Martha & The Vandellas

Martha & The Vandellas, from 1967 to 1972 Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, was an American girl group of soul singers which was especially popular in the sixties.They were among record label and hit machine Motown in Detroit . They were in 1995 introduced into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame .

Contents

 * 1 History
 * 1.1 Early Years
 * 1.2 Success Years
 * 1.3 Later years
 * 1.4 After the Vandellas
 * 2 Discography

Early Years
Around the end of 1960 met Martha Reeves that the lead singer would be, and Rosalind Ashford each other. They were invited by Gloria Williamson and Annette Beardto get into the group with them. Thus arose the Del-Phis. When that produced no hits in 1961, Williamson left the group. The remaining trio changed their name to The Vells below. After they started looking for a new record label they were William "Mickey" Stevenson asked to work with Motown. There Reeves got a job offer as a secretary. When backing vocals were needed for shooting the three asked for this. Thus began their singing career at Motown. She served as background singers with, among others, Marvin Gaye (his first hit Stubborn Kind Of Fellow in 1962) and Mary Wells . When Wells was prevented the trio asked the song I'll Have To Let Him Go sing in. That was Motown so glad they got a professional contract. The Vells changed their name to Martha & The Vandellas. "Vandellas" is derived from two names. "From" is the name of a street that was located near the street from Reeves. "Della" is derived from Della Reese, Martha's favorite singer.

Success Years
In 1963 the success started to Martha & The Vandellas. Their production team was the trio Brian Holland , Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland . The first song Come And Get These Memories drew number 29 on the US Ranking and number 6 on the R & B listings. Their next hit (Love Is Like A) Heatwave took No. 4 on the US Ranking and # 1 on the R & B list.

In 1964 Beard, who was pregnant and got married, replaced by Betty Kelley, former lead singer of The Velvelettes . Their biggest hit was Dancing In The Street that same year. It took the No. 2 position in the US Ranking, number 4 on that of the United Kingdom and number 8 on the R & B list. The song has been covered by, among others, The Mamas & The Papas and Mick Jagger with David Bowie and is seen by some as the best Motown song ever. This song was not, produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, but Mickey Stevenson, who wrote the Marvin Gaye and Ivy Jo Hunter . After this great success was followed by hits like Nowhere To Run , Jimmy Mack and I'm Ready For Love .

Later years
Around the end of the sixties, the popularity of girl groups decreased and hence those of Martha & The Vandellas. Betty Kelley, who was arguing with Martha Reeves was by Motown boss Berry Gordy fired. Because she was deaf, she left show business and worked until her retirement at a bank. It was replaced by Martha's sister Lois Reeves. The group's name was then changed to Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. With their popularity, however, continued to go downhill. They were not big hits and more against the Vietnam War focused I Should Be Proud (Motown's first protest song and very uncharacteristic for the group) made ​​things did not improve. On some songs the backing vocals sung by The Andantes and / or Syreeta Wright, but they were sold as full Vandellas songs.

Martha Reeves was depressed. During this period she spent some time in a rehab, but she was able to recover. Shortly after her return Rosalind Ashford left the group to become a nurse. She was even replaced by Sandra Tilley, but the group was disbanded in 1973.

After the Vandellas
Martha Reeves left Motown and continued with a solo career for MCA Records, which was less successful than those in the hitjaren Martha & The Vandellas.

In 1989 asked Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard legal proceedings against Motown to enforce the payment of arrears of royalties. A settlement was reached the level of which has not been disclosed.

From 2005 to 2009, Martha Reeves seat in the city council of Detroit. She is still touring around for performances, both solo and with former Motown colleagues. In the nineties she did with, among others, The Four Tops and Edwin Starr and later with Mary Wilson , Brenda Holloway , Kim Weston and her sister (former Vandella) Lois Reeves. On November 25, 2012 she received an honorary doctorate in the humanities at theUniversity of Michigan . In September 2013 Martha & The Vandellas were among the first recorded in the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, after the year 1995 are included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .