The Spinners (U.S. band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Spinners
Origin	Detroit, USA
Years active	1957 – Present
Genres	R&B Soul Philadelphia soul
Labels	V.I.P./Motown Atlantic
Members	Billy Henderson Henry Fambrough Pervis Jackson George Dixon Bobbie Smith

The Spinners are a Detroit, Michigan -based soul vocal group active since 1954 (see 1954 in music), and most popular during the 1970s. The group still tours as of 2006.

The Spinners are known in the United Kingdom as The Detroit Spinners or The Motown Spinners because a Liverpool-based folk band had taken the name "The Spinners" in Britain during the 1960s.

[edit] History

In 1954 a group of friends in Ferndale High School in Detroit came together to make music. Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C.P. Spencer, and James Edwards called themselves The Domingoes. James Edwards lasted only a few weeks; he was replaced by Bobbie Smith, who sang lead on most of the Spinners early records. C.P. Spencer left the group shortly afterwards, and would later go on to be a member of the Voice Masters and The Originals. He was replaced by George Dixon. The group would also rename themselves The Spinners at this time.

[edit] Quiet years

The Spinners first hit the charts in August of 1961 on Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi Records, with "That's What Girls Are Made For," peaking at number 27. Fuqua sang lead vocal on this track. The followup, "Love (I'm So Glad) I Found You", would reach number 91 that November.

James Edwards' brother Edgar ("Chico") would replace Dixon in the group in 1963, at which time Tri-Phi and the entire artist roster was bought out by Berry Gordy of Motown Records. The Spinners were then assigned to the Motown label.

In 1964, they made their debut at the Apollo Theater and won instant acclaim, a rare feat at the time. But with the exception of "I'll Always Love You," which hit #35 in 1965, success mostly eluded them during the 1960s. In fact, during much of the decade they would be used by Motown as road managers, chaperones and chauffeurs for other groups, and even as shipping clerks. G.C. Cameron would replace Dixon in 1967. In 1969, the group switched to the Motown-owned V.I.P. imprint. (The label name is somewhat ironic, given that V.I.P. was generally considered a substandard imprint behind Motown, Gordy, Tamla, and Soul).

In 1970, they hit #14 with writer/producer Stevie Wonder's composition, "It's A Shame," and charted again the following year with another song Wonder wrote and produced, "We'll Have It Made" from the album Second Time Around. However, these were their last two singles for V.I.P. Shortly after the release of Second Time Around, singer Philippe Wynne joined the Spinners, and (as legend has it) Atlantic recording artist Aretha Franklin suggested the group finish out their Motown contract, and change to Atlantic Records. Cameron would leave the group in 1971 to remain with Motown.

[edit] The Hit Years with Philippe Wynne

Under the helm of producer and songwriter Thom Bell, The Spinners would chart five top 100 singles off their album The Spinners, released in 1972. "I'll Be Around" was the first big hit, but it was actually the B-side of the first single, "How Could I Let You Get Away," but subsequent radio airplay led Atlantic to flip the single over, with the songs hitting #3 and #89, respectively. "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" (#4, March 1973), "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" (#11, June 1973), and "Ghetto Child" (#29, September 1973) would cement their reputation, as well as Bell's, who was beginning to be recognized for his trademark Philly soul or "Philadelphia Sound" (which could also be credited to Gamble and Huff.) This turned out to be a precursor to disco, a contemporary dance genre.

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" as a 1973 A-Side. In the midst of all their Atlantic hits, it crawled to number #91 US.

The group's 1974 followup album, Mighty Love, would contain three Top 20 hits, "I'm Coming Home," "Love Don't Love Nobody," and the title track. Their biggest hit of the year, however, would be a collaboration with Dionne Warwick (then billed as "Dionne Warwicke"). Their joint effort "Then Came You" would reach #1 in October -- the first chart-topper for either artist. Bell later noted, "Dionne made a face when we finished [the song]. She didn't like it much, but I knew we had something. So we ripped a dollar in two, signed each half and exchanged them. I told her, 'If it doesn't go number one, I'll send you my half.' When it took off, Dionne sent hers back. There was an apology on it."

The band would hit the Top 10 twice in the next two years with "(They Just Can't Stop It) Games People Play" (which would lead to a nickname of "12:45" for bass singer Jackson, after his signature vocal line on the song), and "The Rubberband Man." But Wynne would leave the group in 1977, to be replaced by Jonathan Edwards, the group failed to hit the pop Top 40 for two years, and parted ways with producer Bell. Wynne would die of a heart attack while performing in Oakland in 1984.

The group did manage several big hits in 1980, charting with medleys of "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" (#2 in March) and "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" (#4 in July), but a third trip to the well proved one time too many, when "Yesterday Once More/Nothing Remains the Same" failed to break Top 40. The group's last hit was a gorgeous remake of Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away," peaking at #67 in 1983.

[edit] The Spinners now

The Spinners in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California on March 18, 2006.

Even though their last hits were over 20 years ago, the bright lights of their 1972–1976 run of the charts continues to provide for the current members. They are big draws on the oldies and nostalgia concert circuits, and continue to play the music that made them famous.

A voice from their past, G. C. Cameron, would rejoin the group as lead vocalist from 2000 to 2002, (replacing Jonathan Edwards, who left due to illness) but he left them in 2003 to join The Temptations. Frank Washington, formerly of The Futures and The Delfonics, is now the lead vocalist. Around the same time, long-time member Billy Henderson also departed and was replaced by Hank "Spike" Bonhart.

In their recently released box set The Chrome Collection, The Spinners were lauded by David Bowie and Elvis Costello.

The Spinners were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.

On July 27, 2006, The Spinners performed on The Late Show With David Letterman to several standing ovations.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

[edit] Albums

This is a partial list; there are many more import titles and compilations. Titles in bold indicate a greatest hits set. The band is also listed occasionally as The Motown Spinners, or (after they left the Motown label) The Detroit Spinners. These were their monikers in the UK to avoid confusion with a British group called The Spinners.

• 1966: The Original Spinners
• 1970: 2nd Time Around
• 1972: Spinners
• 1974: Mighty Love
• 1974: New and Improved Spinners
• 1974: The Best of The Spinners (Motown songs only)
• 1975: Live
• 1975: Pick of the Litter
• 1976: Happiness Is Being With The Spinners
• 1976: The Rubberband Man
• 1977: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
• 1978: Spinners/8
• 1978: The Best of The Spinners (Atlantic songs only)
• 1979: From Here to Eternally
• 1980: Love Trippin'
• 1981: Labor of Love
• 1982: Grand Slam
• 1984: Cross Fire
• 1985: Lovin' Feelings
• 1989: Down to Business
• 1991: A One of a Kind Love Affair: The Anthology
• 1993: The Very Best of The Spinners
• 2002: The Essential Spinners
• 2003: The Chrome Collection

[edit] External links

• 'The Spinners' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page