But all of these names were on the back of that card, and I was excited to go. I had heard about Eddie Holland, and the Contours were not yet on the label yet, but I was hoping that I could meet the Miracles because they were talking about this guy Smokey, who had a wife in the group, Claudette. And I took the card backstage, and I recognized a few names on there because I had heard about Mary Wells. I had won an amateur contest, and my reward was three nights during the happy hour, which is like between 7:00 and 11:00, at a place called the 20 Grand, which is no longer in existence here in Detroit.īut on my last night, Sunday night, a gentleman from Hitsville, USA -that's how he represented himself - a man named William Stevenson(ph) gave me a card and said: You have talent, come to Hitsville, USA. REEVES: When I was appearing at the 20 Grand. What a thrill.ĬONAN: What was the first time you remember being aware of Motown Records? I hope I can contain myself during this interview. MARTHA REEVES (Lead Singer, Martha and the Vandellas): It's a pleasure to be here.ĬONAN: And it must be quite an honor for Motown to be recognized that way at the White House. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.Īnd Martha Reeves joins us today from member station WDET in Detroit. Email us, You can also join the conversation on our website. How do you gauge Motown's influence on America? What was your Motown moment? Give us a call, 80. Martha Reeves will join us in just a moment. Tomorrow night, in honor of Black History Month, the White House holds a gala to celebrate music that greatly influenced American culture. Just four years after Barry Gordy established Motown, the Detroit studio had transformed American music: Martha and the Vandellas, the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Junior Walker, Stevie Wonder, the list goes on and on and on. It's tearing me apart.ĬONAN: By 1963, the vast majority of American kids could hear exactly that much of "Heatwave" and identify the record label. Could it be a devil in me, or is this way that I'm supposed to be? It's like a heat wave burning in my heart. MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS: (Singing) Whenever I'm with you, something inside starts burning, and I fill with desire.
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