The Curious Reader, Part 2
EVEN MORE FOR YOUR MOTOWN BOOKSHELF
The New York Times called it the most coherent and thoughtful of the Motown books. Time magazine labelled it as “essential,” the Detroit Free Press described it as “authoritative,” and Britain’s Guardian newspaper hailed its detail and passion.
More than 30 years later, others agree. Nelson George’s Where Did Our Love Go? The Rise And Fall Of The Motown Sound remains the single finest book on the subject, according to this month’s straw poll of West Grand Blog readers, knowledgeable and committed as they – that is, you – are to the subject matter and its legacy.
Welcome to the second part of WGB’s tabulation of all (with luck) the Motown books, which brings it up to date. Those titles published between 1971 and 2004 made up the first part, which you can find here. As before, the listing below includes comments or anecdotes about their work from a selection of authors.
As for the readers’ poll, you likely won’t be surprised to know that, after Nelson’s work, Berry Gordy’s To Be Loved figured strongly – but in third place, behind…Me, Berry, And Motown, the autobiography of his second wife, Raynoma Gordy Singleton. There was a fourth-place tie, between Divided Soul, David Ritz’s much-admired biography of Marvin Gaye, and The Motown Album, the image-driven coffee-table book, spiced with text by Ben Fong-Torres and Elvis Mitchell, a discography by Dave Marsh, and a foreword by Berry Gordy. (For those who voted for Motown: The Sound Of Young America, thank you, but self-interest means that it’s excluded from this poll result.)
Other titles cited by readers included Peter Benjaminson’s The Story Of Motown – the first U.S.-published book on the subject, in 1979 – as well as Mary Wilson’s Dreamgirl, Don Waller’s The Motown Story, Otis Williams’ Temptations and Keith Rylatt’s Hitsville! The Birth Of Tamla Motown.
If the first Motown book anywhere was 1971’s Motown & The Arrival Of Black Music – a U.K.-published, studious 110 pages by a British author, David Morse, who has since become an authority on, er, the Victorian age – there was informed coverage before then in fanzines and music publications (Blues & Soul merits a namecheck here) and, periodically, in newspapers. Not to mention the frisson, in 1974, of Elaine Jesmer’s Number One With A Bullet. She was a former Motown publicist whose fictional adventure – think Jacqueline Susann for style – about singer Daniel Stone and Finest Records invited comparisons with Hitsville U.S.A. (Jesmer later made a fleeting appearance in Susan Whitall’s Women Of Motown.)
Insightful chapters on Motown and its artists also began appearing in music books during the ’70s and ’80s, such as Alan Betrock’s Girl Groups, Gerri Hirshey’s Nowhere To Run and The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia Of Rock & Roll. Then came the flow of autobiographies, beginning with Mary Wilson in 1986. In more recent years, every serious literary attempt to portray and evaluate 20th century popular culture must reference the music and magicians of Berry Gordy’s enterprise.
FROM GREGORY TO GLADYS, FROM BUNNY TO DUKE
And still they come. This century has produced even more titles about Michael Jackson, several of them too dubious to include here, as well as half a dozen apiece devoted to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, and three on Rick James. Individual members of groups have continued to weigh in, such as the Commodores’ Thomas McClary, Switch’s Gregory Williams, DeBarge’s Bunny DeBarge, the Temptations’ Richard Street and, just this year, the Four Tops’ Duke Fakir and the late Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes.
There have also been books about individual albums: one, a smartly-written snapshot of Songs In The Key of Life; another, the absolutely essential account of What’s Going On by Ben Edmonds. Discographies are still showing up, such as Tamla Motown Worldwide, as well as unexpected biographies, such as that devoted to Dave Godin, an early Motown evangelist in Britain; both of these were published in 2020.
For those who want to excavate further, Pat Thomas’ Listen, Whitey! includes a thoroughly-researched chapter on Motown’s Black Forum label, while photographer Bruce W. Talamon’s Soul R&B Funk features a breathtaking inventory of images of Marvin, Stevie, Diana and the Jackson 5, among others.
Germany’s Edel Classics adapted two Motown CD sets into a coffee-table book format in 2006: Stevie Wonder’s At The Close Of A Century and Marvin Gaye: The Master 1961-1984. Packaged into each were the four discs from the original collections (Gaye’s was released in 1995, Wonder’s in 1999) and the editorial content comprised the photographs (enlarged for the books) and essays featured in those CD packages.
At least one Motown stalwart has revisited his story in a different format. In 1989, Smokey Robinson’s autobiographical Inside My Life came out in hardcover, later in paperback. Two years ago, he narrated his life experiences for a short Audible audiobook, Grateful And Blessed.
And what lies ahead? Martha Reeves has hinted that, next year, she will follow her 1994 autobiography with a new title, I Believe, while Motown’s supremely influential mistress of etiquette, Maxine Powell, is the subject of a forthcoming book by Callista Gould, founder of America’s Culture and Manners Institute. At least one other Motown-related work is expected in 2023.
But now, the list. As with Part 1, it’s chronological by year, showing each book’s title, author(s) and primary publisher (the location of that original publisher is also noted). An asterisk indicates a children’s book; two asterisks denote an audio version available from Audible.
2005
*Little Stevie Wonder, Quincy Troupe with illustrations by Lisa Cohen, Houghton Mifflin (U.S.)
My Sister Tommie: The Real Tammi Terrell, Ludie Montgomery and Vickie Wright, Bank House Books (U.K.)
Michael Jackson: The Man Behind The Mask, Bob Jones with Stacy Brown, SelectBooks (U.S.)
Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide To The Classic Albums, Steve Lodder, Backbeat Books (U.S.)
2006
The Road Through Motown, Ralph Terrana, Bank House Books (U.K.)
Chinwaggin’: The Classic Soul Interviews, Sharon Davis, Bank House Books (U.K.)
**On Michael Jackson, Margo Jefferson, Pantheon Books (U.S.)
Motown In Love: Lyrics From The Golden Era, edited by Herb Jordan, Pantheon Books (U.S.)
Diana Ross: The American Dreamgirl, Tom Adrahtas, AuthorHouse (U.S.)
Marvin Gaye: The Master 1961-1984, David Ritz, Edel Classics (Germany)
Stevie Wonder: At The Close Of A Century, David Ritz and Leonard Pitts Jnr., Edel Classics (Germany)
2007
Memoirs Of A Super Freak: The Confessions of Rick James, Rick James, Colossus Books (U.S.)
Songs In The Key Of Life, Zeth Lundy, Continuum Books (U.S.)
Motown From The Background, The Andantes and Vickie Wright, Bank House Books (U.K.)
The True Story Of Florence Ballard, Maxine “Precious” Ballard, Precious4Max (U.S.)
2008
The Lost Supreme: The Life Of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard, Peter Benjaminson, Lawrence Hill Books (U.S.)
The Story Of The Supremes, Daryl Easlea, V&A Publishing (U.K.)
The Kept Ones, Bunny DeBarge, Deborah Smith Publications (U.S.)
Diana Ross In Central Park: A 25th Anniversary Retrospective, John William Law, Aplomb Publishing (U.S.)
2009
The Life And Times Of The Motown Stars, Alex MacKenzie, Together Publications (U.K.)
Tamla Motown: The Stories Behind The U.K. Singles, Terry Wilson, Cherry Red Books (U.K.)
Lionel Richie: Hello, Sharon Davis, Equinox Publishing (U.K.)
The Supremes: A Saga Of Motown Dreams, Success, And Betrayal, Mark Ribowsky, Da Capo Press (U.S.)
Motown Soul & Glamour, Florent Mazzoleni and Gilles Pétard (French), Le Serpent à Plumes (France)
2010
I Remember Motown: When We Were Just Family, Frances (Fran Heard) Maclin, Yorkshire Publishing (U.S.)
**Signed, Sealed, And Delivered: The Soulful Journey Of Stevie Wonder, Mark Ribowsky, John Wiley & Sons (U.S.)
**Ain’t Too Proud To Beg: The Troubled Lives And Enduring Soul Of The Temptations, Mark Ribowsky, John Wiley & Sons (U.S.)
Russ Terrana’s Motown, Russ Terrana, Bank House Books (U.K.)
Diana: Queen Of Motown, Ian Phillips, Bank House Books (U.K.)
2011
My Brother, Marvin, Zeola Gaye, ZKM Publishing (U.S.)
Hype & Soul! Behind The Scenes At Motown, Al Abrams, TempleStreet Publishing (U.K.)
**You Are Not Alone: Michael Through A Brother’s Eyes, Jermaine Jackson, HarperCollins (U.S.)
Gold Thunder: Legendary Adventures Of A Motown Bassist, Tony Newton, Quantum Media (U.S.)
The Jr. Walker Story: The Man Behind The Sax, Derek DeWalt and Kambon Obayami, Jasmaya Publishing (U.S.)
2012
Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life Of Motown’s First Superstar, Peter Benjaminson, Chicago Review Press (U.S.)
Tamla Motown: All Dutch 45 Releases From The Sixties,Rob Van Leeuwen, Free Musketeers (Netherlands)
A Memoir: David Ruffin – My Temptation, Genna Sapia-Ruffin, self-published (U.S.)
2013
Ready For A Brand New Beat: How “Dancing In The Street” Became The Anthem For A Changing America, Mark Kurlansky, Riverhead Books (U.S.)
Fame Without Fortune: The Al Cleveland Story, Daryl Cleveland with Burt Lucido, Glenn Soucy, Ron Sheffey, Brick Tower Press (U.S.)
Midnight Train From Georgia: A Pip’s Journey, William Franklin Guest and Dame Dhyana Ziegler, Branden Books (U.S.)
Motown Artist By Artist, Pat Morgan, Demand Media/G2 Entertainment (U.K.)
2014
Motown Encyclopedia, Graham Betts, AC Publishing (U.K.)
Graham Betts: “One of the things I most love about writing is the research, tracking down people and facts that no one else has managed to uncover. For example, there was one artist, Tommy Hill, who had one Motown single release. He had a fairly common name, so tracking him down proved fruitless, but his producer’s name was somewhat unique – and I managed to find him selling an item on eBay. He told me about the artist, who later worked as a police officer before committing suicide, and how their deal with Motown was little more than a tax write-off! Where else would you find such background information?”
Glow: The Autobiography Of Rick James, Rick James with David Ritz, Atria Books (U.S.)
Ball Of Confusion: My Life As A Temptin’ Temptation, Richard Street with Gary Flanigan, Tate Publishing (U.S.)
**Michael Jackson, Inc.: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth Of A Billion-Dollar Empire, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, Atria Books (U.S.)
*The Kidzter Kids Meet Motown, Eva Emily Ellis, Kidzter (U.S.)
2015
**After The Dance: My Life With Marvin Gaye, Jan Gaye with David Ritz, Amistad/Harper Collins (U.S.)
Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through The Motown Sound, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Roaring Book Press (U.S.)
The A&R Man, William “Mickey” Stevenson with Ashley Stevenson, self-published (U.S.)
**Detroit 67: The Year That Changed Soul, Stuart Cosgrove, Clayton Publishing (U.K.)
Diana Ross: Reflections, Ian Phillips, New Haven Publishing (U.K.)
The Seduction Of Mary Wells, Steve Bergsman, SMB Comm. (U.S.)
2016
Motown: The Sound Of Young America, Adam White with Barney Ales, Thames & Hudson (U.K.)
Hitsville! The Birth Of Tamla Motown, Keith Rylatt, Modus/The House Of Soul (U.K.)
Keith Rylatt: “Having written a couple of books about soul in general, I didn’t really plan another that would be specifically about Motown, mainly on the grounds that there were so many out there already. Then, out of the blue in 2012, a unique opportunity presented itself when around 100 previously unseen photographs [documenting Dave Godin’s Tamla Motown Appreciation Society] were discovered in a shoebox hidden in a loft in East Sussex. Within moments of viewing them and having sole access, I instinctively knew there was a book just waiting to be crafted with this treasure trove as the central feature.”
***Who Is Stevie Wonder? Jim Gigliotti, Grosset & Dunlap (U.S.)
Rewind: Michael Jackson – The Life & Legacy Of Pop Music’s King, Daryl Easlea, Race Point Publishing (U.S.)
2017
The Jacksons Legacy, The Jacksons with Fred Bronson, Thames & Hudson (U.K.)
Fred Bronson: “After Jackie, Tito and Marlon discovered Adam White’s quintessential book on Motown, they called the publisher and said they would like to do a book for their 50th anniversary. The immediate answer was ‘Yes!’ Adam suggested to the publisher that I should write the book, and that’s how I ended up spending a few days with each of the Jackson brothers to conduct interviews that would serve as the basis of The Jacksons Legacy. As an ardent Motown fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the process and getting to know Jackie, Tito and Marlon – and telling their story from childhood up through 50 years of triumph and victory.”
I Hear A Symphony: Motown & Crossover R&B, Andrew Flory, University of Michigan Press (U.S.)
Andrew Flory: “I Hear A Symphony grew out of my doctoral dissertation, which was the first in the field of academic Musicology to engage specifically with the music of Motown. Converting it into a proper, book-length study took another five years. It was a life-changing experience that challenged my own assumptions about the company, its people and (most of all) the hundreds of amazing records and songs created in the Motown environment. I found that, after 60 years of continuous examination, the Motown catalogue still has a lot to teach us all.”
Super Freak: The Life Of Rick James, Peter Benjaminson, Chicago Review Press (U.S.)
Rock And Soul, Thomas McClary and Ardre Orie, 13th & Joan (U.S.)
My Life As A Temptation, Richard Street with Toi Moore, TM Publications (U.S.)
2018
*Where’s Michael Jackson? Illustrated by Moreno Chiacchiera, Igloo Books (U.K.)
*The Making Of Motown, Duchess Harris with Rebecca Rowell, Core Library (U.S.)
2019
Supreme Glamour, Mary Wilson with Mark Bego, Thames & Hudson (U.K.)
***Claudette’s Miraculous Motown Adventure, A.K. Morris and Claudette Robinson with illustrations by Pamela C. Rice, PublishAffordably (U.S.)
**Come And Get These Memories: The Genius Of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Motown’s Incomparable Songwriters, Eddie and Brian Holland with Dave Thompson, Omnibus Press (U.K.)
Dave Thompson: “We talked two, three, sometimes more times a week for probably six months, but it was more like a chat than anything else. I knew we’d cover all the ground we needed to in the end, so why rush it? They’re both such warm and wonderful people, so easy to talk with on all manner of subjects. I remember one afternoon with Brian, we spent as much time talking about chess as we did [about] music. He owes me a game, by the way.”
How Sweet It Is: A Songwriter’s Reflections On Music, Motown, And The Mystery Of The Muse, Lamont Dozier with Scott B. Bomar, BMG Books (U.S.)
Scott Bomar: “At first I was a little bummed about the ‘competition’ [with the Hollands’ autobiography], but then I realised that it gives the fans a chance to hear all three perspectives at the same time, which is actually pretty cool. I hope anyone who reads one of the books is driven to read the other. Lamont and I decided we weren’t going to worry about the Hollands’ book. They have their story, and he has his. If anything, I’m glad we did ours without knowing they were doing theirs, and vice versa. It allowed everyone to simply share their memories without doing so as a reaction to the other.”
Switch, DeBarge, Motown & Me, Gregory Williams, Switch Entertainment (U.S.)
2020
**Grateful And Blessed, narrated by Smokey Robinson (audio only), Audible (U.S.)
Dave Godin: A Northern Soul, Stephen Stevlor, MGBP (U.K.)
Tamla Motown Worldwide, Christoph Maus, Maus of Music (Germany)
Shotgun: The Making Of A Legend, Kenneth DeWalt, self-published (U.S.)
The Kept Ones: The Fame Years, Bunny DeBarge, Xlibris (U.S.)
Motown: Celebrating 60 Years Of Amazing Music, Pete McKenna, New Haven Publishing (U.K.)
2021
Band Of Gold: A Memoir, Freda Payne with Mark Bego, Yorkshire Publishing (U.S.)
Freda Payne: “I should have been writing this book as far back as 25 years ago. I got to the point where I saw a lot of my female and male peers writing books. Wait a minute, I thought, I’m getting older, my memory is beginning to flag a little bit, I’d better hurry up and write this before I can’t remember anything. Then on top of that, what really scared me was that people I had been depending on to help me, like Bobby Lucas and Sandra McPherson, were no longer around.”
Love Factory: The History Of Holland Dozier Holland, Howard Priestley, New Haven Publishing (U.K.)
A Wonderous Journey...Through The Musical World Of Stevie Wonder, Brent Kitson and Vaid Bharath (U.S.)
*Stevie Wonder, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (U.S.)
2022
I’ll Be There: My Life With The Four Tops, Duke Fakir with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson, Omnibus Press (U.K.)
The Destruction & Creation Of Michael Jackson, Ellis Cashmore, Bloomsbury Academic (U.K.)
A Letter From the Postman, Gladys Horton, presented by Vaughn Thornton, self-published (U.S.)
TCMS notes: there is at least one mighty assembly of Motown prose which should be a stand-alone book: the liner notes (there’s an old-fashioned term) of all 14 volumes of The Complete Motown Singles, released by Universal Music Enterprises between 2004 and 2013. The depth, detail and drama therein is a credit to the series’ masterminds, Harry Weinger and Keith Hughes; to their storytelling skills; and to author and expert Bill Dahl, whom they enlisted for the task of finding and interviewing dozens of characters across the years. Does Universal have a book division?
Notes of gratitude: to WGB readers Bill Staiger and Scott Paton for invaluable help in compiling The Curious Reader, and to all who voted in the poll. If you know of other Motown books which should be included, please get in touch: adampwhite1@icloud.com