The
Marvelettes
The
Marvelettes occupy an esteemed place in the history of American
popular music as the group that caused Motown, and most notably
Berry Gordy, to change the label's focus from single bluesy soul
artists (previously Barret Strong's "Money" had been
the label's biggest seller) to a smooth orchestrated harmonic
sound that transcended the prior racial limits of rhythm and blues.
With their first record, "Please Mister Postman", hitting
the top spot on the charts and selling 3 million records, Motown
was concentrating on the Marvelettes, Supremes, Temptations, Four
Tops and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas to created a new group
pop soul sound that was to totally dominate the music charts until
the advent of the Beatles 4 years later.
During their
reign at the top of the charts, the girls were to turn out over
a dozen hits, eight of which went Top Ten. Although the group
at times had more that three members, the originators were Wanda
Rogers, Gladys Horton and Katherine Shaffner. In the early years
of the group, family ties forced all three to leave the act at
various times (Although Wanda and Gladys continued to make frequent
"guest appearances") but carefully chosen and highly
talented replacements kept the act at the top of the charts even
with the changed personnel. This is a patented mark of Motown's
success story - the ability to change personnel in acts like the
Supremes, Temptations and Marvelettes and still keep the act at
the top of the charts and in demand for personal appearances.
In fact
it is in person where the current lineup really excels. Offering
an act that features their big hits, interspersed with their versions
of great standards, the girls are still, in the smooth Motown
vein, a highly choreographed, polished, very good looking and
humorous night club act as well as a major draw.
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