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Posts tagged as “Temptations”

MUSIC MONDAY: “AfroStones” – A Blues and R&B-Filled Rolling Stones Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “AfroStones” – A Blues and R&B-Filled Rolling Stones Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 12, 2024

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Back in the fall of 1981 when I was in my first semester at Columbia College, I became friends with a fellow from a Chicagoland suburb.

He was a dyed-in-the-wool Rolling Stones fan. One afternoon their version of “Just My Imagination” played on the radio near us. I recall mentioning it was a Temptations cover, and with some level of indignation, he told me that Jagger and Richards wrote EVERY song The Stones performed.

I was shocked. We were decades away from being able to Google such matters at the moment. I was forced to leave him to the dubious opinion. I can only hope in the decades since that he’s come to know better.

Not only was that song a cover but the Rolling Stones, for better or worse, have been the heralds of Blues and R&B for generations of Americans who would rather enjoy Black music through the filter of whiteness.

Here is AfroStones, a collection of essential songs performed by Black artists that the Rolling Stones covered.

You will find Chuck Berry, Robert Johnson, The Drifters, and Solomon Burke to name a few. Throughout this collection, the original songs are presented back to back with the Stone’s covers.

Needless to say, along with touring as the opening act for Little Richard, the Stones learned a lot from these songs and built a 50-year career on them.

Mick Jagger has long acknowledged his debt to Black America, but is not a one-way street. This collection also features Black artists covering the Stones.

Sharon Jones, Musiq Soulchild, Etta James, and others. Merry Clayton, who’s featured prominently on “Gimme Shelter”, is present with her own version of the Stones classic.

I’ve also included tracks by De La Soul, Little Simz, Snoop Dogg, and others that feature samples of their music.

As Muddy Waters said in an interview, “They stole my music, but they gave me my name.” Yet he also provided them with their name when they adopted the title of his song, “Rollin’ Stone.”

And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: A Merry Motown Christmas Music Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: A Merry Motown Christmas Music Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on December 13, 2021

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Less that two weeks away, Christmas 2021 is fast approaching. Which means (if we’re lucky), more shopping, more gatherings, more cooking, eating and more time with loved ones. Which in turn means –more holiday music!

This week, we’re offering a collection near and dear to our ears that includes classic and modern takes on holiday favorites by artists who recorded on the legendary Motown label:

From Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson 5 to the Supremes, the Hitsville U.S.A. first gen hitmakers are doing their thing, as are next gen artists Ne-Yo, Boyz II Men, Kim Weston, Tiana Major 9 and more.

Wishing you all the best as we celebrate the season. Enjoy!

City College Center for the Arts in NY Celebrates Otis Williams and the Temptations’ 60th Anniversary with Live Virtual Conversation Event on Nov 1st

City College Center for the Arts in NY Celebrates Otis Williams and the Temptations’ 60th Anniversary with Live Virtual Conversation Event on Nov 1st

By goodblacknews on October 31, 2021

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

City College Center for the Arts, on the campus of City College of New York, is honoring the 60-year history of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy® Award-winning Otis Williams of The Temptations, on Monday, November 1 at 7:30pm ET with a special live, virtual event.

Williams, who is a founding member of the legendary musical group and the sole surviving member of the original Temptations, will have a live conversation with distinguished musician, composer and entrepreneur K. Sparks.

Williams will be sharing memories on the “Evolution of The Temptations’ Music, 1961 – 2021”, and the conversation will be simulcast from CCCA’s Aaron Davis Hall, in the renowned Marian Anderson Theatre. It will also feature other special guests.

Audience members can join the free, virtual event by registering for tickets at the CCCA website, citycollegecenterforthearts.org. The special conversation is also being held in honor of the 80th birthday of Mr. Williams, who turned 80 on October 30.

CCCA’s Managing Director Greg Shanck said, “For more than four decades, Aaron Davis Hall has been Harlem’s performing arts center. World scholars, artistic giants and academic geniuses like Nelson Mandela, Alicia Keys, President Barack Obama and Ella Fitzgerald, just to name a few, have blessed these stages through the years. The City College of New York is so proud of the contributions The Temptations have made, and continue to make, to the American cultural landscape and we are honored to add their name to that distinguished list.”

Williams himself said, “I am thrilled to be celebrating the group’s 60th Anniversary and my 80th birthday with our extended Tempts’ family from across the City College campus in Harlem, and throughout New York and the rest of the country. The Temptations had some of its most memorable performances in Harlem and other parts of New York during our career. To mark these capstones with an online discussion about my career at the prestigious and diverse City College of New York, a college known for its commitment to the Performing Arts, and for recognizing one of the greatest trailblazers in American music history, Marian Anderson, is an incredible honor for me and The Temptations.”

Williams reunited with Smokey Robinson earlier this year to co-write and co-produce the recently released single “Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No” from the new Temptations 60 album due in 2022.

“A friend of mine, Derek Porter, him and I were riding down the freeways of L.A. and we’re talking about the 60th anniversary album and Smokey’s name came about. And I said, ‘Smokey. Let me call Smokey, I’d love to have him on the album,'” Williams shared in a phone interview about his historic reunion with friend and writer of classic Temptations hits such as “Get Ready,” “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” and their signature song, “My Girl.”

“So I called him and I say, ‘Smoke, I would love for you to produce a song for us, write it, and not only stop there, I would like for you to perform with us on it.’ And he calls me ‘Oak’.  And he says, ‘Oak, anytime just let me know,'” Williams continued. “Here it is now, it’s out and I hear tell it’s doing very good, and that’s fine.”

Other celebratory events of the Temptations includes recent re-opening at the Imperial Theatre in NY of the Broadway musical, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, based on Williams’ personal journey.

The Temptations’ presence across multi-media platforms has never been more vivid. Their hit “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” was used as the foundation of the Migos smash “Avalanche.”

Temptations founding member Otis Williams (Photography by Scott Leon. Courtesy of UMe)

Additionally, Williams’ autobiography, Temptations, was recently released as an audiobook edition for the first time, with a new introduction by Williams.

When asked what current artists he likes, Williams offered, “Bruno Mars… He’s a heck of a showman. And he can sing. I look at that, also. And the reason I love them [Mars and Anderson.Paak as Silk Sonic] is because they’re singing what the Tempts is all about. They’re singing what Marvin Gaye is all about.”

“They’re singing great songs, great melodies. Lyric content is good, structured, right… See we were taught all those things at Motown. You know, how to be able to tell a great song. That song [“Leave The Door Open“] when I first heard it, I said, ‘They got another one, they got another one.’ And so I love listening as they come out with that kind of songs that have those elements.”

To learn more about Williams, the Temptations, and the group’s touring schedule, check out their social:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK

MUSIC MONDAY: “Twilight Time” – A Doo-Wop Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Twilight Time” – A Doo-Wop Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on March 29, 2021

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Doo-Wop is a style of rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll vocal music most popular in the 1950s and ’60s. The term “doo-wop” is derived from the sounds made by the group as they provided the harmonic background for the lead singer.

Doo-Wop music is before “the time” me and most followers of Good Black News and these weekly playlists. Though there isn’t a genre called “musically transportive to that time period,” Doo-Wop tracks have been used on many film and television scores for that very reason.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:79gPXRTKRHqlPGQO2YycNG”]

It started in African-American neighborhoods all around the United States including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, and Washington, DC.

Though its roots can be found as early as the records of the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots in the 1930s and ’40s, Motown’s premier groups like The Shirelles and Temptations of the 1960s and ’70s were based in this classic doo-wop style.

Berry Gordy’s songwriting powerhouse, Smokey Robinson, had early hits with The Miracles that were straight Doo-Wop songs. Its influence has been felt on punk, alternative rock, and modern R&B artists.

I’ve gathered classics by The Platters, The Flamingos, Little Anthony and The Imperials, The Orions, The Moonglows, and many others for this playlist. Do enjoy.

And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC: Celebrating the Season with “The Ultimate Soul Christmas Soundtrack” Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC: Celebrating the Season with “The Ultimate Soul Christmas Soundtrack” Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on November 28, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

I spotted Christmas decorations in Costco by early October and Hallmark Channel has been airing non-stop holiday movies already for weeks, but like many, our family has always marked Thanksgiving to be the point where we officially kick off the holiday season, including breaking out the yuletide tunes.

With that in mind, Good Black News is happy to offer the “Ultimate Soul of the Season Christmas Soundtrack” as a playlist to guide you through the holidays with ease.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:2FHQ8HVPzGR0pd9R4Tu1Zm”/]

This is a mega-playlist – 25 hours of music in honor of the 25 days of Christmas leading up to the big day.  It is not meant to be listened to all in one sitting – but rather to be just one-click away as your go-to soundtrack for the month. You can set it and forget it, or hit shuffle and mix it up.

Our inspiration was to capture the mood of those many radio stations around the country that turn to a festive Christmas musical format in the month of December – but with our own specific Good Black News twist.

In our playlist, ALL the songs are by or feature Black artists. Have it on in the background for decorating, cooking, wrapping presents, or just sitting in front of the fire sipping eggnog – and in the process you’ll be supporting Black artists through your streams.

GBN’s Merry Month of Stevie: Celebrating the Wonders of Stevie’s Harmonica (LISTEN)

GBN’s Merry Month of Stevie: Celebrating the Wonders of Stevie’s Harmonica (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on May 6, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

Stevie Wonder told us with his very first hit, ‘Fingertips,’ recorded when he was 12, that he was a harmonica master. Somehow, through all the genius songwriting, singing, production and keyboard innovation, we tend to forget about those harmonica skills.

But Stevie hasn’t.

His unmistakable harmonica blowing is right there, easy to find in such Stevie favorites throughout his career including ‘I Was Made to Love Her,’ ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ ‘For Once In My Life,’ ‘That Girl,’ ‘We Can Work It Out,’ ‘Boogie On Reggae Woman,’ and even 1990s gems like ‘Treat Myself.’

Although he does play that Hohner Chromonica often on his own records, Wonder actually seems to utilize his harmonica skills most frequently as a means to collaborate with other artists.

From the 1960s to today, he’s played harmonica as a guest session man on over 150 songs from other artists. That’s more than 10 whole albums worth of additional Stevie-infused material!

To celebrate that part of Stevie’s career, today’s GBN Month of Stevie playlist is entitled “The Wonders of Stevie’s Harmonica,“ where we’ve amassed every Stevie Wonder harmonica guest appearance that we could find on Spotify into one huge list.

You’ll find a few famous hits – Chaka Khan’s ‘I Feel For You,’ Elton John’s ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues,’  Sting’s ‘Brand New Day,’ R&B classics from DeBarge’s ‘Love Me In A Special Way’ to Jermaine Jackson’s smash ‘Let’s Get Serious’ (which Stevie also wrote and produced). And one of my personal favorites, the Eurythmics #1 UK hit ‘There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart).’

And though he hasn’t released a full album of new work since 2005, Stevie Wonder has stayed relevant to the charts through these harmonica-based collabos. That’s Stevie’s harmonica on Drake’s ‘Take Care’ album – the #1 album of 2012.

He appears twice on the Mark Ronson 2015 album that contained the #1 song of that year, “Uptown Funk.” And just last year, that was Stevie’s harmonica again on rapper Travis Scott’s chart-topping album “AstroWorld.”

But going on Stevie Wonder’s harmonica journey through music takes you to more than just the top of the charts. One of the special things about being Stevie – a sonic force for nearly 60 years – is his wide-ranging love of music across all genres and generations, and his ability to play with all those people.

(photo via youtube.com)

While many associate the harmonica mostly with blues and folk sounds, Stevie takes the instrument to new places. To be expected, his harmonica is present in the work of his Motown compatriots from the Supremes to the Temptations to Smokey Robinson.

But he’s also played with the finest in rock music (Paul McCartney, James Taylor), popular standards (Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett), world music (Sergio Mendes, Djavan), jazz (Robert Glasper, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie), pop (NSync, 98 Degrees, Mariah Carey), hip hop (Drake, Snoop Dogg) and gospel (BeBe Winans, Andrae Crouch). (Stevie, of course, has also ventured into Broadway, but the version of Rent’s ‘Seasons of Love’ with his contributions isn’t available on Spotify. But you can hear it here.)

The list closes with another personal favorite, this one from Stevie’s own catalog – his harmonica infused take on the classical holiday piece ‘Ave Maria’ – written in 1825 and sung primarily by opera singers through the centuries.

The 45-second harmonica solo here is simple and majestic, and completely at home within a classical music space, something I think only Stevie Wonder could achieve with this instrument.

Come take a ride on Stevie’s harmonica highway – and listen out for that unmistakable sound.  As with most musical adventures, we hope you will find something unexpectedly nice along with way.

Special thank you – assembling this playlist wouldn’t have been easily possible without the massive amounts of information on the fan website www.steviewonder.org.uk .

Born On This Day 74 Years Ago: Temptations Lead Singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Ruffin

By goodblacknews on January 18, 2015

David_Ruffin_-_Feelin'_GoodDavis Eli “David” Ruffin (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of The Temptations (1964–68) during the group’s “Classic Five” period, and was the lead don such famous songs as “My Girl“, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, and “I Wish It Would Rain.”  Ruffin would have been 74 today.
Known for his unique raspy and anguished tenor vocals, according to Wikipedia.com, Ruffin was ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2008.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for his work with The Temptations, and into Cleveland’s R&B Hall of Fame in 2013 as a solo artist as well a Temptations member.  Fellow Motown recording artist Marvin Gaye once said admiringly of Ruffin that, “I heard [in his voice] a strength my own voice lacked.”
To see video of Ruffin in action on one of the Temptations classics, click below and enjoy:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tYPJ74TKbI&w=420&h=315]
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)
 

R.I.P. Former Temptations Member Otis "Damon" Harris

By goodblacknews on February 25, 2013
The Temptations in 1972 (L to R): Richard Street, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards and Damon Harris. (Photo: Getty Images)
Otis “Damon” Harris, a former member of the Temptations, died at age 62 on Monday (February 18), according to the Baltimore Sun. The singer passed away at Baltimore’s Joseph Richey Hospice following a 14-year battle with prostate cancer which a family spokeman told the Sun had greatly worsened last summer.

Born in 1950, Harris joined Motown hitmakers The Temptations at age 21 in 1971 after a stint in a Temptations cover band called the Young Tempts with high school friends. The young musician, who sang lead on the Temptations’ Grammy-winning Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” in 1972, was in the group until 1975.
Harris went on to release two albums with his childhood friends in the group Impact, which produced the singles “Happy Man” and “Give A Broken Heart A Break.” Harris followed his time in Impact with a solo album, 1978’s “Silk,” before choosing to leave the music industry.   
During his later years, he was an activist for the group Stand Up to Cancer and his own Damon Harris Cancer Foundation, encouraging men to receive regular cancer screenings, as he himself had delayed in seeing a doctor prior to his cancer diagnosis.
article by Chris Payne via billboard.com