Motown in The Brill Building - Keith Hughes & Andy Rix

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On 05/01/2021 at 20:53, Andy Rix said:

News/Article/Feature Highlight:

There's been a bit of talk around the Norma Jenkins version of 'Try Love'. Thought it might be timely to share this article Keith Hughes wrote 25 years ago with a bit of assistance from myself.
The first Motown office outside Detroit ...

Great article Andy,ive always loved the sparkels even though its sparce in places.As Robb K once said,i wonder what it would have sounded like if Motown had gone with it and had the velvelettes record it. Chris. 

Here's a few more songs from the Motown/ Brill Building period-

1) Sammy Turner - "Give It Up Baby" (Kerr / Barnes/ Turner)

2) Serenaders- "Change Of Pace" ( Kerr/ Barnes)

3) Serenaders- "I'll Be Lonely" (Kerr/ Barnes)

4) Serenaders- "Only Mine" (Kerr/ Barnes/ Wilson/ Curry)

5) Serenaders- "Say, Say, Baby" (K/B/W/C)

 

 

 

Great article. About 10 years ago a dozen or so 10” acetates came into Peoples Records in Detroit that were from the Jobete offices in New York. Unfortunately, all were unplayable...

 

does anybody know if there is there any family connection between Alice Ossman (Miss Ray's sister) and Al Abrams ( aka Stanley Ossman)?

18 minutes ago, Kenb said:

does anybody know if there is there any family connection between Alice Ossman (Miss Ray's sister) and Al Abrams ( aka Stanley Ossman)?

Stanley was Miss Rays half brother,so if Alice and Ray were full sisters,then yes. Chris. 

16 minutes ago, Kenb said:

does anybody know if there is there any family connection between Alice Ossman (Miss Ray's sister) and Al Abrams ( aka Stanley Ossman)?

Al Abrams and Stanley 'Mike' Ossman are two different people ... Stanley is Miss Ray's half-brother .. same mother ... he was referred to as Mike and is the MI in Shrine Records Ramitary Publishing . RAy, MIke and SingleTARY .. Eddie Singleton's real surname

Andy

2 hours ago, Andy Rix said:

Al Abrams and Stanley 'Mike' Ossman are two different people ... Stanley is Miss Ray's half-brother .. same mother ... he was referred to as Mike and is the MI in Shrine Records Ramitary Publishing . RAy, MIke and SingleTARY .. Eddie Singleton's real surname

Andy

thanks for that.

enjoyed the article very much.

On 05/01/2021 at 23:56, Nick Soule said:

Great article. About 10 years ago a dozen or so 10” acetates came into Peoples Records in Detroit that were from the Jobete offices in New York. Unfortunately, all were unplayable.

 

Interesting ... do you still have all of the acetates ?

Andy

47 minutes ago, Andy Rix said:

Interesting ... do you still have all of the acetates ?

Andy

Brad Hales might still have a couple, but from what I remember most were given away, which is how I got mine. They were all titles that neither of us recognized, and the one I have isn’t on DFTMC, so presumably unreleased. Unfortunately, I can’t recall the titles of any of the others. 

From Billboard 19 December 1964 .. clear evidence that the NY Motown office was history

 

  6 April 1963 .. office is due to open

 

18 May 1963 .. confirmation that the NY Motown office is open

Great article/Thread, Thanks Andy.....

Terrific article, thanks for posting, though I would put Alice Clark's version of You Hit Me above Kim Weston's.

The 1st article is from Cashbox May 11, 1963. The 2nd article from Feb. 8, 1964 mentions a Bobby Valenti 45. Does anyone know if this was part of the Jobete N.Y. ?

 

Excellent article Andy (and Keith) and excellent topic too, some great info.

I can find nothing about Bobby Valentin at Motown ... the song 'Down Doobee' doesn't appear to be registered at Library of Congress, nor with BMI and isn't in the Jobete catalog ... but some of the NY written songs are missing

Bobby Valentin appears to have disappeared after 62 ... see comments on attached link

https://www.45cat.com/record/nc193863us

Andy

Fascinating article thanks. You mentioned about any examples from Sidney Barnes' book (Standing on Solid Ground). I've taken photos of 2 pages in the section where he writes about Motown and working at the Brill Building. One referencing Herb Abramson's A1 Studio for cutting demos, and the other talking about getting a release for his group, The Serenaders, of their record 'If Your Heart Says Yes' initially on the Motown label, and then as the first release on the new V.I.P. label.

Thanks Seano

The Parlettes acetate featured above is a George Clinton composition, Jobete published, and recorded at the A-1 Sound studio

Best

Andy

Fascinating article. Ray talks about this period during an early 90s appearance on the Geraldo USTV talk show special "The Women Of Motown" which is posted on YouTube, worth checking out as Mabel John & Kim Weston also appear.

 Good reminder .. I'd totally forgotten about that

Andy

1 hour ago, Andy Rix said:

 Good reminder .. I'd totally forgotten about that

Andy

Thanks for posting this Andy,i thought what Mable John had to say about Raynoma was very touching and i do wonder if there had been a Motown as we know it without Raynoma,and secondly as much as the recording artist said they were a big happy family,it was clear to see the rivalry that there had been amongst them. Chris. 

 Serenaders' Cashbox review from Feb. 15, 1964 issue. The Sammy Turner was a "Best Bet" in the Feb. 29, 1964 issue of Cashbox. 

The beautiful entrance hallway to The Brill Building ,Taken by me in 2014 .

 

My son worked in New York & lived in Hoboken (across the river) for a few years either side of 2000 ....

When visiting him, I'd always wonder into the Brill Building & 1650 Broadway but the door keepers were always quick to let you know you weren't welcome. Also used to drop in @ Colony Music Centre too, managed to pick up some decent (old) sheet music bits there.

Found an old picture of some more of the absolutely destroyed 10” NY Jobete acetates that came into Peoples around 2011. Tragic. 

The opening of a New York office may have more of a back story than simply that of Gordy deciding to open one up.

Gordy, after divorcing his first wife ( Thelma) just before Motown was really established,  established a relationship with Raynoma. Initially this was a working relationship, but it seems that romance intervened. (Especially on her part).

She was extremely useful to Gordy , as she was very talented in the field of writing music, arranging , charts etc, vocal coaching etc....useful to Gordy as his new operation was expanding.

However, it seems that Raynoma forced Gordy into a marriage that he clearly didn't want, coming off his previous divorce. To the extent that she virtually forced Gordy into a Shotgun Wedding, which saw Gordy running out on her minutes from the Marriage service. Days later he relented, and he agreed to the Marriage. Gordy was at this time heavily involved with a girl called Margaret Norton. He seems to have agreed to marrying Raynoma to keep the Motown operation running smoothly. It seemed a Marriage of convenience.  Gordy spent his wedding night with Norton. Gordy continued his affair with Norton. In retaliation, Raynoma had an affair with Sonny Saunders ( Satintones)...maybe others.

This situation caused great difficulties around Hitsville. Probably the final straw was when Raynoma followed Gordy and Norton to a bowling alley, producing a revolver from her handbag.. Apparently Smokey intervened and prevented a major incident.

Raynoma was shipped out to New York...to all extent, banished from Motown's Detroit offices. The set up of a  New York office was Gordy's way of offloading this potentially dangerous situation getting out of hand.

The Bootlegging of My Guy of course made Raynoma position untenable .

She has been unfairly overlooked in Motown's early history, her musical abilities helpig Motown to progress musically and operationally.

However, it seems her plan to turn Gordy ( a serial womaniser) into a 9 to 5 faithful, loyal  husband was her undoing.