Martha Reeves
Encyclopedia
Martha Rose Reeves is an American
R&B
and Pop
singer and former politician, and was the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas
. During her tenure with The Vandellas, they scored over a dozen hit singles, including "Jimmy Mack
", "Dancing in the Street
" and "Nowhere to Run". From 2005 until 2009, Reeves served as an elected councilwoman for the city of Detroit, Michigan
.
, the first daughter of Elijah Joshua Reeves and Ruby Lee Gilmore, and the third of the couple's 11 children. Martha was under a year old when the family moved from Eufaula to Detroit, Michigan
, where her grandfather, Reverend Elijah Reeves, was a minister at Detroit's Metropolitan Church. The family was very active in the church and its choir. Both Elijah and Ruby played guitar and liked to sing; the children acquired their love of music from their parents. At Detroit's Northeastern High School, her vocal coach was Abraham Silver, who also worked with Florence Ballard
and Mary Wilson
(of The Supremes
) and Bobby Rogers
(of The Miracles
). As a teenager, Reeves became a fan of R&B and doo-wop
music. After failing to join her elder brother Benny's vocal group, Reeves formed her own vocal group, the Sabre-Ettes in 1958. A year later, she joined The Fascinations
. Reeves left the group before they became a recording act.
1957 was her first association with Rosalind Ashford
, Gloria Williams
and Annette Beard
in a group then known The Del-Phis, formed after a man named Edward "Pops" Larkins was starting a sister singing group to complement a male vocal group of his. The Del-Phis were popular local performers. Reeves was reportedly an admirer of the group and was a friend of Gloria Williams, who hired Reeves to join the group in 1960.
Through 1960 and 1961, Reeves made ends meet working several jobs by day and worked as a singer in nighttime hours singing jazz
and blues standards at some of Detroit's respected nightclubs. After a performance at Twenty Grand Club, Reeves was spotted by Motown A&R staffer Mickey Stevenson, who gave the singer, who was then going by the unusual surname LaVaille as her stage name, his business card for a possible audition. Since Reeves didn't know the protocol of Motown's auditions, Reeves said she showed up to Motown's Hitsville USA studios the following day, and was apprehended by Stevenson for showing up earlier than expected. Motown held auditions for Thursday - Reeves had showed up on a Tuesday. Reeves was then told to look after Stevenson's appointments while Stevenson went on a break.
Before long, Reeves was working several hours at Hitsville as a secretary of Stevenson's. (Reeves also did A&R
work in addition to secretarial work for Motown.) It was there that Reeves first became acquainted with another emerging singer - Diana Ross
. While Ross and her group The Supremes
(formerly the Primettes) were struggling to find success, Ross found work as Berry Gordy
's secretary. The two would later become professional rivals as both their groups would rise on the charts. By 1961, the Del-Phis had changed their name to The Vels and recorded unsuccessful singles for Checker and Checkmate Records. Using her secretarial powers, Reeves soon hired her band mates in the Vels to fill in background vocal session work for artists such as a pre-Elgins Sandra Edwards. In the summer of 1962, the group recorded background vocals for Marvin Gaye
's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow
". The single became a hit.
After recording what was initially a demo for Mary Wells
, Motown offered the group a recording contract. Before they could sign, Gloria Williams opted to leave the group for a life as a public social worker. Choosing to remain a trio, the group changed their name to Martha and the Vandellas. Reeves' changing of the group's name was due to her living on Detroit's Van Dyke street as a child and for honoring Detroit R&B vocalist Della Reese
, who was Reeves' idol.
" and "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave
" distinguishing the group from contemporaries and label mates The Marvelettes
and The Supremes
, who were more influenced by doo-wop
. Though the group's early recordings under their different monikers were doo-wop oriented, the majority of songs released under the Vandellas' name produced a rougher, soulful sound with frenetic musical backing from The Funk Brothers
. Martha's alto, Rosalind Ashford's soprano and Annette Beard's contralto vocals gave their harmonies dimension and made their recordings unique.
After "Heat Wave" became the group's first million-seller, the Vandellas quickly rose to become the label's top draw both as recording stars and as a successful live act. Martha was the one consistent member of the group staying throughout all the group's incarnations and lineups. After the exits of original members Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford, members replacing them included Betty Kelly
, Sandra Tilley
and Martha's youngest sister Lois Reeves
. Among the singles released that became signature hits for the group included "Quicksand
", "In My Lonely Room
", "Live Wire", "Nowhere to Run", "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)
", "I'm Ready for Love
", "Jimmy Mack
", "Honey Chile
" and the group's most popular single, "Dancing in the Street
". Martha often cites her performance highlights as one being a performance with Vandellas worshiper, Brit soul singer Dusty Springfield
, on the UK show, Ready, Steady, Go! and performing on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Despite the success of the Vandellas, Martha was dismayed by Berry Gordy's decision to promote The Supremes
and the group's lead singer, Diana Ross
in particular, more so than the Vandellas. Many of the group's recordings remain in the vaults of Motown.
Other issues—including group infighting (Reeves often fought with Betty Kelly), a stringent recording and touring schedule and other matters led to substance abuse. Reeves suffered a nervous breakdown after a bad acid trip in 1968; this led to a brief disbanding of the Vandellas which Ashford left for good. When Reeves was well enough to return, she recruited Sandra Tilley
and the lineup of Martha and Lois Reeves and Tilley continued until 1972 when the group disbanded shortly after issuing the Black Magic album. In 1973, Martha planned to continue releasing solo work with Motown, but when the label moved from Detroit to Los Angeles
, an angry Reeves negotiated out of her contract with Motown, ending her 12-year association with the label.
In 1989, Martha, Rosalind Ashford, and Annette Beard filed a lawsuit against Motown Records for royalties on the group's records not received since 1972. The company reached a settlement with the women in 1991. While Berry Gordy, Jr. apologized to Reeves for the length of time in reaching the agreement, the terms of the settlement were not made public.
. The self-titled album, produced by Richard Perry
, was reportedly the most expensive album of that time, costing $250,000. Featuring the singles, "Power of Love" and "Wild Night", the album was a critically favored smash, though it failed to generate commercial success as did Reeves' subsequent follow-ups on other labels including Arista
and Fantasy
. She later landed an acting job in the movie Fairy Tales. In 1977, with the help of good friend David Pesnell, Reeves ended her long bout of drug and alcohol addiction and became a born-again Baptist
. Recently, Reeves has denied that she had any addiction to anything whatsoever. After one more album in 1980, Reeves semi-retired from the spotlight though she continued to perform onstage, usually as an oldies act, while Pesnell continued to help her by promoting her concerts, but never taking a fee for doing so. In 1983, she performed solo on the famed Motown 25 special. She then performed in a Broadway
production of Ain't Misbehavin' and reunited with original members of the Vandellas in 1989 both on record (recording for the London
-based Motorcity Records
that year issuing the single "Step into My Shoes") and on tour. Pesnell and Reeves ended their business relationship in 1989 due to his lack of desire to proceed with a concert tour after she had cancelled the previous one for no apparent reason. Further complicating the relationship was that Pesnell's wife, a major songwriter and producer at the time, did not get along with Martha; she and her writing partner, William Zimmerman, refused to pen songs for her. In 1995, Reeves and the Vandellas were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 2003. Martha performed as part of the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII
in 1998. In 2004, Reeves released her first album in 24 years, Home to You, with recordings she had written and produced herself except for a Billie Holiday
cover and an updated version of her big hit, "Jimmy Mack
". Between leaving the Vandellas and her solo career, Martha served as an early contributor to the music newspaper, Soul, for which she was honored for by the Black Women in Publishing organization. She was also honored for her best-selling 1995 autobiography, Dancing in the Street.
"Wild Night" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Thelma & Louise; the song can be heard during one of the several crucial moments in the lead characters' lives. Martha also opens her live performances with this number. "Nowhere to Run" is the first record played by Robin Williams
as manic DJ Adrian Cronauer
in the movie "Good Morning Vietnam".
Reeves is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho
sorority.
Reeves is a board member of AFTRA Detroit chapter. In 2007, she testified before Congress on behalf of musicians, session singers and recording artists for better wages and royalties. She was honored for her hard work and courage in 2007 by delegates and members of AFTRA. She is also on the board of SoundExchange, a non-profit performance rights organization that collects royalties on behalf of sound recording copyright owners and featured artists for non-interactive digital transmissions, including satellite and internet radio.
She made a cameo appearance in the film
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, as a passer-by listening to the duo on the boardwalk. This information was revealed in the film's DVD audio commentary DVD
by Kyle Gass
.
Martha continues to perform concerts and club dates both solo and with her Vandellas—sisters Lois (Motown-era Vandella since 1967) and Delphine (since mid 1980s). Martha Reeves is twice divorced, has one son, Eric (b. 1970), and three grandchildren, all living in Detroit, Michigan.
Motown Records celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 with a party, "Bop to the Ballroom", on November 20, 2009 at the Roostertail in Detroit. Martha was among the Motown stars who enjoyed the celebration. She is also a part of the yet to be released documentary Marvin Gaye's sister made about her brother's life, My Brother Marvin.
In July 2010, Reeves returned to the studio and recorded new tracks by Swedish producer Soren Jensen and her long-time musical director, Al McKenzie. She was recently asked how long she would continue as a performer; Reeves replied, “I’m going to sing as long as I’m able; I’m going to dance as long as I can. And age 69 feels real good.” She also recently expressed dismay at the state of current pop music, saying, "We didn't have to send our children out of the room when we were with Motown. Our songs have always been about love, happiness, joy and partying."
Martha Reeves headlined at the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. on July 1 as part of the R&B Program: http://www.festival.si.edu/2011/previewing-the-rb-program-line-up/
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and former politician, and was the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967...
. During her tenure with The Vandellas, they scored over a dozen hit singles, including "Jimmy Mack
Jimmy Mack
"Jimmy Mack" is a 1967 pop/soul single recorded by Martha and the Vandellas for Motown's Gordy imprint. Written and produced by Motown's main creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Jimmy Mack" was the final Top 10 hit for the Vandellas in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard...
", "Dancing in the Street
Dancing in the Street
"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
" and "Nowhere to Run". From 2005 until 2009, Reeves served as an elected councilwoman for the city of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Early life and career
She was born in Eufaula, AlabamaEufaula, Alabama
Eufaula is a city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 13,908.-Geography:Eufaula is located at 31°53'21.732" North, 85°9'13.586" West ....
, the first daughter of Elijah Joshua Reeves and Ruby Lee Gilmore, and the third of the couple's 11 children. Martha was under a year old when the family moved from Eufaula to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, where her grandfather, Reverend Elijah Reeves, was a minister at Detroit's Metropolitan Church. The family was very active in the church and its choir. Both Elijah and Ruby played guitar and liked to sing; the children acquired their love of music from their parents. At Detroit's Northeastern High School, her vocal coach was Abraham Silver, who also worked with Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
and Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
(of The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
) and Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers
Bobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
(of The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
). As a teenager, Reeves became a fan of R&B and doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
music. After failing to join her elder brother Benny's vocal group, Reeves formed her own vocal group, the Sabre-Ettes in 1958. A year later, she joined The Fascinations
The Fascinations
The Fascinations were an American pop vocal group most active in the mid-1960s. They are best remembered for the Curtis Mayfield-penned hit "Girls Are Out To Get You", a minor pop hit in the US in 1967 that was re-released in the UK in 1971, where it reached the top 40.-Early years :The group was...
. Reeves left the group before they became a recording act.
1957 was her first association with Rosalind Ashford
Rosalind Ashford
Rosalind "Roz" Ashford-Holmes is an American soprano R&B and soul singer, famed for her work as member of the popular Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas.-Early years:...
, Gloria Williams
Gloria Williams
Gloria Williams was an American singer notable for being the original lead singer of an early incarnation of Martha and the Vandellas under the name, The Del-Phis....
and Annette Beard
Annette Beard
Annette Beard Sterling Helton is an American R&B and soul singer, most notable for being one of the original members of popular Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas.-Early years:...
in a group then known The Del-Phis, formed after a man named Edward "Pops" Larkins was starting a sister singing group to complement a male vocal group of his. The Del-Phis were popular local performers. Reeves was reportedly an admirer of the group and was a friend of Gloria Williams, who hired Reeves to join the group in 1960.
Through 1960 and 1961, Reeves made ends meet working several jobs by day and worked as a singer in nighttime hours singing jazz
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
and blues standards at some of Detroit's respected nightclubs. After a performance at Twenty Grand Club, Reeves was spotted by Motown A&R staffer Mickey Stevenson, who gave the singer, who was then going by the unusual surname LaVaille as her stage name, his business card for a possible audition. Since Reeves didn't know the protocol of Motown's auditions, Reeves said she showed up to Motown's Hitsville USA studios the following day, and was apprehended by Stevenson for showing up earlier than expected. Motown held auditions for Thursday - Reeves had showed up on a Tuesday. Reeves was then told to look after Stevenson's appointments while Stevenson went on a break.
Before long, Reeves was working several hours at Hitsville as a secretary of Stevenson's. (Reeves also did A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
work in addition to secretarial work for Motown.) It was there that Reeves first became acquainted with another emerging singer - Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
. While Ross and her group The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
(formerly the Primettes) were struggling to find success, Ross found work as Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
's secretary. The two would later become professional rivals as both their groups would rise on the charts. By 1961, the Del-Phis had changed their name to The Vels and recorded unsuccessful singles for Checker and Checkmate Records. Using her secretarial powers, Reeves soon hired her band mates in the Vels to fill in background vocal session work for artists such as a pre-Elgins Sandra Edwards. In the summer of 1962, the group recorded background vocals 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....
's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow
Stubborn Kind of Fellow
"Stubborn Kind of Fellow" is a 1962 single by Marvin Gaye, released on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. The single was historic in many ways for the Washington, D.C.-bred singer and former Moonglows member, for it was the first major hit record for the singer on Motown after three failed singles and an...
". The single became a hit.
After recording what was initially a demo for Mary Wells
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
, Motown offered the group a recording contract. Before they could sign, Gloria Williams opted to leave the group for a life as a public social worker. Choosing to remain a trio, the group changed their name to Martha and the Vandellas. Reeves' changing of the group's name was due to her living on Detroit's Van Dyke street as a child and for honoring Detroit R&B vocalist Della Reese
Della Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early, known professionally as Della Reese , is an American actress, singer, game show panelist of the 1970s, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister. She started her career in the 1950s as a gospel, pop and jazz singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You...
, who was Reeves' idol.
Martha and the Vandellas
With her brassy and gospel-reared alto vocals, Martha Reeves helped Martha and the Vandellas ascend from background singers with early songs such as "Come and Get These MemoriesCome and Get These Memories
"Come and Get These Memories" is an R&B song by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. Their second single released under Motown's Gordy Records subsidiary, "Memories" became the group's first hit single, reaching number 29 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, and number-six on the Billboard...
" and "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave
(Love is Like a) Heat Wave
" Heat Wave" is a 1963 hit single penned by the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team and made popular by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. It was originally released in July 1963, on the Motown subsidiary label Gordy, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Hot...
" distinguishing the group from contemporaries and label mates The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr...
and The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, who were more influenced by doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
. Though the group's early recordings under their different monikers were doo-wop oriented, the majority of songs released under the Vandellas' name produced a rougher, soulful sound with frenetic musical backing from The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
. Martha's alto, Rosalind Ashford's soprano and Annette Beard's contralto vocals gave their harmonies dimension and made their recordings unique.
After "Heat Wave" became the group's first million-seller, the Vandellas quickly rose to become the label's top draw both as recording stars and as a successful live act. Martha was the one consistent member of the group staying throughout all the group's incarnations and lineups. After the exits of original members Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford, members replacing them included Betty Kelly
Betty Kelly
Betty Kelly is a former American singer, most famous for her tenure in the popular Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas.-Early years:...
, Sandra Tilley
Sandra Tilley
Sandra Tilley was an American R&B and soul singer, known for being a member of Motown girl groups the Velvelettes and Martha and the Vandellas. She was also a brief member in the soul group the Orlons. She was a native of Cleveland, Ohio...
and Martha's youngest sister Lois Reeves
Lois Reeves
Sandra Delores Reeves , better known as Lois Reeves, is an American singer, most notable for being the younger sister of Motown legend Martha Reeves, for having replaced popular Martha and the Vandellas member Betty Kelly as member of her sister's group in 1967, and for later singing background...
. Among the singles released that became signature hits for the group included "Quicksand
Quicksand (song)
"Quicksand" is a 1963 dance single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. Built under almost the same gospel-inspired delivery of their previous hit " Heat Wave", this time lead singer Martha Reeves explains how her loved one brings her "closer" to him explaining that his love was like...
", "In My Lonely Room
In My Lonely Room
"In My Lonely Room" is a 1964 single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. In this song, which registered at #6 R&B and #44 Pop, the narrator solemnly discusses how her lover's flirting with other girls leave her so depressed that all she can do was sit by " lonely room and cry"...
", "Live Wire", "Nowhere to Run", "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)
A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)
"A Love Like Yours " is a 1963 song issued as the B-side to Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas' hit single, " Heat Wave", released on the Gordy label....
", "I'm Ready for Love
I'm Ready For Love
"I'm Ready for Love" is a 1966 single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. Scoring their biggest hit since "Nowhere to Run" peaked at #8 on the pop singles chart, this tune, which had the narrator longing to be in love with her object of affection, rose to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and...
", "Jimmy Mack
Jimmy Mack
"Jimmy Mack" is a 1967 pop/soul single recorded by Martha and the Vandellas for Motown's Gordy imprint. Written and produced by Motown's main creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Jimmy Mack" was the final Top 10 hit for the Vandellas in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard...
", "Honey Chile
Honey Chile
For other uses of "Honey Chile", see Honey Chile "Honey Chile" is a 1967 single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas on the Gordy label...
" and the group's most popular single, "Dancing in the Street
Dancing in the Street
"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
". Martha often cites her performance highlights as one being a performance with Vandellas worshiper, Brit soul singer Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
, on the UK show, Ready, Steady, Go! and performing on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Despite the success of the Vandellas, Martha was dismayed by Berry Gordy's decision to promote The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
and the group's lead singer, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
in particular, more so than the Vandellas. Many of the group's recordings remain in the vaults of Motown.
Other issues—including group infighting (Reeves often fought with Betty Kelly), a stringent recording and touring schedule and other matters led to substance abuse. Reeves suffered a nervous breakdown after a bad acid trip in 1968; this led to a brief disbanding of the Vandellas which Ashford left for good. When Reeves was well enough to return, she recruited Sandra Tilley
Sandra Tilley
Sandra Tilley was an American R&B and soul singer, known for being a member of Motown girl groups the Velvelettes and Martha and the Vandellas. She was also a brief member in the soul group the Orlons. She was a native of Cleveland, Ohio...
and the lineup of Martha and Lois Reeves and Tilley continued until 1972 when the group disbanded shortly after issuing the Black Magic album. In 1973, Martha planned to continue releasing solo work with Motown, but when the label moved from Detroit to 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...
, an angry Reeves negotiated out of her contract with Motown, ending her 12-year association with the label.
In 1989, Martha, Rosalind Ashford, and Annette Beard filed a lawsuit against Motown Records for royalties on the group's records not received since 1972. The company reached a settlement with the women in 1991. While Berry Gordy, Jr. apologized to Reeves for the length of time in reaching the agreement, the terms of the settlement were not made public.
Solo career
Martha released her first solo album in 1974 for MCAMCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. The self-titled album, produced by Richard Perry
Richard Perry
Richard Perry is an American music producer. Perry began as a performer in his adolescence, but shifted gears after graduating college and rose through the late 1960s and early 1970s to become a highly successful and popular record producer with over a dozen gold records to his credit by 1982...
, was reportedly the most expensive album of that time, costing $250,000. Featuring the singles, "Power of Love" and "Wild Night", the album was a critically favored smash, though it failed to generate commercial success as did Reeves' subsequent follow-ups on other labels including Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
and Fantasy
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
. She later landed an acting job in the movie Fairy Tales. In 1977, with the help of good friend David Pesnell, Reeves ended her long bout of drug and alcohol addiction and became a born-again Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
. Recently, Reeves has denied that she had any addiction to anything whatsoever. After one more album in 1980, Reeves semi-retired from the spotlight though she continued to perform onstage, usually as an oldies act, while Pesnell continued to help her by promoting her concerts, but never taking a fee for doing so. In 1983, she performed solo on the famed Motown 25 special. She then performed in a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Ain't Misbehavin' and reunited with original members of the Vandellas in 1989 both on record (recording for the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records is a British record label formed by producer Ian Levine in 1989. The label aimed to record new material with former Motown artists.-History:...
that year issuing the single "Step into My Shoes") and on tour. Pesnell and Reeves ended their business relationship in 1989 due to his lack of desire to proceed with a concert tour after she had cancelled the previous one for no apparent reason. Further complicating the relationship was that Pesnell's wife, a major songwriter and producer at the time, did not get along with Martha; she and her writing partner, William Zimmerman, refused to pen songs for her. In 1995, Reeves and the Vandellas were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 2003. Martha performed as part of the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
in 1998. In 2004, Reeves released her first album in 24 years, Home to You, with recordings she had written and produced herself except for a Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
cover and an updated version of her big hit, "Jimmy Mack
Jimmy Mack
"Jimmy Mack" is a 1967 pop/soul single recorded by Martha and the Vandellas for Motown's Gordy imprint. Written and produced by Motown's main creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Jimmy Mack" was the final Top 10 hit for the Vandellas in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard...
". Between leaving the Vandellas and her solo career, Martha served as an early contributor to the music newspaper, Soul, for which she was honored for by the Black Women in Publishing organization. She was also honored for her best-selling 1995 autobiography, Dancing in the Street.
"Wild Night" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Thelma & Louise; the song can be heard during one of the several crucial moments in the lead characters' lives. Martha also opens her live performances with this number. "Nowhere to Run" is the first record played by Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
as manic DJ Adrian Cronauer
Adrian Cronauer
Adrian Cronauer is a former United States Air Force sergeant and radio personality best known as the inspiration for the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam in which he was portrayed by Robin Williams....
in the movie "Good Morning Vietnam".
Current work
After serving on the Detroit City Council from 2005 to 2009, Reeves returned to full-time performing with nearly 50 shows in 2010, including a major tour of Australia. She appeared at several festivals in England during the summer, and for her performances was nominated for two UK Festival Awards, as "Best Headliner" and "Feel Good Act of the Summer."Reeves is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
sorority.
Reeves is a board member of AFTRA Detroit chapter. In 2007, she testified before Congress on behalf of musicians, session singers and recording artists for better wages and royalties. She was honored for her hard work and courage in 2007 by delegates and members of AFTRA. She is also on the board of SoundExchange, a non-profit performance rights organization that collects royalties on behalf of sound recording copyright owners and featured artists for non-interactive digital transmissions, including satellite and internet radio.
She made a cameo appearance in the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, as a passer-by listening to the duo on the boardwalk. This information was revealed in the film's DVD audio commentary DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Kyle Gass
Kyle Gass
Kyle Richard Gass , also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D , Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy...
.
Martha continues to perform concerts and club dates both solo and with her Vandellas—sisters Lois (Motown-era Vandella since 1967) and Delphine (since mid 1980s). Martha Reeves is twice divorced, has one son, Eric (b. 1970), and three grandchildren, all living in Detroit, Michigan.
Motown Records celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 with a party, "Bop to the Ballroom", on November 20, 2009 at the Roostertail in Detroit. Martha was among the Motown stars who enjoyed the celebration. She is also a part of the yet to be released documentary Marvin Gaye's sister made about her brother's life, My Brother Marvin.
In July 2010, Reeves returned to the studio and recorded new tracks by Swedish producer Soren Jensen and her long-time musical director, Al McKenzie. She was recently asked how long she would continue as a performer; Reeves replied, “I’m going to sing as long as I’m able; I’m going to dance as long as I can. And age 69 feels real good.” She also recently expressed dismay at the state of current pop music, saying, "We didn't have to send our children out of the room when we were with Motown. Our songs have always been about love, happiness, joy and partying."
Martha Reeves headlined at the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. on July 1 as part of the R&B Program: http://www.festival.si.edu/2011/previewing-the-rb-program-line-up/
Albums
- 1973: Willie Dynamite Soundtrack (MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
) - 1974: Martha Reeves (MCAMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
) - 1975: Rainbow (Phonarama)
- 1977: For the Rest of My Life (AristaArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
) - 1978: We Meet Again (FantasyFantasy RecordsFantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
) - 1980: Gotta Keep Moving (Fantasy)
- 2004: Home To You (Itch/True Life Entertainment)
Singles
- "Power of Love" (1974) (#76 Pop; #27 R&B)
- "Wild NightWild Night"Wild Night" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and is the opening track on his fifth studio album Tupelo Honey. It was released as a single in 1971 and reached number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart....
" (1974) (#74 R&B) - "Love Blind" (1975) (#61 R&B)