Earth-Angel Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I can't get enough Stevie Wonder - he's just fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I can´t stop dancing when I listen to Smokey Robinson!!! :happybanana: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I wish we had mo of Motown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Was Stevie wonder the first Motown artist to cross over to classic rock success? Living for the City, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Superstition..we all considered rock hits, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I believe he was the first RJ. I guess it depends upon how you view Motown Label groups like Rare Earth. But as for true Motown style artists I'd have to say that Stevie is first. Others tried to step out of the Motown mold to explore other genres but Berry Gordy ruled with an iron fist. Just ask Mary Wells, Martha Reeves, The Four Tops, The Isley Bros., etc. Most had to leave the label to have musical freedom. Even then, Gordy tried to undermine their efforts. Some had success (TheFour Tops for example) but even they returned to Motwon eventually. Stevie always did what Stevie wanted to do. Gordy could not influence Stevie's choices. Genius trumps business acumen anyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 He had to be one of the first, to be sure. Rare Earth came out around 1970, and they're considered more of a "Classic Rock" band than a Motown band; first white group on the label, I believe. Stevie's "crossover" classic rock tunes didn't really come out until a few years later with the album "Talking Book". He definitely is bigger than the "r&b" genre, much the same as the Beatles are bigger than the "pop" genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 I really love Motown, but I haven't really listened to it in a while. The compilation I have is about 20 years old on cassette, but I like it because it tells stories of the musicians and the songs. Can anyone recommend a more recent compilation? Or some good albums by The Four Tops, Temptations, Smokey & The Miracles, etc.? I'd like to get a good collection to share with my daughter. I used to sing "My Girl" to her a lot..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 There's a newer compilation called "Motown - Greatest Hits". I believe it's put out by Universal Records, which now owns and distributes Motown. It covers quite a time period. It's a 3 disc import, and the price was pretty fair. I found it at Best Buy, but you can get it here as well: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CCYOX/qid=1128609301/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-0247350-4223210?v=glance&s=music Of course, everyone should also own the Stevie Wonder "At The Close Of A Century" boxset - best thing I ever bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted October 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Listened to a station out of Detroit CKLW and they played so many great Motown artists. CKLW was not out of Detroit, as many people think. The "Big 8" (AM800) is still to this day located in my hometown of Windsor, Ontario. Detroit is across a one mile wide stretch of river from us, the Detroit River. In it's day, the Big 8 was totally responsible for launching the careers of most Motown stars. And plenty of Detroit rock stars got their start from CKLW. In particular, it was a program director, Rosalie Tromblay, that these guys were kissing up to. Seger wrote a song about her. These days, Rosalie works at the Casino Windsor, and enjoys talking about the old days. The DJ's that were there during the heyday are local legends, and probably eat free in all the area restaurants, LOL!. Eventually, AM800 changed it's format to all talk radio. It's known as Windsor's 'information station' and is a FAR cry from it's former self. Here is Seger's song. Rosalie Bob Seger Words and music by bob seger She’s quite the mediator A smoother operator you will never see She’ll see you later And no one dares disuade her openly She knows music And no music till you see Rosalie. She’s got the power Of loyal teens - queen Rosalie Rosalie... Rosalie...Rosalie She’s got the plastic Comes from all the corners, corners of the world So fantastic She’s everybody’s favorite little record girl She knows music No music till you see Rosalie She’s got the power... got the power, Rosalie...Rosalie... Rosalie From chattanooga to good old Bogalloosa You can hear them fine She makes her choices And it may be best to smilin’ when it’s choosin’ time Knows music No music till you see Rosalie She’s got the power, got the tower, Rosalie...Rosalie...Rosalie Knows music...knows music...knows music Rosalie...Rosalie Weather and traffic up next! Ken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Of course, everyone should also own the Stevie Wonder "At The Close Of A Century" boxset - best thing I ever bought. I'm going to ask for that for Christmas! I hate scrounging around for .mp3's on the net when I could own the full boxset and the whole bang shoot would be done with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 She’s got the power Of loyal teens - queen Rosalie Rosalie... Rosalie...Rosalie I didn't realise it was Seger who sang that, it's been used in a few tea commercials back in SA! Very catchy little song too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 It's the best box set ever assembled. You could toss a lot of the 4th disc, but there are still a lot of good ones among the "Don't Drive Drunk"'s and "Part-Time Lover"'s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Then it is definitely going on my wishlist, thanks for the recommendation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted October 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Found more! From Rosalie's History People who had an impact Rosalie Trombley Radio music director Bob Seger sang it: “She’s got the tower/she’s got the power†— she is Rosalie Trombley, the music director of Windsor’s Top 40 powerhouse CKLW-AM, the most important call letters in the Midwest in its ’60s and ’70s heyday. The unassuming mother of three started as a receptionist and became music director in 1968. Because CKLW’s signal beamed into 26 states beyond Michigan and Ontario, when Trombley deigned to play a song and it caught fire, the song could blaze across the country within days. Detroit acts like Bob Seger got national exposure due to Trombley and “CK,†and Canadian groups like the Guess Who were suddenly made in the United States. Seger even wrote the song Rosalie about her, but it tanked. Professional to a fault, Trombley refused to play the song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Posted October 7, 2005 Report Share Posted October 7, 2005 Thanks as well for the recommendation, das, I am putting both boxsets on my wish list as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Jane 61 Posted October 7, 2005 Report Share Posted October 7, 2005 The Classic CKLW Page!This page remembers the Big 8, CKLW (Windsor/Detroit) - one of the top radio stations in the world in the 1960's and 1970's. I think the reason most people here in the states say Detroit is due to the Windsor/Detroit saying and I remember it being said that way on the radio. Guess we just thought of Detroit first, funny we did that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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