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Thread started 09/28/12 1:13pm

Timmy84

Motown buries another legend: songwriter Frank Wilson dead at 71

Frank Wilson, Motown producer and singer, dies

Frank Wilson, who sang the sought-after Northern Soul single Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) and produced a string of Motown hits, has died aged 71.

The Houston native wrote and produced for artists such as Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and The Temptations but only released one single as a vocalist.

Just two or three copies survived - one of which sold at auction for more than £25,000 in 2009.

Wilson had fought a long battle with prostate cancer but died on Thursday.

Just 250 demo copies of Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) were pressed on 7-inch vinyl, but Wilson decided he would rather focus on producing, so they were trashed.

A rare remaining copy which changed hands in 2009 is the most expensive record ever sold at auction. A prized item among collectors, the song is regarded as a Northern Soul classic in the UK.

"It's always seen as the epitome of the Northern Soul style," said promoter Ady Croasdell who runs the 6T's Northern Soul All-Nighter at London's 100 Club.

"It probably is the most iconic record of the lot, because it does have all the qualities that a classic Northern Soul record should have."

Croasdell revealed news of Wilson's death on the Soul Source website, after being emailed by mutual friend, Los Angeles producer HB Barnum.

Crossdell told the BBC: "He was a much-loved man with a friendly disposition who was delighted and humbled by the Northern soul scene's admiration of his singing."

Motown hits

Wilson was more widely known for his work as a producer and joined Motown in 1965, when the record label set up an office in Los Angeles where he lived.

That year he co-wrote Patrice Holloway track Stevie, the first single to be released by Motown's west coast operation.


He then re-located to their studios in Detroit, where he worked with artists such as Brenda Holloway, The Four Tops and Eddie Kendricks.

He co-wrote tracks including Love Child and Stoned Love by the Supremes, All I Need by The Temptations, Chained by Marvin Gaye and Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

He was born Frank Edward Wilson on 5 December 1940 in Houston to James Wilson and Samantha Gibbs, but moved to Los Angeles with his family while he was a teenager.

Wilson left Motown in 1976 and became a born again Christian. After being ordained as a minister, he wrote books and gave speaking tours around the US with his wife Bunny Wilson.

He was also involved in producing gospel music and founded the New Dawn Christian Village in Los Angeles.

His books include The Master Degree - Majoring in Your Marriage; and Unmasking the Lone Ranger. He also appeared on TV programmes such as The Oprah Winfrey Show.

LINK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news...s-19757439

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Reply #1 posted 09/28/12 1:18pm

TD3

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R.I.P. Wilson. rose

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Reply #2 posted 09/28/12 3:08pm

HuMpThAnG

rose

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Reply #3 posted 09/28/12 10:01pm

luv4u

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RIP rose

canada

Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture!
REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince
"I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben
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Reply #4 posted 09/29/12 9:36pm

Timmy84

One of Frank's earliest songwriting classics, was a perfect song for Marvin to sing:

This was released before "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" but recorded after he recorded "Grapevine". You can clearly see the Norman Whitfield influence rub off on both Marvin and Frank...

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Reply #5 posted 09/30/12 3:17pm

LittleBLUECorv
ette

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Great songwriter.

PRINCE: Always and Forever
MICHAEL JACKSON: Always and Forever
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Live Your Life How U Wanna Live It
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Reply #6 posted 10/01/12 8:34am

GoldDolphin

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RIP, very talented songwriter!

When the power of love overcomes the love of power,the world will know peace -Jimi Hendrix
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Reply #7 posted 10/03/12 5:06am

missfee

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RIP...dang, old man Gordy sure is outliving the majority of his artists and staff isn't he?

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
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Reply #8 posted 10/03/12 2:36pm

Timmy84

missfee said:

RIP...dang, old man Gordy sure is outliving the majority of his artists and staff isn't he?

It's possible Gordy (and some others) has been living the healthy life for so long that he was able to avoid many of the pitfalls his colleagues and artists faced.

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Reply #9 posted 10/03/12 10:33pm

LittleBLUECorv
ette

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Timmy84 said:

missfee said:

RIP...dang, old man Gordy sure is outliving the majority of his artists and staff isn't he?

It's possible Gordy (and some others) has been living the healthy life for so long that he was able to avoid many of the pitfalls his colleagues and artists faced.

BG, Smokey and Diana. Though Smokey did a little smokey for a while, lol.

PRINCE: Always and Forever
MICHAEL JACKSON: Always and Forever
-----
Live Your Life How U Wanna Live It
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Reply #10 posted 10/03/12 10:45pm

Timmy84

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Timmy84 said:

It's possible Gordy (and some others) has been living the healthy life for so long that he was able to avoid many of the pitfalls his colleagues and artists faced.

BG, Smokey and Diana. Though Smokey did a little smokey for a while, lol.

Yeah Smokey smoking crack in cigarettes and shit...smh lol Diana indulged a little too but she got clean quick.

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Reply #11 posted 10/04/12 10:30am

missfee

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LittleBLUECorvette said:

Timmy84 said:

It's possible Gordy (and some others) has been living the healthy life for so long that he was able to avoid many of the pitfalls his colleagues and artists faced.

BG, Smokey and Diana. Though Smokey did a little smokey for a while, lol.

lol

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
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Reply #12 posted 10/07/12 1:18am

free2bfreeda

Musical N... thank you for the words in the music rose rip

“Transracial is a term that has long since been defined as the adoption of a child that is of a different race than the adoptive parents,” : https://thinkprogress.org...fb6e18544a
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