Clarence Paul
Encyclopedia
Clarence Otto Pauling better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter
and record producer
for Detroit's Motown Records
.
He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, United States
, and was the brother of the "5" Royales guitarist/songwriter, Lowman Pauling Jr. Their father was a coal miner in Bluefield, West Virginia
, where the brothers listened to country music
on the town's only radio station. In Winston-Salem, the brothers formed the gospel
group, the Royal Sons Quintet, later to become the "5" Royales. Paul dropped the "ing" from his last name after moving to Detroit, Michigan
, in the 1950s, so he would not to be confused with his older brother.
At Motown, he gained fame as Stevie Wonder
's mentor and main producer, during Wonder's teenage years. He also sang backup vocals
on Wonder's top-ten version of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind
". Paul also produced early Temptations
records and wrote/co-wrote such hits as "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
" originally for Wonder, and later given to Aretha Franklin
who made it a hit, and "Hitch Hike" for Marvin Gaye
.
Paul retired to Las Vegas, Nevada
. He died of complications of heart disease
and diabetes
, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles
, California
on May 6, 1995, at age 67.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for Detroit's Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
.
He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and was the brother of the "5" Royales guitarist/songwriter, Lowman Pauling Jr. Their father was a coal miner in Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is also the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342.-Geography & Climate:...
, where the brothers listened to country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
on the town's only radio station. In Winston-Salem, the brothers formed the gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
group, the Royal Sons Quintet, later to become the "5" Royales. Paul dropped the "ing" from his last name after moving to Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, in the 1950s, so he would not to be confused with his older brother.
At Motown, he gained fame as Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's mentor and main producer, during Wonder's teenage years. He also sang backup vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on Wonder's top-ten version of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind
Blowin' in the Wind
"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it poses a series of questions about peace, war and freedom...
". Paul also produced early Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
records and wrote/co-wrote such hits as "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
"Until You Come Back to Me " is the name of a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version did not appear on an album until 1977's Anthology...
" originally for Wonder, and later given to Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
who made it a hit, and "Hitch Hike" for Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
.
Paul retired to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. He died of complications of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on May 6, 1995, at age 67.