David Godin Passes Away

[Emerald City]

David Godin - Founder of the UK Tamla Motown Appreciation Society since 1965 and a regular columnist for Blues and Soul magazine in the 60s and 70s passed away on Friday 15th October 2004 due to illness.

[Emerald City]

My condolences go out to his family. May he :rip:

[Emerald City]

David Godin Obituary Written By Adam White


The extraordinary music of Motown Records has had many champions in Britain, but a onetime telephonist from Lambeth is entitled to be known as the first.

Dave Godin, who died of cancer on Oct. 15 at age 68, was founding secretary of the Tamla/Motown Appreciation Society, proprietor of specialist retail outlet Soul City, music journalist and compiler of deep-soul albums issued on Ace Records’ Kent imprint.

Yet those credentials don’t fully reveal that Godin was also one of a handful of idiosyncratic British evangelists for American R&B – another was Guy Stevens of Sue Records – who influenced the British music business of the 1960s.

When Tamla-Motown was granted its own U.K. label identity by licensee EMI Records in 1965, Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. wrote to Godin: “It is as a result of such loyal and devoted efforts as yours that such a historic event is possible.”

Godin was seduced by American rhythm & blues in the 1950s. His achievement was to channel the ardour of other like-minded Britons by forming the Mary Wells’ Fan Club & Tamla/Motown Appreciation Society in 1963, while holding a day job as a telephonist in London.

The support of TMAS members – they welcomed visiting Motown artists at Heathrow, spread enthusiasm and information to the media, and, of course, bought the records – made clear to Gordy the global appeal of his company’s sound. That, in turn, led to EMI’s creation of the iconic Tamla-Motown label in March 1965.

Another society member, Vicki Wickham, produced that year’s “The Sound of Motown” TV show, featuring Martha & the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, the Miracles and the Supremes. These acts together also played 21 U.K. concert dates, although Godin thought the tour was premature, and was proved right by low audience turnout.

TMAS was disbanded in 1966, Godin turning his evangelism into a record shop (first in south London, later the West End) and a label, also called Soul City. There, he lived his dreams by releasing deep soul 45s by some of his favourite artists, such as Bessie Banks’ “Go Now.” The ventures eventually failed; Godin was no capitalist at heart.

Credited with coining the term “Northern Soul,” Godin was a literate, challenging columnist for Blues & Soul and other publications. He resolutely kept the spotlight on the artists and music he loved, as he did with the Kent compilations; the fourth volume was issued only weeks before his death of cancer.

The unique role that Britain plays in Motown’s history, spurred by Godin and those he brought together through TMAS, was validated this past March, when EMI increased to 100% its shareholding in Berry Gordy’s true treasures: the 15,000-song Jobete publishing catalogue.




*Taken from the UK's Music Week Magazine and posted on Oct 25th by Harry Weinger on the Classic Motown Boards*

[Motorcity]

Farewell friend :RIP:

[Motown Honey]

So long Mr. Godin :RIP: