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October 1, 2011

Motown's Marv Tarplin, who as a guitarist and songwriter was a vital part of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles' sound, has died. The Atlanta, Ga. native was 70 and living in Las Vegas at the time of his death.

Details of when and how are still sketchy, but Jeanne Sorensen, who books engagements for the Miracles today out of Metro Detroit, said that Tarplin's daughter Talese Tarplin confirmed that her father died in Las Vegas.

Marv Tarplin left Michigan, and the Miracles, in 1973. Billy Wilson of the Motown Alumni Association sent out an email alert late Friday afternoon that Tarplin had died, lauding him as the Miracles' "secret weapon." "I've known Marv since I was 15," Sorensen said. "The Miracles were playing in New York, where I grew up, and I went to the Brooklyn Fox to see them. End of story, I was Miraclized."

Unlike most Motown studio musicians, who stayed in the "Snakepit" at Hitsville on West Grand Boulevard from the beginning, Tarplin was a full-fledged member of the Miracles, recording and touring with them, and appearing on album covers as a member of the group.

While Tarplin was briefly with the Supremes, in their early, Primettes days, Robinson liked his guitar sound and grabbed him for the group. Tarplin was with the Miracles from their first Motown recordings in the late '50s. He was vital to the group's sound not only as a guitarist, but because he co-wrote many Miracles hits with Robinson, including "The Tracks of My Tears," "Going to a Go-Go," and "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage." Tarplin also co-wrote (with Robinson), "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I'll Be Doggone," for Marvin Gaye.

Reluctantly, Tarplin moved out to California from Detroit along with Robinson in 1973, and he continued to tour and co-write with Robinson, working on "Cruisin'" and "Being With You" with him. Since retiring from touring with Robinson in 2008, Tarplin lived a quiet life in Las Vegas. "Marvin was a gentleman, very private. That's what was endearing about him," said Sorensen.

Link

[Edited 10/2/11 7:40am]

Rest in paradise to an original Miracle. He truly brought "miracles" to their records with that guitar.

Timmy84 said:

Rest in paradise to an original Miracle. He truly brought "miracles" to their records with that guitar.

yup...

It should be noted he wrote or co-wrote a few classics (with Smokey), one of which of course was Marvin's "Ain't That Peculiar". "Cruisin'" was basically HIS song with Smokey adding his touch later to finish (and sing on it).

[Edited 10/1/11 18:52pm]

Timmy84 said:

It should be noted he wrote or co-wrote a few classics (with Smokey), one of which of course was Marvin's "Ain't That Peculiar". "Cruisin'" was basically HIS song with Smokey adding his touch later to finish (and sing on it).

[Edited 10/1/11 18:52pm]

yup

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We Remember Marv Tarplin: Miracles Guitarist Dies at 70

Marvin “Marv” Tarplin (born 13 June 1941, in Atlanta, Georgia) today at the age of 70. You can’t express how much this one man meant to those of us dreaming to make it in the music business. His quiet mystique and unconcerned demeanor would make you believe he was just an ordinary guy. But his creative back beat rhythms on guitar allowed the powers that be to find the creative juices to formulate what would become major classic hits for Motown.

Referred to as The Miracles’ “secret weapon,” Tarplin began his career accompanying a teenage Detroit, Michigan girl group known as The Primettes (later The Supremes). The Primettes sought an audition with Motown Records, and Tarplin played guitar as they performed for Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson. Robinson was impressed by Tarplin’s guitar playing, and asked the primettes if they could borrow him for some shows. Gradually luring him away from the Primettes to join The Miracles. Tarplin joined The Miracles in 1958.

Tarplin’s playing technique along with Smokey Robinson’s lyrical flair became the inspiration for most of the Miracles hit songs.

While Tarplin remained with the Miracles for as long as Robinson was their lead singer, he is only present on the cover of three classic Miracles albums: Cookin’ with The Miracles (1962), I’ll Try Something New (1962), and The Fabulous Miracles (1963). He is mentioned, though not pictured, on the back cover of the group’s very first album, Hi… We’re The Miracles (1961), and listed as an original group member. As a songwriter, Tarplin helped co-compose many of the Miracles’ hit singles, amongst them the million-selling Grammy Hall of Fame winner “The Tracks of My Tears for which he received the ASCAP Award Of Merit (1965), “My Girl Has Gone (1965), “I Like It Like That, (1964), “Going to a Go-Go (1965), “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage (1967), and Point It Out (1968).

In addition, Tarplin co-wrote several Robinson produced hits by Marvin Gaye, including the Top 10 million selling hits, “Ain’t That Peculiar and “I’ll Be Doggone. His guitar work is featured prominently on Gaye’s Top 40 hit, “One More Heartache, which he also co-wrote, and another of Gaye’s chart hits, 1965′s “Take This Heart of Mine. He also played on The Four Tops 1970 Top 20 hit, Still Water (Love),co-written by fellow Miracle Smokey Robinson. He also appeared with the group on The Ed Sullivan Show, the 1964 motion picture The T.A.M.I. Show, THE 1965 CBS television special, Murray The K – It’s What’s Happening, Baby, and virtually all of the group’s personal appearance concerts worldwide, including the legendary Motortown Revue shows in the early 1960s.

Tarplin left the Miracles in 1973, shortly after Smokey Robinson and his wife Claudette left the group. His replacement in The Miracles was Donald Griffin, brother of Billy Griffin, Robinson’s replacement in the group.

Robinson and Tarplin continued to collaborate as writers on Robinson’s solo recordings, including the Top 10 hits “Cruisin’ (1978) and “Being with You (1981). Tarplin also continued to play guitar on record and in concert for Robinson, and, until 2008, continued to tour with Robinson. In 2007, Milwaukee, Wisconsin musician, Paul Cebar, paid homage to Tarplin with his song “Marv’s Fluttering Guitar (For Marv Tarplin)” from the album Tomorrow Sound Now For Yes Music People.

Tarplin’s phenomenal skills as a guitarist and songwriter were demonstrated on many hits of The Miracles, as well as many studio recordings and concert appearances. He served in The Miracles for well over a decade until joining Smokey Robinson after Smokey departed from The Miracles to pursue a solo career. Tarplin is also pictured on the cover of the 2009 Motown CD release, The Miracles-Depend On Me:The Early Albums (2009) .His guitar riffs at the intro of The Miracles’ million-seller “The Tracks of My Tears” are among the most famous in Pop music history.

Tarplin retired from touring in 2008.

Marv was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia, (who died in 2004) They have a daughter named Talese.

Smokey Robinson Remembers Marv Tarplin

October 6, 2011

As told to Andy Greene (Rolling Stone)

Link

Marv Tarplin was invaluable to my career. He's always been my most important collaborator.

I met Marvin way back in the day. You see, Diana Ross and I grew up together. When Berry Gordy started Motown she called me. She was still in high school then. She said, "Smoke, I've got this group that I want you to listen to. I want you to sign us to Motown." She came in and auditioned for me. There was four of them because they had another girl named Barbara.

Marvin was playing guitar for them. At the time, the Miracles had no musicians whatsoever. We were getting ready to go on tour and we had all kinds of problems working with various bands on the road.

I asked Diana if we could take Marvin on tour with us. She said yes. The Supremes weren't popular at the time, so he just stayed with us. After they became the real Supremes and became who they became, he might have regretted it – but he never said anything like that to me. Now, Diana and I are very, very close. When she sees me today, the first thing she always says is, "Hey Smoke, what happened to my first guitar player?"

Marvin was very melodic. He had a way he strummed the guitar that was very soulful and very bluesy. That's what initially captured my attention. He came up with a lot of melodies that I wrote songs to. He always had the guitar riffs. He would give them to me on tape and I'd see what I could come up with.

Together, we made "The Tracks of My Tears," "Going To A Go-Go" and many more. He was also one of my best friends. This is real tough loss.

Marvin was very inward unless you knew him. He never really looked for the limelight. He had enough because he was with the Miracles all those years. After I left, he stayed with them for two months. Then he called me. I had moved to Los Angeles. He said, "Hey man, I'm going to come out there to live with you. I don't like being here without you. I'll just come out there and we'll just write some songs." This was around 1973, and by 1975 we put out my solo album Quiet Storm.

He stayed in my touring band until 2008. By that point, I think he had had enough. He did get ill shortly after that, but I think he wasn't sick when he left. He had a touch of arthritis and his fingers weren't moving like they used to. He got to the point where he said, "Ok, that's it." He had been touring with me since 1961.

We last spoke three weeks ago. It was great conversation. We talked about music and he told me about a royalty check that he'd just gotten. The news of his death was like a dagger to my heart.

Diana and Smokey are close? Really?

This sounds like it would be him...

...Tracks of my Tears

Classic R&B playing.

Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

the Miracles.

RIP