Martha Reeves
Singer Martha Reeves
Background information
Birth name	Martha Rose Reeves
Born	July 18, 1941
Origin	Eufaula, Alabama, USA
Genre(s)	R&B/soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, author and councilwoman
Instrument(s)	Singing
Years active	1959 - present
Label(s)	Motown, MCA, Arista, Fantasy, True Life Entertainment
Associated acts	Martha and the Vandellas

Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941 in Eufaula, Alabama) is an American R&B and soul singer and was the lead singer of the legendary Motown girl group Martha & the Vandellas. During her tenure as Motown's reigning female chart-topper, second only to Diana Ross in the 1960s, Reeves and the Vandellas scored over a dozen hit singles including "Dancing in the Street", "Nowhere to Run" and "Jimmy Mack". Image File history File links Mreeves. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Eufaula is a city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... The Music Corporation of America, commonly known as MCA, is a United States based corporation in the music business. ... Arista Records is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony BMG, and operates under the RCA Records Group // After being fired from CBS Records, Columbia Pictures hired Clive Davis to be a consultant for the company’s record and music operations. ... Martha and the Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Motown roster during the 1960s and fully active from 1962 to 1972, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, rock and roll and soul. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Eufaula is a city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Martha & the Vandellas were an American Motown group of the 1960s. ... Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross[1] on March 26, 1944) is an American pop, soul, and R&B singer and actress. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Dancing in the Street is a 1964 song by Martha and the Vandellas. ... Nowhere to Run is a 1965 hit single by Martha & the Vandellas for the Motown label. ... Jimmy Mack is a 1967 pop and soul standard recorded by legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ...

History

Early life

She was born the eldest of eleven children to Elijah Joshua and Ruby Lee Gilmore Reeves. The Reeves family moved to Detroit, Michigan right after Martha's birth. Reeves was brought up in church, for her grandfather Elijah Reeves was a minister at Detroit's Metropolitan Church. As a teenager going to Northwestern High School, she was vocally coached by Abraham Silver, who also coached future Motown stars Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) and Bobby Rogers (of The Miracles). Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman, nicknamed Flo or Blondie, (June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer, best known as the founder and original lead singer of Motown act The Supremes. ... Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944 in Greenville, Mississippi) is an American singer best known for her work as a member of the Motown soul and pop group The Supremes. ... The Supremes were a successful Motown all-female singing group. ... Robert Bobby Rogers (born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African American soul singer, notable as a member of Motown group The Miracles from 1956 on. ... The Miracles (known from 1965 to 1972 as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) are an American R&B/soul group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordys Motown Records. ...

After graduating high school, she participated in several groups and joined a group with friends Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard and Gloria Williamson to form the Del-Phis in 1960. The group struggled to get noticed though Reeves was discovered by Motown's A&R man, William "Mickey" Stevenson for an audition that accidentally landed her a job at Motown's secretary desk. Martha was often asked to help with background work for other Motown acts and often Reeves and her friends from the Del-Phis (now known as the Vells) would help out. They found fame singing background for Marvin Gaye's first hit records, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", "Hitch Hike" and "Pride & Joy". Rosalind Ashford (born September 2, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American soul and R&B singer most famous for her tenure in the legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... Annette Sterling (born July 4, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan as Annette Beard) is an American soul and R&B singer and one of the original members of the legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... William Mickey Stevenson was a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label until 1967, when he and wife Kim Weston left the company for MGM. Categories: Musician stubs | Motown songwriters and producers | Record producers | American songwriters ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Stubborn Kind of Fellow was the first hit single for American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ... Hitch Hike was a 1963 hit for American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ... Pride & Joy was a 1963 hit song by American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ...

A chance recording occurred after Motown star Mary Wells failed to show up for a session and Stevenson asked Reeves to do the song that Wells was supposed to have recorded titled "I'll Have to Let Him Go". Eventually recruiting her friends Ashford and Beard, the record became the first record by the newly-christened Martha and the Vandellas in the fall of 1962. Mary Wells, on the cover of a Motown compilation album. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

Martha and the Vandellas

As lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, Reeves was responsible for some of the most uptempo singles to come out of the label including the top hits, "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (1963), "Live Wire", "Wild One" and their star-making hits, "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run". Between 1963 and 1967, and only second to Diana Ross and The Supremes, Reeves became one of the top-selling hit makers of the label helping to carry both the Motown sound and the girl group sound into 1967 where hits such as "I'm Ready For Love", "Jimmy Mack", and "Honey Chile" came out of. By 1968, however, the Vandellas' success streak had weakened after several lineup changes and Reeves' reported addictions to prescription drugs, which resulted in several nervous breakdowns. She briefly entered an institution to recover from such breakdowns in 1969. Returning to sing with the Vandellas in 1970, the group released "Bless You" in 1971, and in 1972, they released their last record, "Tear It On Down." Shortly after, they gave a farewell tour in their hometown of Detroit. Reeves announced a solo career in 1973 but after Motown had moved their offices to Los Angeles, she negotiated to get released from the label. She is said to have been close with Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks. (Love is Like a) Heat Wave is a 1963 soul single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas on the Gordy (Motown) label. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Live Wire is a 1964 soul single released by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... Wild One was a uptempo soul single by Motown girl group Martha & the Vandellas. ... Dancing in the Street is a 1964 song by Martha and the Vandellas. ... Nowhere to Run is a 1965 hit single by Martha & the Vandellas for the Motown label. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Supremes were a successful Motown all-female singing group. ... The Motown Sound is a style of soul music with distinctive characteristics, including the use of tambourine along with drums, bass instrumentation, a distinctive melodic and chord structure, and a call and response singing style originating in gospel music. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Im Ready For Love is a 1966 soul single by legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... Jimmy Mack is a 1967 pop and soul standard recorded by legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... Honey Chile was a 1967 soul single by legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... A prescription drug is a medication that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Classic 5 lineup of the Temptations, circa 1965. ... Eddie Kendricks, on the cover of his 1981 album Love Keys. ...

Solo career

Martha released her first solo album in 1974 for MCA. The self-titled album was reportedly the most expensive album of that time costing 250,000 dollars. 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. In 1977, Reeves ended her long bout of drug addiction and became a born-again Baptist. After one more album in 1980, Reeves semi-retired from the spotlight though she continued to perform onstage usually as an oldies act. In 1983, she successfully sued her former label, Motown, for back royalties and the same year, 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 Motor City Records that year) and on tour. In 1995, Reeves and the Vandellas were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and eight years after that were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2004, Reeves released her first album in 24 years with Home to You with records 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 time 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. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Music Corporation of America, commonly known as MCA, is a United States based corporation in the music business. ... Arista Records is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony BMG, and operates under the RCA Records Group // After being fired from CBS Records, Columbia Pictures hired Clive Davis to be a consultant for the company’s record and music operations. ... Fantasy Records is a United States based record label, which was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church or any follower of Jesus Christ who believes that baptism is administered by the full immersion of a confessing Christian. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Aint Misbehavin is a song by Fats Waller, dating from 1929. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, showing Lake Erie in the background The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, dedicated, as the name suggests, to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential rock and... The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor what they term the Greatest Vocal Groups in the World. The Hall of Fame is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), born Eleanor Harris and later called Lady Day, was an American singer known equally for her difficult life and her emotive, poignant singing voice. ... Jimmy Mack is a 1967 pop and soul standard recorded by legendary Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. ...

Current Work

In 2005, Reeves ran for and won a seat on the Detroit City Council. Reeves said she was running for the "youths of the city" and for adequate policing of the neighborhoods. One of her ideas to boost Detroit's economy was a series of downtown statues of such Motown figures as Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson. Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, named later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris), [1] is an African American singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and social activist. ... William Smokey Robinson, Jr. ...

Reeves has been a vocal critic of landlords that own decaying lots, ones with trash and weeds. However, on June 6, 2006, the Detroit News reported that Reeves is the owner of at least 15 lots and 2 rental properties in Detroit. According to city, county and court records Reeves owns properties that have been cited for 25 code violations that have never been repaired and one of her houses had to be razed, at a cost to the city of $5,000, money that Reeves has not paid back. Detroit News. 6 June 2006 June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining // 1508 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year truce and cede several territories to Venice 1513... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Discography

Albums

• 1974: Martha Reeves (MCA)
• 1977: For the Rest of My Life (Arista)
• 1978: We Meet Again (Fantasy)
• 1980: Got To Keep On Moving (Fantasy)
• 2004: Home To You (True Life Entertainment)

1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Music Corporation of America, commonly known as MCA, is a United States based corporation in the music business. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Arista Records is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony BMG, and operates under the RCA Records Group // After being fired from CBS Records, Columbia Pictures hired Clive Davis to be a consultant for the company’s record and music operations. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Fantasy Records is a United States based record label, which was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Singles

1. "Power of Love" (1974) (#76 Pop; #27 R&B)
2. "Wild Night" (1974) (#74 R&B)
3. "Love Blind" (1977) (#61 R&B)

1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

External links

• Motown star Martha Reeves holding 8th spot in Detroit council race
• Motown's Reeves advances to Detroit City Council general election
• Official site
• Martha Reeves at the Internet Movie Database