1. President Jimmy Carter is a half-second cousin of producer Berry Gordy. His great-grandfather James Thomas Gordy had a child with Esther Johnson, a black woman. Their son, Berry Gordy, was the grandfather of music producer Berry Gordy.
2. The “Main Ingredient” formed in Harlem during the ’60s and their name came from a Coca Cola bottle?
3. Freddie Gorman lead singer of R&B group “The Originals”(Baby I’m For Real”, “The Bells”) co-wrote the song “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes. The song had been a huge hit and was not recognized for decades. He was also a US Postal Carrier.
4. “The Four Tops” were originally “The Four Ames”. But in 1956 they changed their name to avoid confusion with “The Ames Brothers”.
5. Soul Train was originally a traveling Caravan show at local Chicago high schools. The show’s host Don Cornelius caught the attention of WCIU-TV in the early ’70s and was given the opportunity to go from the road to television. Soul Trains first episode featured Jerry Butler, “The Chi-Lites” and “The Emotions”.
6. Singer, songwriter Johnny Bristol (known for “Hang On In There Baby”) was the male voice on the Supremes version of “SomeDay Will Be Together” in 1969 and he spotted the group Jr. Walker& The All Stars.
7. Even though he had been recording since the 60’s “I’ll Do Anything for You” was Denroy Morgan only successful hit song! His five children comprise the reggae group Morgan Heritage.
8. Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In The Key Of Life Album was a tribute to Jazz Legend Sir Duke.
9. Bootsy Collins is credited with giving Baby Face his stage name.
10. Randy Cain left the Delfonics to branch out on his own in 1971, and in 1973 he hired Theodore Mills to write songs for the singing group ‘Shades Of Blue’. The group signed with Atlantic Records, Mills became part of the singing team, and the expanded ‘Shades Of Blue’ adopted a new name called “Blue Magic.”
MORE TO COME SOON!