Post by Emerald City on Nov 5, 2006 22:44:34 GMT -5
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Profile: The Marvelettes
Formed: 1961
Genres: Motown, Soul, R&B
Instruments: Vocals
Original Members: Gladys Horton, Georgia Dobbins, Georgeanna Tillman (Gordon), Wyanetta (Juanita) Cowart (Motley), Katherine (Catherine) Anderson (Shaffner), Wanda Young (Rogers), Ann (Anne) Bogan
Contributions to music:
Responsible for giving Motown it’s first number 1 pop record
Paved the way for the other girl groups on the label
First Motown girl group to pen their own number one
Motown's first entry into the Girl Group phenomenon
Early years: Starting out 1961 as a quintet in rural Inkster, Michigan, the Marvelettes were leads Gladys Horton and Georgia Dobbins with Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, and Katherine Anderson. Not confident in their singing abilities they called themselves the Casinyets which stood for can't sing yet. While attending Inkster High, the five high schoolers entered the school's talent show where the first three prizes were auditions at Detroit's Motown Records.
The girls then called the Marvels finished fourth ( though in a 1980 interview Horton said they came in first), but their teacher, Mrs. Shirley Sharpley, convinced the principal Anita Cox to let them go on the audition. It was Sharpley that prevailed upon Jon O'Den (Berry Gordy'd driver and bodyguard) to listen to the Casinyets. The Marvelettes' early influences were the Chantels and the Shirelles, so it was no surprise when they auditioned with "He's Gone" and "I Met Him On A Sunday."
The girls passed their April 1961 audition for Brian Holland and Robert Bateman with flying colors, but sent them home telling them they had to come up with an original song. Having never written anything, Dobbins asked William Garnett, a songwriting friend, if he had anything. He showed her a blues song entitled "Please Mr. Postman." In turn for writing credit, she then rewrote it keeping the title and theme. She then gave it to Horton to learn and then dropped out of the group to take care of her sick mother. The group then added Wanda Young, an Inkster graduate, and went back to Motown.
Success: After auditioning for Berry Gordy himself and Smokey Robinson, the girls received a recording contract. Gordy renamed the group The Marvelettes and in the summer of 1961 their first single, "Please Mr. Postman," was released on the Tamla imprint, with Gladys Horton as the lead voice. Within weeks the song became an instant hit #1 on Billboard’s Pop and R&B Charts. The Marvelettes' next song "Twistin' Mr. Postman had an heavily accented blues beat.
It would ultimately reach number thirty-four Pop and number thirteen R&B while the girls were becoming a popular touring group, going on various Motown ensemble tours and even a few solo outings. Between 1963 to 1967 the girls went on to produce a constant number of Pop and R&B chart hits such as Playboy, Beachwood 4-5789, Someday, Someway,
Strange I Know, Locking Up My Heart, Too Many Fish in the Sea, Danger! Heartbreak Dead Ahead, Don't Mess With Bill, I’ll Keep Holding On and The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game.
Later years: By 1967, Juanita Cowart, Georgeanna Tillman and Gladys Horton had all departed from the group at different times. Ann Bogan replaced Gladys in time for the groups album Sophisticated Soul which now presented Wanda as their sole lead singer. Singles released from the album included You're the One, My Baby Must Be a Magician, Destination: Anywhere and Here I Am Baby. By 1969, Motown had long since shifted support to other acts such as Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Jackson 5 and the Marvelettes 'In Full Bloom' album, only managed to have one single release which was, a remake of Baby Washington's That's How Heartaches Are Made. The group officially disbanded in 1970.
****Other facts:****
*Postman took fourteen weeks to hit number on the pop chart
*Georgeanna Tillman married Billy Gordon of the Contours
*Wanda Young married Bobby Rogers of the Miracles
*Katherine Anderson married Joe Schaffner, once road manager for the Temptations
*The album The Return of The Marvelettes, was in fact a solo album for Wanda produced by Smokey Robinson
****Awards/Honors:****
Two RIAA Gold Records for sales of Please, Mr Postman and Don't Mess With Bill (2005)
Inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2005)
****Songs, Albums, and Charts:****
R&B:
Please Mr. Postman #1
Twistin' Postman #13
Playboy #4
Beechwood 4-5789 #7
Someday, Someway #8
Strange, I Know #10
Locking Up My Heart #25
Forever #24
Too Many Fish in the Sea #15
Danger! Heartbreak Dead Ahead #11
Don't Mess With Bill #3
I'll Keep Holding On #11
You're the One #20
My Baby Must Be a Magician #8
Here I Am Baby #14
Destination: Anywhere #28
The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game #2
When You're Young and in Love R&B: #9
Pop:
Please Mr. Postman #1
Twistin' Postman #34
Playboy #7
Beechwood 4-5789 #17
Strange, I Know #49
Locking Up My Heart #44
Forever #78
My Daddy Knows Best #67
As Long As I Know He's Mine #47
You're My Remedy #48
Too Many Fish in the Sea #25
Danger! Heartbreak Dead Ahead #61
Don't Mess With Bill #7
He's a Good Guy (Yes He Is) #55
I'll Keep Holding On #34
You're the One #48
My Baby Must Be a Magician #17
Here I Am Baby #44
Destination: Anywhere #63
I'm Gonna Hold On As Long As I Can #76
The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game #13
When You're Young and in Love #23
That's How Heartaches Are Made#97
Albums:
Please Mr. Postman (1961)
The Marvelettes Sing (1962)
Playboy (1962)
The Marvelous Marvelettes (1963)
The Marvelettes Recorded Live On Stage(1963)
The Marvelettes Greatest Hits (1966)
The Marvelettes (1967)
Sophisticated Soul (1968)
In Full Bloom (1969)
Return of the Marvelettes(1970)
The Marvelettes Anthology(1975)
Best of The Marvelettes(1975)
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The One Who Really Loves You 
The Boy From Crosstown 
Breath Taking Guy 
