I never imagined that any Motown artists came to the U.K. prior to 1964.

I know in 1964 the Supremes and Marvin came over - did Ready Steady Go! etc. and of course Mary Wells toured as support for the Beatles.

But I was reading something today written by Bev Bevan of the Move and ELO - about his early days gigging around Birmingham.

He wrote:

In 1963 we opened for an absurdly talented 13 year-old singer, songwriter, pianist and harmonica player who was promoting his big USA hit Fingertips. His name was Little Stevie Wonder.

Does anyone know any more about this?

Who brought him over? When Fingertips came out here the Motown releases were still on the Oriole label.

What venues did he play? Bevan was talking here about places such as the Ritz, Kings Heath and the Plazas, Handsworth and Old Hill.

Or is any part of this story "confused"?

MB

he played the cavern in liverpool for sure, my uncle kev was a doorman there and he was given the job of taking stevie to the loo

I never imagined that any Motown artists came to the U.K. prior to 1964.

I know in 1964 the Supremes and Marvin came over - did Ready Steady Go! etc. and of course Mary Wells toured as support for the Beatles.

But I was reading something today written by Bev Bevan of the Move and ELO - about his early days gigging around Birmingham.

He wrote:

In 1963 we opened for an absurdly talented 13 year-old singer, songwriter, pianist and harmonica player who was promoting his big USA hit Fingertips. His name was Little Stevie Wonder.

Does anyone know any more about this?

Who brought him over? When Fingertips came out here the Motown releases were still on the Oriole label.

What venues did he play? Bevan was talking here about places such as the Ritz, Kings Heath and the Plazas, Handsworth and Old Hill.

Or is any part of this story "confused"?

MB

I know he played the Gliderdrome in Boston, Lincs, but not what year. Jimmy Hendrix played it too 25-03-67: Starlight Room, Gliderdrome, Boston. Also JH played on 10-06-67 the Top Gear Radio Show London including 'Midnight Hour' with Stevie Wonder on drums, so he might have been in the UK in 1967?

https://www.bluepig.p...liderdrome.html

https://www.bostonsta...ider.2102326.jp

check the penultimate paragraph re his booking fee!

Edited February 3, 201015 yr by simon t

I used to go to the Old Hill Plaza in the mid to late 60ts and heard lots of talk about previous performers. Never heard one about Stevie Wonder though. Ade

I made a bit of progress.

I remembered that I've got some copies of the Hitsville USA (TM Appreciation Society) magazine up in the loft. Took a look through them and one of them confirms that SW was the first Motown artist to visit the U.K. - in 1963.

he played the cavern in liverpool for sure, my uncle kev was a doorman there and he was given the job of taking stevie to the loo

Thanks. That definitely makes sense. The Beatles played the Ritz, Kings Heath in early 1963 so can imagine artists playing both venues.

I used to go to the Old Hill Plaza in the mid to late 60ts and heard lots of talk about previous performers. Never heard one about Stevie Wonder though. Ade

Ade. Never went to the Plaza myself but I'm in the Midlands and like you never heard anyone mention SW playing Old Hill.

Now I know it's a definite I'll keep digging for more information.

If I can get a bit closer with the date I'll go through the archive copies of the B'ham papers - see if there is any mention.

Still find it pretty amazing that they would bring over a blind 13 year old boy without a single U.K. chart entry to his name. Incredible!!

MB

Ade. Never went to the Plaza myself but I'm in the Midlands and like you never heard anyone mention SW playing Old Hill.

I saw SW at the Bham Hippodrome, 1970, which I've been told was the last 'Motown Review' Still have the programme somewhere. Changing the subject slightly...I think I'm right in saying that the Plaza was a venue for Al green's first UK visit. I remember him sitting on a stool playing an acoustic guitar. This was when 'so tired of being alone' was first released. I think they did some filming for TOTPs in Bham city centre too. Ade

ps, where you from in the WM? I'm from Stourbridge.

i know its a different artist and later but i think this is just amazing live footage taken in london in 1967

https://www.youtube.c...h?v=TvEclAhlml8

Edited February 4, 201015 yr by becchio

JUST READING THE IN CROWD AGAIN AND IT MENTIONS A TOUR PRIOR TO THE REVIEW TOUR PRE 64

KEV

i know its a different artist and later but i think this is just amazing live footage taken in london in 1967

https://www.youtube.c...h?v=TvEclAhlml8

Absolute class!!!!!

i know its a different artist and later but i think this is just amazing live footage taken in london in 1967

https://www.youtube.c...h?v=TvEclAhlml8

OMG who on earth made this quality colour film in 1967 - and where has it been ever since??!!

Something got me a bit confused here. It is up on You Tube as the Ram Jam Club and the posters on the wall say that. But why has the backdrop got the names of all those other London clubs on it - Marquee - Klook's Kleek - Flamingo etc. etc.

And if you hold it at the first frame it's got a French title on it.

Just a thought??!!

MB

Edited February 4, 201015 yr by MBarrett

I saw Stevie Wonder at the Gliderdrome - will have to check the year but the Starlight Room didn't open until 1964 so it was after that.

I made a bit of progress.

I remembered that I've got some copies of the Hitsville USA (TM Appreciation Society) magazine up in the loft. Took a look through them and one of them confirms that SW was the first Motown artist to visit the U.K. - in 1963.

Thanks. That definitely makes sense. The Beatles played the Ritz, Kings Heath in early 1963 so can imagine artists playing both venues.

Ade. Never went to the Plaza myself but I'm in the Midlands and like you never heard anyone mention SW playing Old Hill.

Now I know it's a definite I'll keep digging for more information.

If I can get a bit closer with the date I'll go through the archive copies of the B'ham papers - see if there is any mention.

Still find it pretty amazing that they would bring over a blind 13 year old boy without a single U.K. chart entry to his name. Incredible!!

MB

I have an idea that Bev might be a little bit confused, but only a little bit. Something in the back of my mind tells me that it was EMI who brought him over to promote "Hey Harmonica Man", which would still make him a 'pre-tour' visitor to the UK, and that he did some shows then.

If so, it would be 1964 but would only be a matter of months after 'Fingertips', so Bev would probably have had to play that at gigs as well.

Of course, I could be talking complete b*ll*cks. It has been known to happen...

But in respect of post-tour visits, Stevie came over here a lot during the 60s - probably more so than any other artist. One of the few surviving bits of mid 60s TOTP shows him miming to "Uptight" and I can remember him being on the same show for both "I Was Made To Love Her" and "I'm Wondering" (when he got a bit overenthusiastic during the 'harmonica solo', and almost feel off the stage!). I went to see him at the "Talk Of The Town" in, oooh, 1969 I think it was and I also saw what must have been his last pre-superstardom tour about 18 months later, when Martha and the Vandellas supported him at the Finsbury Park Astoria. He was basically promoting "Music Of My Mind", but he still did a lot of the classics as well.

I guess that he visited more than any other Motown artist, probably because there was only one of him rather than a group and that made him easier and more economical to fly across the pond.

Edited February 16, 201015 yr by TONY ROUNCE