Whats Buzzing in the Streets – Page 38

Stevie Wonder

This date marks the birth of Stevie Wonder in 1950. He is an African American singer and songwriter, who had his first success on the Motown label at age 13.

He was born Steveland Morris in Saginaw, MI. Blind since infancy, Wonder began playing the piano at the age of 4 and was a proficient singer and instrumentalist by the age of 13, when his first hit, “Fingertips Part 2” in 1963, was released by Motown, at which time he was given his professional name. He produced the albums “Signed, Sealed and Delivered” (1970) and “Where I’m Coming From” (1971), the latter written entirely by Wonder and his wife, Syreeta Wright.

On the album “Music of the Mind” (1972) he used modern recording technology to allow him to play most of the instrumental accompaniments. Wonder experimented with synthesizers and was one of the first musicians to make extensive use of electronic music in Black American song. A multi-instrumentalist, Wonder plays the piano, synthesizer, talk box, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, bass guitar, organ, melodica, and clarinet. “Talking Book” (1972), an album on which he played all the instruments and sang all the vocal parts, contained the hit singles “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” and “Superstition,” and he won several Grammy Awards for “Talking Book” and his next album, “Innervisions “in 1973.

The same year he survived a near-fatal automobile accident. More Grammy Awards followed for the albums “Songs in the Key of Life” (1976), which contains the hit song “Sir Duke,” a celebratory tribute to American jazz composer Duke Ellington; and “In Square Circle” (1985). Wonder’s other albums include “Looking Back” (1977); “Hotter than July” (1980); “Characters” (1987); “Jungle Fever” (1991); the sound track to a motion picture by American director Spike Lee; and “Conversation Peace” (1995). In 1996 Wonder won three more Grammy Awards: for best male rhythm-and-blues vocalist, best song, and for lifetime achievement.

Wonder has also been active in such social causes as the anti-apartheid movement, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation. An advocate of Black civil rights, Wonder spearheaded the effort to institute a national holiday in honor of the birthday of clergyman and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.

A prominent figure in popular music during the latter half of the 20th century, Wonder has recorded more than 30 U.S. top ten hits and won 25 Grammy Awards (the most ever won by a solo artist) as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also won an Academy Award for Best Song, and been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters halls of fame. He has also been awarded the Polar Music Prize. American music magazine Rolling Stone named him the ninth greatest singer of all time. In June 2009 he became the fourth artist to receive the Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award.[80]

He has had ten U.S. number-one hits on the pop charts as well as 20 R&B number one hits, and has sold over 100 million records, 19.5 million of which are albums; he is one of the top 60 best-selling music artists with combined sales of singles and albums. Wonder has recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and writes and produces songs for many of his label mates and outside artists as well. Wonder plays the piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, organ, melodica and Clavinet. In his childhood, he was best known for his harmonica work, but today he is better known for his keyboard skills and vocal ability. Wonder was the first Motown artist and second African-American musician to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song, which he won for his 1984 hit single “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from the movie The Woman in Red.

Wonder’s “classic period” is generally agreed to be between 1972 and 1977. Some observers see in 1971’s Where I’m Coming From certain indications of the beginning of the classic period, such as its new funky keyboard style which Wonder used throughout the classic period. Some determine Wonder’s first “classic” album to be 1972’s Music of My Mind, on which he attained personal control of production, and on which he programmed a series of songs integrated with one another to make a concept album.[84] Others skip over early 1972 and determine the beginning of the classic period to be Talking Book in late 1972, the album in which Wonder “hit his stride”.

His classic 1970s albums were very influential on the music world: the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide said they “pioneered stylistic approaches that helped to determine the shape of pop music for the next decade”; Rolling Stone’s 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time included four of the five albums, with three in the top 90; and in 2005, Kanye West said of his own work, “I’m not trying to compete with what’s out there now. I’m really trying to compete with Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. It sounds musically blasphemous to say something like that, but why not set that as your bar?”

Written by Dianne Washington

Good Reads: DUPPY: Ya Reap What’Cha Sow

For all the bookworms and literature heads out there, at a time like this where people are quarantined indoors for all hours throughout a day, why not grab a good book to read and get into a good tale or two. For 5 years, since it’s release, word on the streets is that this book tells a really good tale about a man named D’wayne “Baby Al” Carter whose moving on with his life. After a life of tragedy and violence, things swarm up and pop up into his life as he tries his hardest to stay focused on a clear future and a good life. There’s someone or something lurking around him that’s constantly on his back, following him, poppin’ up in his life. Is this his way of facing the truth?? Is this his only way to pay his debt back to society?? He’s finally drug free after dealing with the death of his grandfather, he has a new apartment on the west side of the Bronx, a new job with the Transit Authority, a relationship kept on the down low with a sexy woman named Nicole, whose his counselor, his tight friendship with Patrick Livingston that’s better and stronger than ever, and most of all his leftover insurance money handed to him from the death of his grandfather. Even with all of these great things happening to him, there’s still that thing that keeps coming back to show up over and over again. A sign from the past. Something still needs to be resolved. Can’t run or hide forever. As the famous saying goes, what goes around, comes around! Do unto others as they do unto you, because the conscience can kill! A recent killer story that will have you at the edge of your seat and keep you entertained, written by the wordsmith himself Mr. Ronald Haynie. A veteran of the United States Regular Army & US Army Reserve and former student of Marymount Manhattan College with a major in English with a minor in Theatre Arts. Haynie is the first to perform the “I Have a Dream” speech, famously known by the late great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Spanish by memory completely. This particular novel is his first ever published novel. Check this one out!

Written by Jalen Hemphill

It’s Sho-Time!: The Life & Times of Karine “Sho-Time” Thornton

A full time entertainer, businessman, and a man with the plan. One of the most hardest working men in show business today. The man who makes things happen and the man with the golden touch to give someone their own spotlight while still shining in his own. His name is Karine “Sho-Time” Thornton, the name, face, and voice of Sho-Time TV. The man you’ll see at the events always busy moving around. The ones who are never still are the ones who are making the most moves. Power moves. Things need to be done and things need to be on top of their game and he is definitely on top. Only reaching to the top further and further. Born on June 5th, in the Bronx, NY at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. A true Gemini. Smart, psychic, a genius, talented, driven, hardworking, the list goes on. Growing up, he has a really great upbringing, living with both parents in the home. His eagerness for success started when he was inspired by some of the world’s greatest Hip hop artists this world’s ever seen. His ear for Hip hop started in 1997 when he was influenced by Jay-Z, The LOX, and Eminem. His mother was also a big instrument in his intellect by keeping in books and watching a lot of documentaries. Sociology and Social Science is what inspired him to get a bachelor’s degree in Social Science. As a late bloomer, his late interest in Hip hop led him into the world of Smack DVD’s. A series that showcased battle rap tournaments. It was then when he had a vision and told his friend Tron about starting Sho-Time TV and becoming a successful media sensation. True to his word, Thornton finally met Smack, Loaded Lux, and plenty of other celebrities up until the point where he no longer had to introduce himself. Already making a name for himself, Thornton knew that this was going to be big for him but in order to be big, you have to go through some things first. Figuring out your lane and getting to it means making some mistakes and slipping along the way and not realizing them until afterwards. Although he has a knack for helping others, he does regret putting others in position of power of their own destiny even when they wasted his time and haven’t taken themselves seriously and putting their careers before his own. We all tend to get our moment of truth when things go left and out of our control. To grab control of his situation, Thornton understood that he needed to himself before others and only work with others who are worthy of the time and energy. With his platform now as big as it is, there’s no stopping this man. Years from now, he says he can see himself with plenty of more successful years, owning multiple homes, cars, financial stability and wealth, traveling the world, and building his empire, adding on to what he has already accomplished so far. They don’t call him “Sho-Time” for nothing. The man behind the cameras, the man on the phones, the man with a pen and paper, the he’s the man with the plan… MAN!

Written by Jalen Hemphill

Uptown’s Kickin’ It: The Life & Times of André Harrell

A visionary, an icon, the man with the ear for talent that was a soundtrack to the lives of the ghetto. The man who gave the world some of the greatest talent we’ve ever seen and heard. One half of a rap group that was popular during the mid to late 80’s and then a CEO of a company and chairman of a label that gave birth to the world’s greatest entertainers in both Hip hop and R&B history. An uptown native, born in Harlem, raised in The Bronx, Andre Harrell was the man who gave us so many great gifts to music. Including himself when he joined forces with a high school friend to create the Hip hop duo Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. André and his friend Alonzo Brown, together were a duo that was the beginning of what was to come next in the legacy of André Harrell. With three singles like “Genius Rap”, “Fast Life” and the infamous “AM/PM”, André had other plans; much bigger plans for the future. After dropping out of Lehman College studying communications and business management, André went to work for a local radio station. The year was 1983 when André met Russell Simmons. He worked for Def Jam as vice president and general manager until he founded his own label. Uptown Records. The perfect name for an uptown native from the streets of New York. The label was started in 1986. From there, he found and hired Sean “Puffy” Combs, who we all know today as Diddy. After officially securing a distribution deal with MCA Records, “Uptown’s Kickin’ It”, a compilation album that featured acts like Heavy D & The Boyz & Marley Marl, was released. Heavy D & The Boyz and Al B. Sure! were the labels first acts. Their debut projects “Livin’ Large” and “In Effect Mode” we’re huge successes for the label and for the acts themselves, stamping Uptown Records as the new hottest label to hit the streets. Birthing a new generation of artists that’ll change the look and sound of music forever. Creating new pioneers to come along and set the trends for years of music to come. Then comes Guy, Father MC, Jodeci, and The Queen of Hip Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige. Mary’s demo tape with her own rendition of Anita Baker’s “Caught Up In The Rapture” landed on the desk of André Harrell, forcing him to go visit the future Queen of Hip Hop Soul himself at her home to see her in her element and from there the rest is history. Starting off singing background for Father MC and then releasing her debut album, “What’s The 411?” in July 1992, which crowned Mary the new Queen of this new movement in R&B and Hip hop music, along with Jodeci’s “Forever My Lady.” Now gone were the New Jack Swing days and now in comes the birth of Hip Hop Soul. A new sound that combined the gritty, rough and tough attitude and sounds of the streets in Hip hop and the smooth harmonies and melodies of R&B. This sound not only changed the game but it reinvented both Hip hop and R&B and open doors for a plethora of artists to follow with the same blueprint and sound in their work too. Christopher Williams, Monifah, Horace Brown, and Soul For Real were all other acts that were on the label as well. Uptown Records was on an all time high for about 10 years but the glory days came to an end when Diddy was fired, forcing him to create the Bad Boy label, contractual disputes came in and André left Uptown in 1995 to become the CEO of Motown Records, leaving the late great Heavy D to be in charge until 1997 and the label was then taken in and absorbed by Universal in 1999. It is absolutely unfortunate and shocking to hear the news of the passing of this man but we all celebrate the vision of this man and what he has brought to the music world. André Harrell was a man that brought talent who had the full package: attitude, swag, style, and with a personality that was real. Something that perfectly represented the streets and not just being pretty. His artists reminded you that you can be hard and have it rough and still be a diamond, still be a superstar. There’s a lot of hard work that comes with the territory of being a superstar but it’s much harder to not work on your talent and still staying in the hood not reaching your potential. André Harrell has definitely exceeded his expectations and potential, making him one of the most important faces in the music industry of all time. We love you and we salute you! Thank you André for giving us true talent and amazing music. May you rest in peace. This is the life and times of André Harrell.

Written by Jalen Hemphill

The Revival: The 30th Anniversary

On this day 30 years ago, there was an R&B trio from Oakland, California who gave us some of the greatest music in R&B history. Consisting of two brothers and a cousin, these men provided our bedrooms and cookouts with a soundtrack that timeless. Something we can dance to and something we lay under our lovers with and enjoy the night away in love. Raphael Saadiq, D’wayne Wiggins, & Timothy Riley aka Tony! Toni! Toné!, released their sophomore album “The Revival.” The follow up to their debut album 2 years prior, their new album was a huge step up from their debut. It’s the album with their most recognized hits that we all know and love. Singles like “The Blues”, “Whatever You Want” and the most famous two “It Never Rains (In Southern California)” & the danceable track “Feels Good”, the perfect title for a song that makes you feel exactly like that when you hear it. The album charted for exactly 64 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums, peaking at the #34 spot on the chart. “Feels Good” went certified gold, selling 500,000 copies and topped the R&B chart for two weeks and reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 selling over 1 million copies. “It Never Rains (In Southern California)” became a #1 R&B hit and went #34 on the Hot 100. The album was certified platinum by RIAA for selling one million copies in the U.S. alone in ‘91 and in ‘92, it sold another million according to Nielsen SoundScan. This album was the groups “breakout” album, topping the debut and pushing these men to another level, gaining them the utmost respect in R&B music and history. Sorta like the R&B version of A Tribe Called Quest, the group had that same youthfulness and hip hop/jazzy touch but with a swing in their hips and a golden touch and voices that had you dancing and wanting to make love in the next moment. They are indeed soulful but didn’t touch on traditional R&B standards and instead used their body work for more social commentary and political statements as well. With so many elements and sounds from this album, these gentlemen, without a doubt, left a mark in the New Jack Swing movement and in R&B forever.

Written by Jalen Hemphill

Remembering Chris Lighty

A well known, respected, loved, and dearly missed man in Hip hop. The man whose responsible for the careers of Nas, Ja Rule, Mobb Deep, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, Uncle Murda, Mariah Carey, and Sean “Diddy” Combs, he was the co-founder of an entertainment company and record label called Violator. Violator helped pushed start a lot of careers in both Hip hop & R&B. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Chris Lighty’s career started when he carried crates of vinyl records for Kool DJ Red Alert and later on worked for Russell Simmons which then led to his work as a co-founder of Violator in the early 90’s. Also working for Def Jam, Jive and Loud Records and being the chief executive of the Brand Asset Group, Chris made history with having the largest brand endorsement deal in Hip hop in 2004. Unfortunately, Chris’ life ended on August 30th, 2012 due to what they suspect was a suicide attempt, in his home. The shocking and sad news was another loss for Hip hop but his legacy continues on for we celebrate and remember Chris for his major contributions in Hip hop. Happy Birthday and may you rest in peace.

Written by Jalen Hemphill

It’s Sho-Time!: The Man With The Plan!

An all around entertainer and businessman. One of today’s hardest working men in show business. From rapper to battle rap show host to media man bringing you over 10 years of your favorite celebrity content. Mr. Karrine “Sho-Time” Thornton. The man with the golden touch that can help shine a light on some of the world’s greatest entertainment while shining in his own light with just his mic, a camera, and his strength and confidence. The man with the masterplan. The man you’ll see randomly on the side on set somewhere with a phone on his ear and a pen and paper in his hand. All work and no play. The man who knows the way and the ultimate goal which makes him the man in full control. His “alright, it’s show time now!” mentality is fittingly perfect for his nickname. Simply Sho-Time. The red carpet treatment kinda guy for up and coming stars with a chance to shine with his vision and guidance to help get to the next level. A man you never underestimate. He’s the man with the plan…. Man!

Written by Jalen Hemphill

The Introduction of Jalen Hemphill: A New Generation B-Boy

In a day and age where catering to and honoring the original elements that make up Hip hop culture altogether, isn’t so much popular amongst the newer generation where “turning up” is the main focus and priority of today’s standards in music, there’s always that one person lurking just around the corner to usher in something that can change the game forever. When you put R&B/Soul music into the equation, it just takes things to a whole ‘nother level. Speaking of Hip hop, we all know the South Bronx is the birthplace. The original home of the DJ’s, b-boys, & MC’s. The DJ/b-boy & MC combination is the catalyst for the sound, movement, & most importantly the fashion in Hip hop. The only involvement that R&B and Soul music had in Hip hop were the samples, loops, & breaks but no singing whatsoever is coming out of the DJ’s, b-boys or the MC’s mouths but that too will be changed forever because of one person and one person only. For over 40 years in Hip hop, we heard, watched, & seen MC’s use R&B for hooks and samples, we seen DJ’s spin vinyl records using R&B, and we only see b-boys breaking and dancing but never before have we ever heard or seen a b-boy singing. Today, in 2020, lurking in the streets and on social media platforms is a young man from the South Bronx aka the birthplace, whose a perfect combination of both b-boy and R&B singer while still catering to the original elements that makes up Hip hop culture. He’s not exactly a carbon copy of what you see in the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s but he is still that same exact vibe when you see and hear him. He’s doing it his own way and using it to continue to push Hip hop forward in a way that pays homage and respects to the originals and the pioneers who helped created this. He’s sporting a colorful high top fade with a brightly colored headband tied around his head with a hair pick with a Black fist sticking out on the back, or a fresh classic Kangol, rocking a gold ankh & crown chain, clear Cazal glasses, a supersized nose ring, a “DOPE” ring, a “JAY-DOGGZ” name ring, and a bunch of gold wedding band rings on his fingers rocking a jean jacket with the official graffiti art on it, a pair of blue jeans with the bleach stains and marks all over them with a pair of either classic shell toe fat laced Adidas & Pumas, or a pair of Timbaland boots or Nike Air Force Ones with more graffiti art all over them, carrying a black radio boombox, and a smooth R&B voice with a range and soul captivating sound that’s hard to ignore. His colorful Pro-Black, classic Hip hop image and soulful R&B vocals together are a threat to the new usual standards of popular mainstream music today. He’s a “walking monument.” A reinventing current version of a classic. Nicknamed “The R&B-Boy” because of his convincing yet innovative style combination of 70’s soul, 80’s b-boy, & 90’s R&B. He’s half b-boy and half soul man. He reinvents what it is to be a b-boy in this generation. His name is Jalen “Jay-Doggz” Hemphill. A dope singer/songwriter, MC, DJ, dancer, actor, blogger, & Hip hop fashion model whose slowly but surely building his reputation and stamp in the Hip hop community. A peaceful, sensual, calming yet in your face, colorful, ambitious, no nonsense attitude and somewhat serious but fun personality kinda guy who intends on changing the game. Traditionally in Hip hop, b-boy’s DO NOT SING! This young man is gonna erase that for sure, making him a new pioneer in both Hip hop culture and R&B music altogether. Already with 4 hot singles & 2 movies he starred in under his belt, making him a face and a talent to reckon with, he is also currently working on his first official project set to release on the Urbaan House Records independent label titled “The Life of An Old Soul, Vol. 1: The Hip Hop Soul EP.” Comes with a side A and B like a cassette tape. A simple marketing and branding plan but dope way of honoring and paying homage to old school hip hop. It’s a body of work that will perfectly capture a story about a young man’s journey throughout life and his views on the world. A new upcoming voice for a generation of “old souls” who felt “out of place”, “lame”, & ostracized by the crowd for not being with the “in crowd” group of kids growing up in the harsh realities of the ghetto. He also is that son, nephew, & brother that a lot of people don’t have and wish to have. We all know a Black family with a Jalen in it. He is that for the Hip hop community. Definitely the story of a diamond in the rough, making his way only to the top. Hip hoppin’ it and don’t stop. Wanna get to know this new generation b-boy yourself, follow his Facebook page Jalen “Jay-Doggz” Hemphill, follow him on both of his Instagram accounts @hiphopsoul_jalen & @hiphopsoul___jalen (3 underscores), follow him on Audiomack at Jalen “Jay-Doggz” Hemphill to hear some music, and subscribe to his YouTube Channel with the same name.

Master P

Percy Robert Miller (born April 29, 1970), known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller is an American rapper, actor, businessman, record producer, philanthropist, and former basketball player. He is the founder of the record label No Limit Records, which was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Universal Records and Koch Records, then again as Guttar Music Entertainment, and finally, currently, No Limit Forever Records. He is the founder and CEO of P. Miller Enterprises and Better Black Television, which was a short-lived online television network.

Miller gained fame in the mid-1990s with the success of his hip hop music group TRU as well as his fifth solo rap album Ice Cream Man, which contained his first single “Mr. Ice Cream Man”. In 1997, after the success of one of his biggest singles to date, “Make ‘Em Say Uhh!”, went double platinum, Miller grew further in popularity. Then Miller released his second platinum album Ghetto D. He starred in his own street film, mostly based on his life, I’m Bout It.

In 1998, P. Miller released his most successful album to date, MP Da Last Don. The album was also based on a film that Miller produced, which came out earlier that year with the same name. The album hit number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, selling over 400,000 copies in a week. The album was certified 4× platinum, with over four million copies sold, making it Miller’s highest selling album.

In 1999, Miller released his eighth album, Only God Can Judge Me. It was not as successful as his previous album, though it reached a gold certification. Miller also starred in the movie I Got the Hook Up, with A. J. Johnson, and created the soundtrack of the same name. On November 28, 2000, he released his ninth album, Ghetto Postage, which sold 500,000 copies, but it did not compare to his earlier more successful releases.

In the early 2000s, as No Limit Records popularity was slowly declining, so was Miller’s. Miller re-launched No Limit Records as New No Limit Records. In 2001 Miller released his tenth album titled Game Face. In 2003, Miller starred in the film Lockdown. In 2004, Miller released his eleventh album, Good Side, Bad Side; it charted number 1 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and sold 300,000 copies. The same year, Miller released his first independent album Living Legend: Certified D-Boy on his new label Guttar Music.

In 2013 Forbes estimated Miller’s net worth at nearly $350 million, which put him as the third-richest figure in hip hop at the time. On December 6, 2013, Miller released his thirteenth studio album The Gift on his newly founded label No Limit Forever Records. On November 27, 2015, Miller released his fourteenth album, titled Empire, from the Hood to Hollywood.

Written by Dianne Washington

Tammi Terrell

Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American recording artist, best known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, most notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.

Terrell’s career began as a teenager, first recording for Scepter/Wand Records, before spending nearly two years as a member of James Brown’s Revue, recording for Brown’s Try Me label. After a period attending college, Terrell recorded briefly for Checker Records, before signing with Motown in 1965.

With Gaye, Terrell scored seven Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “You’re All I Need to Get By”. Terrell’s career was interrupted when she collapsed into Gaye’s arms as the two performed at a concert at Hampden-Sydney College on October 14, 1967, with Terrell later being diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had eight unsuccessful operations before succumbing to the illness on March 16, 1970 at the age of 24.

Terrell was born as Thomasina Montgomery in Philadelphia to Jennie (née Graham) and Thomas Montgomery. Jennie was an actress and Thomas was a barbershop owner and local politician. Tammi was the eldest of two. According to the Unsung documentary, her younger sister Ludie Marianna said that they had thought Terrell would be a boy and therefore she would be named after her father. However, when she was born, the parents settled on the name Thomasina, nicknaming her “Tommie”. She later changed it to “Tammy” after seeing the film, Tammy and the Bachelor, and hearing its theme song, “Tammy”, at the age of 12. Starting around this time, Terrell started to have migraine headaches. While it was not thought to be of significance at the time, family members would later state that these headaches might have been related to her later diagnosis of brain cancer. According to her sister, Terrell’s mother suffered from mental illness.

Before turning 15, Terrell signed under the Wand subsidiary of Scepter Records after being discovered by Luther Dixon, recording the ballad, “If You See Bill”, under the name Tammy Montgomery and doing demos for The Shirelles. After another single, Terrell left the label and, after being introduced to James Brown, signed a contract with him and began singing backup for his Revue concert tours. In 1963, she recorded the song “I Cried”. Released on Brown’s Try Me Records, it became her first charting single, reaching #99 on the Billboard Hot 100.

After this tenure ended, Terrell signed with Checker Records and released the Bert Berns produced duet, “If I Would Marry You” with Jimmy Radcliffe, in which Terrell co-composed herself. Following this relative failure, Terrell announced a semi-retirement from the music business and enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania where she majored in pre-med, staying at the school for two years. In the middle of this, Terrell was asked by Jerry Butler to sing with him in a series of shows in nightclubs. After an arrangement was made by Butler to assure Terrell that she could continue her schooling, she began touring with Butler.

In April 1965, during a performance at the Twenty Grand Club in Detroit, she was spotted by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, who promised to sign her to Motown. Terrell agreed and signed with the label on April 29, her 20th birthday. Before releasing her first single with Motown’s Tamla subsidiary, “I Can’t Believe You Love Me”, Gordy suggested a name change. Figuring “Tammy Montgomery” was too long of a name to put on a single, Gordy changed it to “Tammi Terrell”. He felt this name screamed “sex appeal”. “I Can’t Believe You Love Me” became Terrell’s first R&B top forty single, followed almost immediately by “Come On and See Me”. In 1966, Terrell recorded two future classics, Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do (Is Think About You)” and The Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)”. Terrell joined the Motortown Revue after the release of her first single. During a tour in which she opened for The Temptations, Terrell met the band’s lead singer David Ruffin and embarked on a torrid romance.

In early 1967, Motown hired Terrell to sing duets with Marvin Gaye, who had achieved duet success with Mary Wells and Kim Weston as well as having recorded duets with Oma Heard. During recording sessions, Gaye would recall later that he didn’t know how gifted Terrell was until they began singing together.

At first the duets were recorded separately. For sessions of their first recording, the Ashford & Simpson composition, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, both Gaye and Terrell recorded separate versions. Motown remixed the vocals and edited out the background vocals, giving just Gaye and Terrell vocal dominance. The song became a crossover pop hit in the spring of 1967, reaching number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the R&B charts, making Terrell a star. Their follow-up, “Your Precious Love”, became an even bigger hit reaching number five on the pop chart, and number-two on the R&B chart. At the end of the year, the duo scored another top ten single with “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You”, which peaked at number ten on the pop chart and number-two on the R&B chart. The song’s B-side, the Marvin Gaye composition, “If This World Were Mine”, became a modest hit on both charts, reaching number sixty-eight on the pop chart and number twenty-seven on the R&B chart. Gaye would later cite the song as “one of Tammi’s favorites”.

All four songs were included on Gaye and Terrell’s first duet album, United, released in the late summer of 1967. Throughout that year, Gaye and Terrell began performing together and Terrell became a vocal and performance inspiration for the shy and laid-back Gaye, who hated live performing. The duo even performed together on TV shows to their hits. While Terrell was finally being established as a star, the migraines and headaches that she suffered with as a child were becoming more constant. While she complained of pains, she insisted to people close to her that she was well enough to perform. However, on October 14, 1967, while performing with Gaye at Hampden-Sydney College, just outside the town of Farmville, Virginia, Terrell fell and buckled onstage; Gaye quickly responded by grabbing her by the arms and helping her offstage. Shortly after returning from Virginia, doctors diagnosed a malignant tumor on the right side of her brain.

After recovering from her first operation, Terrell returned to Hitsville studios in Detroit and recorded “You’re All I Need to Get By”. Both that song and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing”, reached number-one on the R&B charts. Despite Terrell’s optimism, her tumor got worse requiring more operations. By 1969, Terrell had retired from live performances as she had been ordered by doctors not to perform due to her tumors. Motown issued Terrell’s first and only solo album, Irresistible, in early 1969. Terrell was too ill and sick to promote the recordings.

Both Marvin Gaye and Valerie Simpson gave different stories on how the production of Terrell’s and Gaye’s third album together, Easy, went about. According to reports, Terrell had gotten so ill from her operations that she couldn’t record, and Motown opted to have Valerie Simpson sub in for Terrell, a report that was repeated in the book Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound. Gaye would later say the move was “another moneymaking scheme on BG’s part”. Valerie Simpson, on the other hand, stated that the ailing Terrell was brought into the studio when she was strong enough to record over Simpson’s guide vocals, insisting Terrell had sung on the album. Easy produced the singles “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy to Come By”, “What You Gave Me”, “California Soul” and the UK top ten hit, “The Onion Song”.

Late in 1969, Terrell made her final public appearance at the Apollo Theater where Marvin Gaye was headlining the bill. As soon as Terrell was spotted by Gaye, he rushed to her side and the duo began singing “You’re All I Need to Get By” together.

In her memoirs about her famous sister, Ludie Montgomery writes that Terrell was the victim of sexual molestation by three boys after leaving a neighborhood party at the age of eleven. The boys were arrested and convicted on a rape charge. The incident led to a change in Terrell’s behavior. During her early career, Terrell dated many men both in the music business and out. Though they never dated, Terrell had been romantically interested in singer Sam Cooke and she had a budding friendship with Gene Chandler. In 1962, at 17, she signed with James Brown and the two engaged in a sexual relationship. However, this relationship turned out to be abusive. After a horrific incident with Brown backstage after a show, Terrell asked Chandler, who witnessed the incident first hand, to take her to the bus station, so she could go home. He later called Terrell’s mother to pick her up. This ended Terrell’s two-year affair with Brown.

In 1965, Terrell forged a romance with then-Temptations singer David Ruffin. The following year, Ruffin surprised Terrell with a marriage proposal. However, Terrell was devastated once she learned that Ruffin had a wife and three children and another girlfriend, also living in Detroit. This led to the couple having public fights. Though it was later claimed that Ruffin had hit Terrell with a hammer and a machete, these claims were denied by Terrell’s family and her Motown label mates, though Ludie Montgomery confirmed a story that Terrell was hit on the side of her face by Ruffin’s motorcycle helmet, leading to the end of their relationship in 1967.

After signing with Motown, she forged friendships with some of the label’s artists. One of her closest was with her duet partner, Marvin Gaye, with whom she had a close platonic relationship. Though it’s often alleged their relationship grew into a brief romance, those close to the singers denied this claim. Ashford & Simpson, and Gaye in later years, stated the relationship was almost sibling-like. Nevertheless they were reported as having opposite personalities: Gaye being shy and introvert, Terrell being streetwise and extrovert. What they shared was their charisma as a performing couple and their sense of humour. Gaye would later call Terrell “sweet” and “misunderstood” and stated that Terrell was his “perfect [musical] partner”. At the time of her death, she was engaged to be married to Ernest Garrett, who was a doctor at Terrell’s hospital but not her personal doctor.

By early 1970 Terrell was confined to a wheelchair, suffered from blindness and hair loss, and weighed a scant 93 lb. Following her eighth and final operation on January 25, 1970, Terrell went into a coma for the remaining month and a half of her life.

On March 16, Terrell died of complications from brain cancer. She was six weeks short of her 25th birthday. Her funeral was held at the Jane Methodist Church in Philadelphia. At the funeral, Gaye delivered a final eulogy while “You’re All I Need to Get By” was playing. According to Terrell’s fiancé, Dr. Garrett, who knew Gaye, her mother angrily barred everyone at Motown but Gaye from her funeral.

Already depressed from the first diagnosis of her illness back in late 1967 and from her onstage collapse, Marvin Gaye further withdrew from performing following Terrell’s death, re-emerging two years later performing during a benefit concert at the then newly-opened Kennedy Center at Washington, D.C. in May 1972. Terrell’s mother criticized Motown for not helping with Terrell’s illness accusing the label for covering up the singer’s condition releasing albums of Terrell’s work without her consent. Gaye had also contended that he felt Motown was taking advantage of Terrell’s illness and refused to promote the Easy album despite Motown telling him it would cover Terrell’s health expenses.

Gaye never fully got over Terrell’s death, according to several biographers who have stated that Terrell’s death led Gaye to depression and drug abuse. In addition, Gaye’s classic album What’s Going On, an introspective, low-key work which dealt with mature themes released in 1971, was in part a reaction to Terrell’s death. In July 1970, four months after Terrell’s untimely passing, a dramatic rearrangement of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, was released by Diana Ross, becoming a number-one hit and one of Ross’ signature songs.

On October 8, 2010, Hip-O Select released Come On And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection, a collection of all of Terrell’s solo work dating back to high school, plus never before released songs and 13 minutes of the only known live stage recordings.

Written by Dianne Washington