Dont Let Her Be Your Baby by the Contours
| The Contours | |
|---|---|
 The Contours. From left to right: Huey Davis (guitarist), Hubert Johnson, Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Joe Billingslea, and Sylvester Potts. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, Us |
| Genres | R&B, soul |
| Years active | 1959–1968; 1971–present |
| Labels | Motown |
| Members | Joe Billingslea Al Chisholm Gary Grier Lyall Hoggart Dwjuan Brock |
| By members | Billy Gordon Billy Hoggs Billy Rollins Hubert Johnson Leroy Fair Sylvester Potts Quango Gay Jerry Dark-green Alvin English Joe Stubbs Dennis Edwards Arthur Hinson Darrell Nunlee Martin Upshire C. Autry Hatcher Odell Jones Charles Davis |
The Contours is one of the early African-American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records. The grouping is best known for its classic chart-topping 1962 hit, "Do Y'all Love Me", which sold over 1 1000000 copies and became a major hit once again in 1988.
History [edit]
Institution and "Practise You Love Me" [edit]
Joe Billingslea (built-in November fourteen, 1937) and Billy Gordon founded a singing group called the Blenders in their native Detroit, Michigan in 1959. They completed the group with Billy Hoggs and Baton Rollins, who had responded to an advertisement placed in the local newspaper past Billingslea. The group shortly added Leroy Fair (in place of Billy Rollins), and bass singer Hubert Johnson, and inverse the proper name to "The Contours". In the fall of 1960, the grouping auditioned for Berry Gordy's Motown Records. Gordy turned the human activity down, prompting the grouping to pay a visit to the home of Johnson's cousin, R&B star and Gordy associate Jackie Wilson. Wilson in turn got the Contours a second audition with Gordy, at which they sang the same songs they had at the beginning audition, the same way, and were signed to a seven-year contract.[1]
Each artist at Motown Records received its ain guitarist. Huey Davis was the guitarist assigned to the Contours. The group's kickoff unmarried, "Whole Lotta' Woman," was released in Jan 1961 and failed to chart. Within months of its release, Leroy Fair was replaced by Benny Reeves, blood brother of Martha Reeves. Shortly thereafter, Benny Reeves left to serve in the United States Navy and he was replaced by Sylvester Potts. In 1961 the group'due south second single, "The Stretch", was released and it also failed to chart. In early 1962, Gordy had the Contours record "Practice You Love Me," a composition allegedly originally meant for The Temptations. But, in a 2008 interview for MOJO Magazine, original Profile Joe Billingslea stated that this was not the case. In the article, Billingslea stated to author Phil Alexander that the song's author, Motown founder Drupe Gordy, offered the song to the Contours commencement, simply intending to give The Temptations the song after he saw that the Contours were having trouble with it. All the same, after practicing the melody once again, Gordy gave the nod—and the song—to the Contours.[i]
The resulting record, with its shouted atomic number 82 vocals from Billy Gordon, striking No. ane on Billboard 'south R&B chart and crossed over to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1962. Information technology sold over ane one thousand thousand copies, and was awarded a golden disc.[2]
Mid-to-late 1960s career [edit]
Although the Contours never quite repeated the extraordinary success of "Practice You Love Me," they returned to the charts four times during 1963 and 1964 starting with "Shake Sherry." They also charted on the R&B Charts with the "B-side" to "Can You lot Wiggle Like Me," the Smokey Robinson-penned "That Day When She Needed Me." In 1964, Billy Hoggs, Joe Billingslea, Hubert Johnson, and Sylvester Potts all left Motown. Berry Gordy hired Council Gay, Jerry Green and Alvin English language to back Baton Gordon, making the Contours a song quartet (with Davis remaining the group's guitarist throughout their stint at Motown). During this menses, tracks recorded by both line-ups were beingness put together for a second album for Motown entitled The Contours: Can Y'all Trip the light fantastic toe (Gordy 910).[3] However, for unknown reasons, this anthology was never released by Motown. Within a yr, Sylvester Potts returned to the group (replacing Alvin English), and Baton Gordon departed shortly thereafter. Gordon was replaced by Joe Stubbs, brother of Four Tops atomic number 82 singer Levi Stubbs. Stubbs soon quit the act and was replaced past Dennis Edwards. Stubbs would subsequently go along to become lead vocalizer of the 1970s non-Motown R&B group, 100 Proof (Aged in Soul).
During the mid-1960s the Contours recorded several records which received R&B radio play, notably "Can You lot Practice Information technology," "Don't Let Her Exist Your Baby", "Can Y'all Jerk Like Me," and its charting flip side, the Smokey Robinson written-and-produced "That Mean solar day When She Needed Me," "Starting time I Look at the Purse" (written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers)" and "But a Little Misunderstanding" (the only single featuring Stubbs on lead, and was co-written by Stevie Wonder),.[iv] Still they were considered secondary to Motown'south major male vocal groups: The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Miracles. The group's seven-twelvemonth contract with Motown expired in 1967 and when pb vocalizer Dennis Edwards was recruited to supercede the departed David Ruffin as atomic number 82 singer of The Temptations in mid-1968, the Contours disbanded. Edwards afterward became a solo hits maker also.
Although they charted up a hitting in the Uk Singles Chart in 1970 with a re-release of "Just A Lilliputian Misunderstanding,"[5] The Contours' real claim to fame lies with "Practise Yous Love Me." Both these tracks and others Contours piece of work can be found on diverse Motown compilation albums.[6]
After Motown [edit]
In the early 1970s, Joe Billingslea resurrected the grouping with himself, Arthur Hinson, Martin Upshire, C. Autry Hatcher and former Motown Contour Council Gay every bit its members, and began performing at local clubs around Detroit. During the seventies and early eighties, the group's popularity increased and they began playing dates throughout the US and even some international dates. In 1984, Charles Davis replaced Hinson and a week later Potts rejoined the group replacing Gay. In 1987, Hatcher left the group and Arthur Hinson returned. In 1988, Darell Nunlee was added when Martin Upshire left. The same year, "Do Y'all Love Me" was prominently featured in the film Dirty Dancing. In 1988, a reissue of "Do Yous Beloved Me" sent the song back to the Billboard Top 40 charts for viii weeks, peaking at number eleven. The movie and the record spawned a 1988 "Dirty Dancing Concert Tour" followed by a new recording contract for Ian Levine's Motorcity Records where the group recorded two albums Flashback and Revenge although the latter was not released, though the songs would later be featured on the after compilation, The All-time of the Contours.
In 1992, Hinson left the group, and it continued as a quartet until 1993 when Nunlee left. Al Chisholm (formerly with The Falcons) and Gary Grier were recruited in 1993. This configuration – Joe Billingslea, Chisholm, Davis, Grier and Potts – connected from 1993 until 2004.
In 2004, Sylvester Potts left to form his own grouping with the four members (Leroy Seabrooks, Kim Green, Tony Womack and Darell Nunlee) of a local Detroit grouping named Upscale, which immediately began performing as "The Contours". Billingslea sued and Potts countersued, each claiming the rights to the name. Because the service mark, "The Contours" was jointly endemic by Billingslea, Potts and their manager, these suits were resolved in an out-of-court settlement which provided for the being of both groups to be identified equally "The Contours with Joe Billingslea" and "The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts," respectively. Within months of the founding of the Potts group, Seabrooks left making it a quartet. In 2011, Nunlee left Potts' group and was replaced by Tee Turner.
In April 2011, the unreleased second album's tracks, along with fourteen unreleased original Contours 1960s Motown recordings, and new 2011 interviews with the Contours' founder Joe Billingslea as well as with Sylvester Potts, was released equally part of the CD compilation collection, Dance with the Contours on the import label, Kent Records. It featured the nautical chart hits, "Can You Do It", "Tin You Jerk Similar Me", and several other tracks. It was released under legal license from, and with the full approval of, the owners of the Motown catalogue.[7]
The Contours 2017
Forepart 50 to R: Gary Grier, Al Chisholm, Back Fifty to R: Dwjuan Brock, Joe Billingslea, Lyall Hoggart
In 2005, Billy Hoggs, who left the Contours in 1964 to become a minister, made his outset and just appearance since 1964, joining the Contours with Joe Billingslea for the taping of Motown: The Early Years for the Public Dissemination System. This operation is occasionally rebroadcast on various PBS affiliates. In January 2007, Motown Records released the DVD of the performances. In 2006, the Contours with Joe Billingslea filled the vacant bass singing spot created by Potts' deviation with Odell Jones. In March 2010, the Contours were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America. The induction show featured a performance by the Contours with Joe Billingslea.
Hubert Johnson committed suicide in Detroit, on July eleven, 1981, at historic period 40. Mid-1960s fellow member, Joe Stubbs – brother of Levi Stubbs, died on February five, 1998. Later on, several original members died within a ten-year menstruation. Billy Gordon died sometime during 1999.[viii] Guitarist Huey Davis (who was pictured on the Practise You Love Me album cover, only was not an official member of the Contours although he was pictured in virtually all of Motown's publicity shots of the group) died on February 23, 2002, at his home in Detroit.[ane] Leroy Fair died in December 2004.
In 2014, Jones left the Contours with Joe Billingslea and was replaced by Lyall Hoggart. In late 2014, Potts' group made its terminal operation. In 2015, Dwjuan Brock replaced Charles Davis. Also in 2015, the Contours were inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame. The induction show featured a performance by the Contours with Joe Billingslea. Later that year, later it became clear that Potts' group had disbanded, Billingslea's grouping reclaimed the proper noun "The Contours". In 2016, the Contours were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Curl Legends Hall of Fame.[9] In 2017, the service marker, "The Contours" was assigned solely to Joe Billingslea.
Sylvester Potts died on January 6, 2017.[10]
Members timeline [edit]
Discography [edit]
Albums [edit]
- Do You Love Me (At present That I Tin Dance) (Gordy 901, 1962)
- The Contours: Can You Trip the light fantastic (Gordy 910, 1964 – unreleased)
- The Contours Sing It's So Difficult Being A Loser (Gordy G921, 1967 - unreleased)
- Baby Hit And Run (Music For Pleasure, 1974)
- Flashback (Motorcity Records, 1990)
- The Very Best (Hot Productions, 1995)
- The Very All-time of the Contours [Original Recording Remastered] (Motown, 1999)
- Essential Collection (Spectrum, 2000)
- A New Direction (Orchard, 2000)
- 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (Universal, 2003)
- Live II (Eye Earth, 2003)
- Dance with the Contours (Kent/Universal/Motown, 2011)
Singles [edit]
| Yr | Title and Catalog Number | Peak Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Us R&B | Britain | |||
| 1961 | "Whole Lotta Woman" (Motown 1008) b/westward "Come up On And Be Mine" (Non-album track) | | | | Practise Y'all Love Me (At present That I Can Trip the light fantastic) |
| "The Stretch" (Motown 1012) b/due west "Funny" | | | | ||
| 1962 | "Do You lot Love Me" (Gordy 7005) b/w "Motion Mr. Human being" | | | | |
| "Shake Sherry" (Gordy 7012) b/westward "You Amend Make it Line" | | | | ||
| 1963 | "Don't Let Her Exist Your Babe" (Gordy 7016) b/due west "It Must Be Love" (from Do You lot Dear Me (At present That I Can Trip the light fantastic toe)) | | | | Baby Hit And Run |
| "Pa I Need A Auto" (Gordy 7019) b/due west "Yous Get Ugly" | | | | Non-album rails | |
| 1964 | "Can You Exercise It" (Gordy 7029) b/westward "I'll Stand By You" (Non-album track) | | | | Infant Hit And Run |
| "Can You Jerk Like Me" (Gordy 7037) b/w "That Day When She Needed Me" (Non-album rail) | | | | ||
| 1965 | "Starting time I Expect at the Bag" (Gordy 7044) b/w "Searching For A Girl" (Non-album rails) | | | | |
| 1966 | "Just a Niggling Misunderstanding" (Gordy 7052) b/w "Determination" | | | | |
| 1967 | "It'southward So Hard Beingness A Loser" (Gordy 7059) b/w "Your Love Grows More than Precious Every Mean solar day" (Non-album rail) | | | | |
| 1974 | "Baby Striking And Run" (UK-only) (Tamla Motown 886) b/w "Can You Jerk Like Me" | | | | |
| 1988 | "Do You Love Me" (Reissue) (Motown ZT 41890) b/due west "Milk shake Sherrie" | | | | Do You Dear Me (Now That I Can Dance) |
| 1989 | "Face To The Fact" (Motortown twenty) b/due west "Face up Upwards To The Fact (Instrumental)" | | | | The Very Best |
| 1991 | "Running In Circles" (Motortown 45) b/westward "Running In Circles (Original Mix)" | | | | |
| 1992 | "Look Out For The Terminate Sign" (USMO 4503) b/w "Gonna Win You lot Dorsum" | | | | |
References [edit]
- ^ a b Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers Listing".
- ^ a b c "Soulful Kinda Music: The Contours". Soulfulkindamusic.com . Retrieved Oct 14, 2019.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2d ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 144. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Charge per unit Your Music: Can You Dance". Rateyourmusic.com . Retrieved March thirty, 2017.
- ^ "Ace Records, Just A Little Misunderstanding: Rare And Unissued Motown 1965–68 by The Contours". Acerecords.co.united kingdom . Retrieved March xxx, 2017.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 118. ISBN1-904994-10-v.
- ^ "Amazon: Compilation Albums w/ tracks by The Contours". Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved March thirty, 2017.
- ^ Dance with the Contours. "Trip the light fantastic toe with the Contours: The Contours: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ "Customer Discussions: The CONTOURS: Motown'south Forgotten Group have a NEW CD !!!". Amazon.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- ^ "Michigan Stone and Gyre Legends – CONTOURS". Michiganrockandrolllegends.com . Retrieved Oct 14, 2019.
- ^ "Detroir News: Sylvester Potts of the Contours dies". Detroitnews.com . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
External links [edit]
- Official website
- "The Contours". History-of-rock.com
- "Motown Legends Entertainment Agency". motownlegends.net
- Motown Legends: The Contours' Biography
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Contours
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