The Spinners is a vocal soul group from Detroit, established in 1954 and was very popular around 1970. In Britain and elsewhere in Europe, they are also called The Detroit Spinners or The Motown Spinners called to avoid confusion with the British folk band The Spinners . The group is still active.
Content[]
History[Edit][]
Like many other African American singing groups they came from gospel music to the rhythm-and-blues. The Spinners were founded In 1954 on Ferndale High School in Michigan. At first it was The Domingoes, but their name from 1961 they called themselves The Spinners. In August of that year they had their first hit with that's What Girls Are Made For. They were signed to the record label Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi, who coached them and sometimes also heard on the tapes. In 1963 they went with him to Motown, where they, just like The Originals and The Andantesas male counterparts of, in addition to their own work too (anonymous) background vocals provided at the recordings of other artists. When Fuqua left Motown in 1971 because the label largely from Detroit left The Spinners, also found the time to leave. On Aretha Franklin's proposal they came under contract to Atlantic.
One of the founders, Billy Henderson, was put from the group in 2004 after he the manager had sued over money matters. He died in 2007. Pervis Jackson, also one of the Domingoes/Spinners of the first hour which is still part of the group, died on August 18, 2008 to the consequences of brain and liver cancer. He was 70 years old. Other early members of The Spinners are no longer alive. The group existed until March 2013 from the Veterans Bobby Smith (the lead singer) and Henry Fambrough and the recently recruited Charlton Washington, Jessie Robert Peck and Marvin Taylor. Smith died on 16 March 2013. [1]
Group Members[Edit][]
- Henry Fambrough (1954-present)
- Billy Henderson (1954-2004), d. 2007
- Pervis Jackson (1954-2008), d. 2008
- James Edwards (1954)
- Bobby Smith (1954-2013), d. 2013
- C.P. Spencer (1954-1956), d. 2004
- Chico Edwards (1956-1958 and 1962-1967), d. 2011
- George Dixon (1958-1963), d. 2005
- Joe Stubbs (1962)
- G.C. Cameron (1967-1972 and 2000-2003)
- PAE Wynne (1972-1977)
- Jonathan Edwards (1977-2000)
- Frank Washington (2003-2009)
- Spike Bonhart (2004-2009)
- Charlton Washington (2009-present)
- Jessie Robert Peck (2009-present)
- Marvin Taylor (2009-present)
Discography[Edit][]
Singles[Edit][]
| Year | Title | Billboard Hot 100 | U.S. R & B | Canada | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "That's What Girls Are Made For" | 27 | 5 | - | - |
| 1961 | "Love (I'm So Glad) I Found You" | 91 | - | - | - |
| 1961 | "What Did She Use?" | - | - | - | - |
| 1962 | "I've Been Hurt" | - | - | - | - |
| 1962 | "She Don't Love Me" (as Bobby Smith & The Spinners) | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 | "Sweet Thing" | - | - | - | - |
| 1965 | "I'll Always Love You" | 35 | 8 | 7 | - |
| 1966 | "Truly Yours" | 111 | 16 | - | - |
| 1967 | "For All We Know" | - | - | - | - |
| 1968 | "I Just Can't Help but Feel the Pain" | - | - | - | - |
| 1969 | "In My Diary" | - | - | - | - |
| 1970 | "Message from a Black Man" | - | - | - | - |
| 1970 | "It's a Shame" | 14 | 4 | 36 | 20 |
| 1971 | "We'll Have It Made" | 89 | 20 | - | - |
| 1973 | "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" | 91 | - | - | - |
| 1972 | "How Could I Let You Get Away" (A-side) | 77 | 14 | - | - |
| → | "I'll Be Around" (b-side) | 3 | 1 | 6 | - |
| 1972 | "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" | 4 | 1 | 12 | 11 |
| 1973 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | 11 | 1 | 16 | - |
| 1973 | "Ghetto Child" | 29 | 4 | 60 | 7 |
| 1974 | "Mighty Love (Part I)" | 20 | 1 | 19 | - |
| 1974 | "I'm Coming Home" | 18 | 3 | 27 | |
| 1974 | "Then Came You" (with Dionne Warwick) | 1 | 2 | 7 | 29 |
| 1974 | "Love Don't Love Nobody (Part I)" | 15 | 4 | 34 | - |
| 1975 | "Living a Little, Laughing a Little" | 37 | 7 | 43 | - |
| 1975 | "Sadie" | 54 | 7 | - | - |
| 1975 | "They Just Can't Stop It (Games People Play)" | 5 | 1 | 21 | - |
| 1975 | "Love or Leave" | 36 | 8 | 29 | - |
| 1976 | "Wake Up Susan" | 56 | 11 | - | 29 |
| 1976 | "The Rubberband Man" | 2 | 1 | 7 | 16 |
| 1977 | "You're Throwing a Good Love Away" | 43 | 5 | - | - |
| 1977 | "Me and My Music" | - | 39 | - | - |
| 1977 | "Heaven on Earth (So Fine)" | 89 | 23 | - | - |
| 1978 | "Easy Come, Easy Go" | - | 46 | - | - |
| 1978 | "If You Wanna Do a Dance" | 49 | 17 | - | - |
| 1979 | "Are You Ready for Love" | - | 25 | - | - |
| 1979 | "Body Language" | 103 | 25 | - | 40 |
| 1979 | "Working My Way Back to You"/"Forgive Me Girl" (medley) | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1980 | "Cupid"/"I've Loved You for a Long Time" (medley) | 4 | 5 | 20 | 4 |
| 1980 | "Now That you're Mine Again" | - | 25 | - | - |
| 1980 | "I Just Want to Fall in Love" | - | 75 | - | - |
| 1981 | "Yesterday Once More"/"Nothing Remains the Same" (medley) | 52 | 32 | - | - |
| 1981 | "Long Live Soul Music" | - | 64 | - | - |
| 1981 | "You Go Your Way (I'll Go Mine)" | 110 | 39 | - | - |
| 1981 | "Love Connection (Raise the Window Down)" | 107 | 68 | - | - |
| 1982 | "Never Thought I'd Fall in Love" | 95 | - | - | - |
| 1982 | "Magic in the Moonlight" | - | 30 | - | - |
| 1982 | "Funny How Time Slips Away" | 67 | 43 | - | - |
| 1984 | "Right or Wrong" | 104 | 22 | - | 84 |
Albums[Edit][]
The Spinners have many albums over the years. Also, many compilation albums appeared.
- 1966: The Original Spinners
- 1970: 2nd Time Around
- 1972: Spinners
- 1974: Mighty Love
- 1974: New and Improved Spinners
- 1974: The Best of The Spinners (only the Motown songs)
- 1975: Live
- 1975: Pick of the Litter
- 1976: "Happiness Is Being With The Spinners
- 1976: The Rubber band Man
- 1977: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
- 1978: Spinners/8
- 1978: The Best of The Spinners (only the Atlantic songs)
- 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
Radio 2 Top 2000[Edit][]
| Number (s) with markings
in the Radio 2 Top 2000 |
' 99 | ' 00 | ' 01 | ' 02 | ' 03 | ' 04 | ' 05 | ' 06 | ' 07 | ' 08 | ' 09 | ' 10 | ' 11 | ' 12 | ' 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Working my way back to you | 1813 | - | 1936 | 1573 | 1990 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |