Heres another photographic treat from my archives; the legend Mike Terry.

 

This photo was taken by me, on 10th of April 1990, at Mikes home in Teaneck, New Jersey. Jacqui Kavanagh and I spent that afternoon with Mike and his wife, talking about his life and times in the music business.

I interviewed him at length that day, using a dictaphone and cassette tape, and was the first person to ever interview him about his Northern/Motown years apparently.

Everyone had been looking for Mike but in the wrong place....Detroit; he’d long since left there. I found him by mentioning him one day(as a long shot) to a music business legend Sammy Lowe, who used to find music business people for me. It turned out Mike lived around the corner from him!

Bizarrely, given all the superb stuff Mike was involved in, he only actually had 1 piece of vinyl to his name; an album by the Atlanta Disco Band. I left that one with him, lol.

Oh and the Baritone sax you see here is the one he used at Motown and on all the stuff we know and love. Did I get to hold it??? you bet!, and photographed with it too, lol.

I have a postcard from Mike, sent to me shortly after Sammy Lowe gave me his address, and I’d written to him. In it Mike says that he played on 90% of the hits that came out of Motown. 

Enjoy

Tim

Great photo Tim.

Was he well off, comfortable in life?  You see and hear of so many artists who are on their arse despite what they did in life.

Would be nice to know MT was at the very least comfortable and saw some rewards for all his work.

Thanks Tim

What a legend .. that applies to you as well

My all time No 1 musician

Andy

1 hour ago, colouredman said:

Heres another photographic treat from my archives; the legend Mike Terry.

 

This photo was taken by me, on 10th of April 1990, at Mikes home in Teaneck, New Jersey. Jacqui Kavanagh and I spent that afternoon with Mike and his wife, talking about his life and times in the music business.

I interviewed him at length that day, using a dictaphone and cassette tape, and was the first person to ever interview him about his Northern/Motown years apparently.

Everyone had been looking for Mike but in the wrong place....Detroit; he’d long since left there. I found him by mentioning him one day(as a long shot) to a music business legend Sammy Lowe, who used to find music business people for me. It turned out Mike lived around the corner from him!

Bizarrely, given all the superb stuff Mike was involved in, he only actually had 1 piece of vinyl to his name; an album by the Atlanta Disco Band. I left that one with him, lol.

Oh and the Baritone sax you see here is the one he used at Motown and on all the stuff we know and love. Did I get to hold it??? you bet!, and photographed with it too, lol.

I have a postcard from Mike, sent to me shortly after Sammy Lowe gave me his address, and I’d written to him. In it Mike says that he played on 90% of the hits that came out of Motown. 

Enjoy

 

Another fantastic photo Tim. Thanks for sharing them with us. Chris. 

38 minutes ago, chalky said:

Great photo Tim.

Was he well off, comfortable in life?  You see and hear of so many artists who are on their arse despite what they did in life.

Would be nice to know MT was at the very least comfortable and saw some rewards for all his work.

He seemed to be doin ok. The neighbourhood he lived in; Teaneck, was a nice area then as I recall; not a run down or low economy area. I dont think he was livin a life of excess or luxury, but doin ok. I’ll transcribe the tapes i recorded for a fuller picture of Mike and his life. 

33 minutes ago, Andy Rix said:

Thanks Tim

What a legend .. that applies to you as well

My all time No 1 musician

Andy

Cheers Andy, much appreciated👍🏽. So many great sax breaks from Mike but My fave break from him,  is in ‘Set my heart at ease’ ........ awesome.

23 minutes ago, Wheelsville1 said:

Another fantastic photo Tim. Thanks for sharing them with us. Chris. 

Thank you too Chris for the appreciation.👍🏽

Fantastic, hope you keep these stories coming.

Mick Perrins 

41 minutes ago, colouredman said:

He seemed to be doin ok. The neighbourhood he lived in; Teaneck, was a nice area then as I recall; not a run down or low economy area. I dont think he was livin a life of excess or luxury, but doin ok. I’ll transcribe the tapes i recorded for a fuller picture of Mike and his life. 

Thanks mate, nice to see he was doing ok and not struggling, although he should have been a millionaire!

1 hour ago, colouredman said:

Thank you too Chris for the appreciation.👍🏽

Your welcome Tim,just keep em coming.

Wow! Love the little details too, like the bike in the background - was that his? I visited Teaneck once around 2008ish and as you say, it seemed a pretty reasonable area.

Great stuff again, thank you. Mike terry, absolute legend....who are the people you can see in the reflection of the glass?? Sorry but I love all the little details. Thank you again....Rob

Always in awe of Mike Terry, and his baritone sax, nice one Tim! 

20 hours ago, Wheelsville1 said:

Another fantastic photo Tim. Thanks for sharing them with us. Chris. 

Thank you too Chris for the appreciation.👍🏽

 

1 hour ago, wilxy said:

Always in awe of Mike Terry, and his baritone sax, nice one Tim! 

Cheers 👍🏽

Great photo ,without a doubt my favourite musician of all time , we all grew up listening to him ,but didn’t realise it .Really look forward to the taped interview Tim , by all accounts he must have been one of the busiest men in Soul business throughout the 60’s early 70’s , not just playing ,but writing and arranging .Cheers Eddie 

Bari track  storming sax   Mike's a genius  !!  Cheers Tim

 

 

Pity he can't come on here and do a question / answer session!

Ed

That is absolute class.

What an unsung hero ( altho a God to us).

Thanks Tim.

Yre so right Jim; hes beyond a legend.

Keep posting the images and stories Tim, it is always good to see the faces behind the sounds. 

 

Played out Bari Track on Saturday (Pop Club Accrington) and as always that Bari sax set the hairs up on the back of my neck.

I have Mr Terry the legend to thank for that feeling which never lessens over the decades of listening to it!

21 hours ago, tomangoes said:

Pity he can't come on here and do a question / answer session!

Ed

I’m afraid he died some years back .

Otto...

Obviously ' not many people knew that'?

Maybe a family member? 

Ed

My apology for anyone offended. I really did not know Mike was not with us anymore. Upon simple research, here is one story.

 

Mike Terry
Baritone saxophonist on Motown's greatest hits of the 1960s

Richard Williams

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/01/mike-terry-obituary

clipped by site - please do not post complete articles from other sites - highlight and a link please

12 minutes ago, tomangoes said:

My apology for anyone offended. I really did not know Mike was not with us anymore. Upon simple research, here is one story.

clipped by site

What a wonderful story and a honour to have experienced the man's talent  RIP MIKE

Some soul source members articles/topics that may be of interest

 

 

NIce one Tim ... bet Sammy Lowe also has some of his own stories to tell ...

Sammy was a lovely old guy; been around in the music business since the Big Band era. Jacqui Kavanagh and I had a few great meals out with Sammy and his son Sammy Junior and Laura Greene. 

Tragically he died in a house fire at his sisters in Alabama shortly after we last saw him. Another legend sadly gone.

Thanks Tim , looking forward to the stories. Ady

3 hours ago, colouredman said:

Sammy was a lovely old guy; been around in the music business since the Big Band era. Jacqui Kavanagh and I had a few great meals out with Sammy and his son Sammy Junior and Laura Greene. 

Tragically he died in a house fire at his sisters in Alabama shortly after we last saw him. Another legend sadly gone.

Hi Tim,As Mike Terrys real name is Andrew.Ive always wondered where the name Mike came from. Do you have the answer to this? Cheers Chris. 

https://m.mixcloud.com/sharingthesoul/the-northern-soul-of-mike-terry/ 

Here is a mixcloud I did with Mick Cooper outlining Mike’s Northern Soul Records 

https://m.mixcloud.com/sharingthesoul/sharing-a-tribute-to-mike-terry-pt2/

And here is part 2 of the show with Mick Cooper .Enjoy !! 

Let-em have it Tim, you know I'am 

😉👍🏽

On 29/01/2019 at 07:07, colouredman said:

Sammy was a lovely old guy; been around in the music business since the Big Band era. Jacqui Kavanagh and I had a few great meals out with Sammy and his son Sammy Junior and Laura Greene. 

Tragically he died in a house fire at his sisters in Alabama shortly after we last saw him. Another legend sadly gone.

Here's Sammy

Thanks for sharing this and other posts Tim, looking forward to the transcripts!

Thanks for sharing Tim...the legend that is.....great pic!!

Top man Tim wonderful 

Yre welcome guys👍🏽. Thanks for the appreciation. Mike deserves all the acclaim we can ever give him.