The Spinners (American group)
The Spinners | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Detroit Spinners Motown Spinners |
Origin | Ferndale, Michigan, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1954–present |
Labels | Tri-Phi, Motown, V.I.P. (Motown), Atlantic |
Members | C.J. Jefferson Charlton Washington Jessie Robert Peck Ronnie Moss |
Past members | Henry Fambrough Pervis Jackson Billy Henderson C. P. Spencer James Edwards Bobby Smith George Dixon Edgar "Chico" Edwards G. C. Cameron Philippé Wynne John Edwards Frank Washington Harold "Spike" Bonhart Marvin Taylor |
The Spinners are an American
The group is also listed as the Detroit Spinners and the Motown Spinners, due to their 1960s recordings with the
History
In 1954, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C. P. Spencer, and James Edwards formed The Domingoes in Ferndale, Michigan,[5] a northern suburb of Detroit. The friends resided in Detroit's Herman Gardens public housing project and came together to make music.
James Edwards remained with the group for a few weeks and was replaced by
Early recording years: 1961–71
The Spinners' first single, "
Sources debate the extent to which Fuqua became a member of the group during its stay at Tri-Phi. Fuqua sang lead on some of the singles and considered himself a Spinner. In the credits on Tri-Phi 1010 and 1024, the artist was credited for the first two singles and listed as "Harvey (Formerly of the Moonglows and the Spinners)". However, most sources do not list him as an official member.
James Edwards's brother,
In 1964, the Spinners made their debut at the Apollo Theater and were received with high favor. "I'll Always Love You" hit number 35 in 1965.[7] From 1966 to 1969, the group released one single a year, but only the 1966 single "Truly Yours" peaked on the Billboard 100 R&B chart at number 16.[5]
With limited commercial success, Motown assigned the Spinners as road managers, chaperones, and chauffeurs for other groups, and even as shipping clerks. G. C. Cameron replaced Edgar "Chico" Edwards in 1967, and in 1969, the group switched to the Motown-owned V.I.P. imprint.
In 1970, after a five-year absence, they hit number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 with writer-producer Stevie Wonder's composition, (the G.C. Cameron-led) "It's a Shame" (co-written by Syreeta Wright).[7] They charted again the following year with another Wonder song, "We'll Have It Made" (led by Cameron), from their new album, 2nd Time Around. However, they were their last two singles for V.I.P.
Shortly after the release of 2nd Time Around,[9] Atlantic Records recording artist Aretha Franklin suggested the group finish their Motown contract and sign with Atlantic Records.[7] While recording an album that Stevie Wonder was producing for them, their Motown contract expired, leaving the LP unfinished. The group then made the switch, but contractual obligations prevented Cameron from leaving Motown, so he stayed on there as a solo artist.[7] He urged his cousin, singer Philippé Wynne, to join the Spinners in his place as one of the group's lead singers along with Bobby Smith.[7]
Peak commercial success
When the Spinners signed to Atlantic in 1972, they were a respected but commercially unremarkable singing group who had never had a Top Ten pop hit—despite having been a recording act for over a decade. However, with songwriter Thom Bell at the helm, the Spinners charted five Top 100 singles (and two Top Tens) from their first post-Motown album, Spinners (1973), and went on to become one of the biggest soul groups of the 1970s.
The Bobby Smith-led "
The 1973 follow-up singles "
Following their Atlantic successes, Motown also issued a Best of the Spinners LP which featured selections from their Motown/V.I.P. recordings. They also remixed and reissued the 1970 B-side "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" (led by Smith, originally co-led by Cameron) as a 1973 A-side. In the midst of their Atlantic hits, it crawled to number 91 in the US.
The group's 1974 follow-up album,
The Spinners hit the Top 10 twice in the next two years with the Smith and Jackson-led "
Later years
Conflict and egos began emerging in the group when member Philippé Wynne wanted the group's name changed to Philippe Wynne and the Spinners. When this was not done, Wynne left the group in January 1977 and was replaced by
The group scored two major hits at the dawning of the new decade: in 1980 with "
After some years spent collaborating with Parliament/Funkadelic and working solo, Wynne died of a heart attack while performing in Oakland, California on July 14, 1984.
In a 2014 interview, Henry Fambrough, the group's last surviving original member, stated: "Bobby (Smith) was always our major lead singer for all those years. Had always been. Always will be."[9] Fambrough has led on several Spinners songs on which he sang or shared lead vocals, including: "I Don't Want to Lose You", "Ghetto Child", "Living a Little, Laughing a Little", "Ain't No Price on Happiness", "Smile We Have Each Other", "Just as Long as We Have Love", (a second Spinners duet with Dionne Warwick) and "Now That We're Together".
The Spinners today
After their chart career ended, the Spinners continued touring for decades. They are big draws on the oldies and nostalgia concert circuits, playing the music that made them famous.[citation needed] In their box set, The Chrome Collection, the Spinners were lauded by David Bowie and Elvis Costello. They were inducted on October 4, 2015, into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and in The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. On July 27, 2006, the Spinners performed on the Late Show with David Letterman. G. C. Cameron rejoined the group as lead vocalist from 2000 to 2002 (replacing John Edwards, who left due to a stroke), but he left in 2003 to join The Temptations. Frank Washington, formerly of The Futures and The Delfonics, joined for a few years, before being replaced by Charlton Washington (no relation).
In 2004, original member Billy Henderson was dismissed from the group after suing the group's corporation and business manager to obtain financial records. He was replaced by Harold "Spike" Bonhart. Henderson died due to complications from
Original member
The Spinners were put into the limelight again in 2003 when an
In September 2011, 57 years after forming in Detroit and 50 years after "
In early 2023, Fambrough retired from the group, after almost 70 years as a member.[25]
On May 3, 2023, after three previous nominations, the Spinners—with its classic 1970s lineup of Fambrough, Smith, Jackson, Henderson, Edwards and Wynne—were picked as inductees for the 2023 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, nearly 70 years after the group had first formed.[26] In May 2023, the group donated hundreds of items for their performing and recording history to Motown Museum in Detroit.[27]
On February 7, 2024, Henry Fambrough, the last original member, died of natural causes at 85.[28][29][30]
Personnel
Current members
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Former members
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Group Lineup
1954 | 1954–1956 | 1956–1963 |
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1963–1967 | 1967–1972 | 1972–1977 |
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1977–2000 | 2000–2003 | 2003–2004 |
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2004–2007 | 2007–2008 | 2008–2009 |
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2009–2013 | 2013 | 2013–2020 |
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2020–2023 | 2023–2024 | 2024-present |
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Timeline
Discography
Top forty singles
The following singles reached the top 40 on the US or UK charts.
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B chart | UK [31] | ||
"That's What Girls Are Made For" | 1961 | 27 | 5 | — |
"I'll Always Love You" | 1965 | 35 | 8 | — |
"It's a Shame" | 1970 | 14 | 4 | 20 |
"How Could I Let You Get Away" (A-side) "I'll Be Around" (B-side) |
1972 | 77 3 |
14 1 |
— — |
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" | 4 | 1 | 11 | |
"One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | 1973 | 11 | 1 | — |
" Ghetto Child "
|
29 | 4 | 7 | |
"Mighty Love" | 1974 | 20 | 1 | 33 |
"I'm Coming Home" | 18 | 3 | — | |
"Then Came You" (with Dionne Warwick) |
1 | 2 | 29 | |
"Love Don't Love Nobody" | 15 | 4 | — | |
"Living a Little, Laughing a Little" | 1975 | 37 | 7 | — |
"Sadie" | 54 | 7 | — | |
"Games People Play" | 5 | 1 | – | |
"Love or Leave" | 36 | 8 | — | |
"Wake Up Susan" | 1976 | 56 | 11 | 29 |
"The Rubberband Man" | 2 | 1 | 16 | |
"Body Language" | 1979 | — | 35 | 40 |
"Working My Way Back to You" / "Forgive Me, Girl" (medley) |
2 | 6 | 1 | |
"Cupid" / "I've Loved You for a Long Time" (medley) |
1980 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
"I'll Be Around" (Rappin' 4-Tay featuring The Spinners) |
1995 | 39 | 37 | 30 |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
References
- ^ "A happy retirement by Henry Fambrough, the last original member of The Spinners". SoulTracks. April 10, 2023.
- ^ "The Spinners Biography". IMDb.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ "The Spinners | Hollywood Walk of Fame". Walkoffame.com. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- ^ "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4766-6767-6.
- ^ "Page Title". Rnbshowcasemag.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-733-9.
- ^ Brian McCollum (March 19, 2013). "Bobby Smith, lead singer of The Spinners, dies". Usatoday.com. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
- ^ a b Tom Meros, "The Spinners' Henry Fambrough talks to Tom about their history", YouTube. November 12, 2014.
- ^ "How Could I Let You Get Away / The Spinners". YouTube. January 28, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-19-534880-4. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Sweethearts of Sigma | Soul Music Biographies". SoulTracks.com. April 17, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ^ "* Soul Jones Presents". Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
- ISSN 0021-5996.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Billboard, November 10, 1979, Vol. 91, No. 45: "The Spinners recently reteamed with producer Thorn Bell to do two songs for his upcoming film score to The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. The group sings 'Do It Cause No One Does It Better,' a mid-tempo tune which may be a single, and...."
- ^ "The Originals". Oldies.com. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ "C. P. Spencer – Obituaries". The Independent. December 10, 2004. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ Associated Press, "Original member of The Spinners dies in Detroit", USA Today, August 18, 2008.
- ^ Doc Rock. "2011 July To December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ 2023 Nominees | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame https://www.rockhall.com/2023-nominees
- ^ Brian McCollum (March 19, 2013). "Bobby Smith, lead singer of the Spinners, dies". USA Today. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ^ "Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – SPINNERS". Michiganrockandrolllegends.com. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- ^ Graff, Gary (May 3, 2023). "The Spinners' Sole Surviving Founder Reacts to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
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ignored (help) - ^ "2023 Rock Hall of Fame Class: Willie Nelson, George Michael, More". The Hollywood Reporter. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Corey (May 19, 2023). "Famed R&B group The Spinners donate performance outfits to Motown Museum in Detroit". Associated Press. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ "The Spinners' Henry Fambrough, who helped take Detroit group to musical heights, dies at 85". Yahoo Entertainment. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ "Henry Fambrough, last surviving original member of The Spinners, dies at 85". KION546. Associated Press. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ "Henry Fambrough, the last original member of The Spinners, dies at 85". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
- Official website
- The Spinners at AllMusic
- The Spinners discography at Discogs
- The Spinners at IMDb
- "Spinners singer Billy Henderson dies", Yahoo! News, February 3, 2007
- "Spinners singer Pervis Jackson dies", Detroit Free Press, August 19, 2008
- A tribute to Pervis Jackson & introducing Jessie Peck in Soul Express