass, cello, engineer
  • Brad Jones – piano, bass, chamberlain, marimba, additional engineering
  • Steve Allen – organ
  • John Deaderick – electric piano
  • Will Kimbrough – guitar
  • Jason Moon Wilkins – bass
  • David Gehrke – drums
  • Dennis Cronin – flugelhorn
  • Roy Agee – trombone
  • Dennis Cronin – trumpet
  • Paul Burch – vibraphone
  • Ned Henry – violin
  • Sharon Gilchrist – backing vocals
  • Tommy Dorsey – mastering
  • Matt Boyd, Scotty Peek – artwork, photography
  • Adam Larson – layout
  • George Howard – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Josh Rouse.

  1. Laughter
  2. Marvin Gaye
  3. Directions
  4. Parts and Accessories
  5. 100m Backstroke
  6. Hey Porcupine
  7. In Between
  8. And Around
  9. Afraid to Fail

On December 15, 1978.

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On December 15, 1978, “Motown” label released “Here, My Dear”, the fifteenth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded March 1977 – July 1978, at Marvins’s room in Los Angeles, and was produced by Marvin Gaye.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – vocals, piano, Rhodes, Roland bass, synth, horns; tape box percussion
  • Charles Owens – tenor saxophone
  • Wali Ali – guitar
  • Gordon Banks – guitar
  • Spencer Bean – guitar
  • Cal Green – guitar
  • Mike McGloiry – guitar
  • Frank Blair – bass
  • Eric Ward – bass
  • Bugsy Wilcox – drums
  • Melvin Webb – drums, congas, cowbell
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – congas, bongos
  • Elmira Collins – percussion
  • Jack Ashford – percussion
  • Gary Jones – congas
  • Ernie Fields, Jr. – alto saxophone
  • Fernando Harkless – tenor saxophone
  • Nolan Andrew Smith – trumpet
  • Daniel LeMelle – saxophone
  • David Stewart – handclaps
  • Richard “Do Dirty” Bethune – handclaps
  • Art Stewart – handclaps, engineer, mixer
  • Fred Ross – engineer
  • Tony Houston – engineer
  • Bill Ravencraft – engineer
  • Odell Brown – RMI
  • David Ritz – liner notes
  • Michael Bryant – illustrations

Track listing:

All tracks by Marvin Gaye, except where noted.

  1. Here, My Dear
  2. I Met a Little Girl
  3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
  4. Anger – Delta Ashby, Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
  5. Is That Enough
  6. Everybody Needs Love – Ed Townsend, Marvin Gaye
  7. Time to Get It Together
  8. Sparrow – Ed Townsend, Marvin Gaye
  9. Anna’s Song
  10. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
  11. A Funky Space Reincarnation
  12. You Can Leave, but It’s Going to Cost You
  13. Falling in Love Again
  14. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (reprise)

On November 12, 1964.

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On November 12, 1964, “Tamla” label released “Hello Broadway”, the fourth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded in 1964, at “Graystone Ballroom” in Detroit, and was produced by Hal Davis and Marc Gordon.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – vocals
  • Jerry Long – arranger

Track listing:

  1. Hello Broadway – Ronald Miller, William O’Malley
  2. People – Bob Merrill, Jule Styne
  3. The Party’s Over – Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne
  4. On the Street Where You Live – Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner
  5. What Kind of Fool Am I? – Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley
  6. My Kind of Town – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
  7. Days of Wine and Roses – Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
  8. This Is the Life – Charles Strouse, Lee Adams
  9. My Way – Richard Jacques, Ronald Miller
  10. Hello Dolly! – Jerry Herman
  11. Walk on the Wild Side – Mack David, Elmer Bernstein

Mike Terry

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On October 30, 2004, Andrew Alexander “Mike” Terry died aged 68. He was songwriter, musician (baritone saxophone), producer, and musical director. He was member of the bands Popcorn and the Mohawks, Joe Hunter Band, and The Funk Brothers. From 1960 – 1967, with The Funk Brothers he performed on thousands of “Motown” recordings. Terry worked with Martha and the Vandellas, Jackie Wilson, Mary Wells, The Four Tops, The Supremes, Kim Weston, The Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, J. J. Barnes, Rose Batiste, The Capitols, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Robinson, Sandra Phillips, The Little Foxes, Junior Walker & the All Stars, Clarence Carter, The Dells, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Maxine Brown, The Parliaments, and Edwin Starr.