The Funk Brothers was the nickname given to a group of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed on the backing tracks to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. The Funk Brothers played on many major Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave". Detroit redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sideman. ... Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (Motor City, hence mo(tor)town), from where it achieved widespread international success. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... My Girl is a 1991 coming-of-age movie about the problems faced by a young girl over one summer. ... I Heard It Through the Grapevine is a R&B/soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. ... Baby Love is the name of a 1964 hit song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. ... Signed, Sealed, Delivered Im Yours is a 1970 soul single by American soul musician Stevie Wonder, recorded for Motowns Tamla label. ... Papa Was a Rollin Stone is a soul song, written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong as a single for Motown act The Undisputed Truth in 1971. ... The Tears of a Clown is a 1967 song by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label, originally released on the 1967 album Make It Happen. ... (Love is Like a) Heat Wave is a 1963 soul single by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas on the Gordy (Motown) label. ...

The role of the Funk Brothers is described in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Allan Slutsky's book of the same name. The opening titles of the film proclaim the Funk Brothers as "having played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined." ^[1] Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality. ... Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 documentary film about the story of The Funk Brothers, Motown Records primary studio band from 1959 to 1972. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock and Roll, or as just simply The King, was an American singer who had an immeasurable effect on world culture. ... Rolling Stones redirects here. ... The Beach Boys is an American rock and roll band. ...

History

Notable members

Early members included bandleader Joe Hunter and Earl Van Dyke (piano); James Jamerson (bass guitar); Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin and Richard "Pistol" Allen (drums); Robert White, Eddie Willis, and Joe Messina (guitar); Jack Ashford (tambourine, percussion, vibes, marimba); Jack Brokensha (vibes, marimba); and Eddie "Bongo" Brown (percussion). Hunter left in 1964, replaced on keyboards by Johnny Griffith and as bandleader by Van Dyke. Around the same time Uriel Jones joined the band as a third drummer. Joe Hunter (1927 - February 2, 2007) was an African-American musician, known for his recording session work as a pianist in Motown Records in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers. ... Earl Van Dyke (July 8, 1930 - September 18, 1992) was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... Pianoforte redirects here. ... James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1938 - August 2, 1983) was an American musician. ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... William Benny Benjamin (July 25, 1925 - April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an African American musician, most notable as the main drummer for the Motown studio band known as The Funk Brothers. ... Richard Pistol Allen (born 1932 in Memphis, Tennessee, died 2002 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African-American musician. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Robert White (born 19 November 1936 in Billmyre, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; died 27 October 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA) was an African-American musician. ... To meet Wikipedia quality standards and WikiProject Music guidelines, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Joe Messina (born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928) is an American guitarist. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Jack Ashford (born 1934 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an African-American musician, widely known as the percussionist for Motown Records in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... “Buben” redirects here. ... Percussion instruments are played by being struck, shaken, rubbed or scraped. ... Ad for Vibes from 1988 Los Angeles Times Vibes is a comedy film released in 1988 starring pop icon and singer Cyndi Lauper, actor Jeff Goldblum, actor Julian Sands and legendary actor Peter Falk. ... The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. ... Ad for Vibes from 1988 Los Angeles Times Vibes is a comedy film released in 1988 starring pop icon and singer Cyndi Lauper, actor Jeff Goldblum, actor Julian Sands and legendary actor Peter Falk. ... The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. ... Eddie Bongo Brown (born 1932 in Memphis, Tennessee, died 1983 in Los Angeles, California) was an African-American musician. ... Percussion redirects here. ... Johnny Griffith (born 1936 in Billmyre, Pennsylvania, died 2002 in Detroit, Michigan) was an African-American musician. ... To meet Wikipedia quality standards and WikiProject Music guidelines, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In 1967, guitarists Dennis Coffey and Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin, who introduced the wah-wah pedal sound that defined Motown's psychedelic soul records, joined the band. Benny Benjamin died the next year, and Bob Babbitt began to replace James Jamerson on many recording dates. The Funk Brothers were a racially integrated band. Most members were of African descent; Messina, Brokensha, Babbitt, and Coffey were white. Dennis Coffey (born in Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist, notable as a prominent studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings. ... Melvin Wah-Wah Watson Ragin, better known as just Wah-Wah Watson, is a guitarist famed for his wah-wah skills. ... This article is about the effect pedal, also known as a Wah. ... Psychedelic soul is a concept used to categorize music that featured elements of psychedelic rock and soul/funk music. ... Bob Babbitt (born Robert Kreinar) is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records studio band, the Funk Brothers. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... The term white American (often used interchangeably and incorrectly with Caucasian American[2] and within the United States simply white[3]) is an umbrella term that refers to people of European descent residing in the United States. ...

Legacy and techniques

Until the release of the Standing in the Shadows of Motown documentary, the members of the band were not widely known to the public for their contributions to the Motown sound, despite having played the music in many Motown hits. Studio musicians were not credited on Motown releases until Marvin Gaye's What's Going On in 1971, although Motown released a handful of singles and LPs by Earl Van Dyke. The Funk Brothers shared top billing with Van Dyke on some of these recordings, although they were billed as "Earl Van Dyke & the Soul Brothers", since Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr. disliked the connotation of the word "funk". Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... For other uses, see Whats Going On (disambiguation). ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... Berry Gordy, Jr. ...

The band used a number of innovative techniques for performing the backing tracks for many Motown songs. For example, most Motown records feature two drummers instead of one, either playing together or overdubbing one another — Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" used three drummers. A number of songs utilized instrumentation and percussion unusual in soul music recording. The Temptations' "It's Growing" features Earl Van Dyke playing a toy piano for the song's introduction, snow chains are used as percussion on Martha & the Vandellas' "Nowhere to Run", and a custom oscillator was built to create the synthesizer sounds used to accent Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections" A tire iron was used in the Martha & the Vandellas "Dancing in the Streets". Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... I Heard It Through the Grapevine is a R&B/soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. ... “Temptations” redirects here. ... Pooh Poppin Piano—a diatonic one octave toy piano Child playing Keyskills 30 key toy piano The toy piano is a musical instrument, made as a childs toy, but which has also been used in more serious musical contexts. ... Snow chains on a tractor wheel Snow chains, or tire chains, are chains which are affixed to the wheels of vehicles to provide superior traction when driving through snow and ice. ... Martha & the Vandellas were an American Motown group of the 1960s. ... Nowhere to Run is a 1965 hit single by Martha & the Vandellas for the Motown label. ... Oscillation is the periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure as seen, for example, in a swinging pendulum. ... Reissue album cover showing The Supremes in 1966. ... Reflections is a 1967 hit song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. ...

Dissolution and later years

During the mid to late-1960s, roughly one-fifth of Motown records began utilizing session musicians based in Los Angeles, usually covers and tributes of mainstream pop songs and showtunes. By 1970, an increasing number of Motown sessions were being done in Los Angeles instead of Detroit, most notably all of The Jackson 5's hit recordings. Nevertheless, Motown producers such as Norman Whitfield, Frank Wilson, Marvin Gaye, and Smokey Robinson steadfastly continued to record in Detroit for as long as they could. 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. ... // In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... The Jackson 5 (also spelled The Jackson Five or The Jackson 5ive, abbreviated as J5, and later known as The Jacksons) was an American popular music quintet (and briefly a sextet and quartet) from Gary, Indiana. ... Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (born in Harlem, New York in 1943) was a songwriter and producer for Berry Gordys Motown label during the 1960s. ... Frank Wilson is an African-American former songwriter and record producer for Motown Records. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... William Smokey Robinson, Jr. ...

The Funk Brothers were dismissed from Motown's service in 1972, when Berry Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles. A few of the members, including Jamerson, migrated to Los Angeles, but found the environment foreign and uncomfortable. Jamerson died in 1983, Brown in 1984, Van Dyke in 1992, White in 1994, Allen and Griffith in 2002, and Hunter in 2007. Berry Gordy, Jr. ...

Awards and recognition

The Funk Brothers have received three Grammy awards: Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music...

• Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004
• Best Traditional R&B Performance for "What's Going On" with Chaka Khan, 2002
• Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media for Standing in the Shadows of Motown, 2002.

Bassist James Jamerson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, and drummer Benny Benjamin was inducted in 2003. In 2003, surviving members of the Funk Brothers were invited to the White House to meet President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, in an event tied to Black History Month.[1] The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording [1]. This award is distinct from the Grammy Hall of Fame Award, which honors specific recordings rather than individuals, and... The Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1999. ... Whats Going On is a song written by Renaldo Obie Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. ... Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953) is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American singer known for hit songs such as Im Every Woman, I Feel For You and Through the Fire. Khan was first featured as a member of the funk band Rufus before beginning her solo career. ... I like to MOO MOO MOO and eat GRASS! ... Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 documentary film about the story of the Funk Brothers, Motown Records primary studio band from 1959 to 1972. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. ... General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret. ... The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in African American history. ...

Members

Membership lists based upon research by Allan Slutsky, with some minor corrections. ^[2]

Detroit musicians

Joe Hunter (1927 - February 2, 2007) was an African-American musician, known for his recording session work as a pianist in Motown Records in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers. ... Earl Van Dyke (July 8, 1930 - September 18, 1992) was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... Johnny Griffith (born 1936 in Billmyre, Pennsylvania, died 2002 in Detroit, Michigan) was an African-American musician. ... Robert White (born 19 November 1936 in Billmyre, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; died 27 October 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA) was an African-American musician. ... To meet Wikipedia quality standards and WikiProject Music guidelines, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Joe Messina (born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928) is an American guitarist. ... Smokey Robinson (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. ... “Temptations” redirects here. ... Dennis Coffey (born in Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist, notable as a prominent studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings. ... Melvin Wah-Wah Watson Ragin, better known as just Wah-Wah Watson. ... James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1938 - August 2, 1983) was an American musician. ... Bob Babbitt (born Robert Kreinar) is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records studio band, the Funk Brothers. ... William Benny Benjamin (July 25, 1925 - April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an African American musician, most notable as the main drummer for the Motown studio band known as The Funk Brothers. ... Richard Pistol Allen (born 1932 in Memphis, Tennessee, died 2002 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African-American musician. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... To meet Wikipedia quality standards and WikiProject Music guidelines, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jack Ashford (born 1934 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an African-American musician, widely known as the percussionist for Motown Records in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... “Buben” redirects here. ... Eddie Bongo Brown (born 1932 in Memphis, Tennessee, died 1983 in Los Angeles, California) was an African-American musician. ... Henry Hank Cosby (born May 12, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan, USA)was an African-American songwriter and producer for Motown Records. ... William M. Moore (b 13 June 1918, Houston, Texas – d 8 August 1983, Los Angeles, California), known as Wild Bill Moore, was an American R&B tenor saxophone player. ...

Los Angeles musicians

Many of the Los Angeles players were members of The Wrecking Crew collective of studio musicians. The Wrecking Crew was a nickname given to a group of session musicians in Los Angeles, California, who earned wide acclaim in the 1960s. ...

Joseph Leslie Joe Sample is an American pianist, keyboard player and composer. ... Larry Knechtel (born Lawrence William Knechtel, on 4 August 1940, in Bell, California) is a legendary session musician best-known for his work with Simon and Garfunkel, The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds, Smile) and as part of the 1970s band, Bread. ... Thomas J. Tedesco (July 3, 1930 – November 10, 1997) was an American master session musician and renowned jazz fusion and bebop guitarist. ... Wilton Felder(born on August 31, 1940 in Houston, Texas) is a saxophone and bass player best known as a founder of The Crusaders, initially called the Jazz Crusaders. ... Carol Kaye (b. ... Earl Palmer (October 25, 1924) is a legendary drummer and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ...

Arrangers and conductors

• Detroit: Paul Riser, Willie Shorter, Dave Van DePitte, Wade Marcus, Johnny Allen, Gil Askey, Ernie Wilkins, Jerry Long, Henry "Hank" Cosby, Slide Hampton, and H. B. Barnum
• Los Angeles: Gene Page, James Carmichael, and Arthur Wright

Jerry Long, Sr. ... Hidle Brown Barnum (b 15 July 1936, Houston, Texas) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor. ...

Notes

1. ^ Justman, Paul. Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
2. ^ Slutsky, Allan. "The Musicians". Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection [CD Box Set]. New York: Motown Record Co., L.P.

References

• Justman, Paul (Director). (2002) Standing in the Shadows of Motown [Motion picture]. New York: Artisan Entertainment.

External links

• "Standing in the Shadows of Motown WebQuest"

• Official Standing in the Shadows of Motown website
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement awards
• The Funk Brothers at Allmusic