MOTOWN SPOTLIGHT – JUNE 1977
It’s strange, but we don’t talk about Smokey Robinson for months on end, yet here he is again because of his June 1977 soundtrack album, and my subsequent chat with him. I’m certainly not complaining, so let’s TCB.
The follow-up album to “Deep Inside My Soul”, Smokey Robinson’s fifth solo album and about which one critic wrote, “Robinson’s singing is excellent but he needs his own first rate tunes to restore the Miracles’ sheen”, was a soundtrack album, a move that surprised even the staunchest of fans, yet was an area he had wanted to become a part of for some time. Titled “Big Time,” it was US released in June 1977; UK – September. Smokey wrote (either alone or with another) and produced all the tracks, while guitar work was credited to his long standing friend Marv Tarplin. “The Theme From Big Time” was lifted for UK single release in September ’77. It bombed. Other tracks were “Hip Trip” written with Janie Bradford; “So Nice To Be With You”, with Rose Ella Jones; “If We’re Gonna Act Like Lovers”, with Kennis Jones. And, solo Smokey, “He Is The Light Of The World”, and “The Agony And The Ecstasy”. It wasn’t a bad elpee by any means, but with most soundtracks, it’s handy to have seen the film as well.
“I think soundtracks are being done by more contemporary artists in this day and age than they were in the past…I’ve lived Big Time since last June,” Smokey explained to me during our chat at The Montcalm Hotel, London. “The film is my project so that’s why I did the soundtrack, and I’ve financed the entire film (half million dollars). I feel confident I’ll make that back because it’s a quality movie. Christipher (yup, the spelling is correct) Joy, Leon Isaacs and myself adapted a short story and then directed the movie between us. It meant that I actually became involved with the day-to-day shooting, and general affairs of the film, right down to the cutting and post-production as editor.”
Much of the filming was shot at friends’ houses, and in the streets of Los Angeles, keeping down location costs. “The basic story is about a black guy whose father has a stroke and he suddenly has the job of supporting his family and paying the hospital bills. So he borrows money from a friend who is involved with the syndicate. Then, when it comes to payback time, he can’t raise the money and so starts to arrange phoney accidents so that he can claim from the insurance companies. The whole thing is a comedy and ends up quite uproarously.”
When Smokey spoke to the media about his film’s limited release, he said he wanted to make further family-oriented black movies that eschewed the violence of the blaxploitation films of that era. He did this with Big Time which is why perhaps the film failed to sell because of its innocuous approach. Anyway, success was in the air and hopes were high when Big Time premiered in Chicago during August ’77. This date was followed by screenings in major cities with Detroit (naturally) among the list.
During the same interview, I asked Smokey, how did he find time to get involved in the film and hold down his administrative position which he took up when he left The Miracles. “My administrative work does not bog me down, because of the fact that when my office was designed as vice-president of Motown Records, I brought talent to the company. I signed them up, co-ordinated them with writers and producers, people like that, if I wasn’t going to handle that part of their career myself. And today, we must have fifteen people to do that so I have leeway.” Then he added, “I’m very free to do my own thing unless they come to me and say ‘Hey, Smoke, we’ve got this project that we want you involved in’ then of course I will. Or if I see something going down, I think I’ll involve myself in this one because it’s a good one. But apart from that I’m pretty free.”
Since leaving The Miracles, it’s fair to say, our Smokey’s solo career had been struggling in the UK. His singles were difficult to sell, sometimes considered uncommercial for our market, yet were suited to radio. So, in October ’77, he attempted to rectify this with a UK tour, which, as I remember, delighted me and thousands others, with his laid back, no-nonsense presentation. Some reviewers even hailed him as a living legend. For instance, Melody Maker printed, “Smokey is, along with the moon landings and the motorcar, one of the wonders of the age.” Another one wrote, “Smokey was in a class of his own. A living legend whose voice effortlessly turned half the audience into emotional lumps. I got more shivers up my spine per song than I’ve ever had before.”
Having left The Miracles because he was tired of touring, he actually admitted he missed performing for his audience, saying, “I decided live dates were a very intricate part of me, and when it came down to it I really loved doing them. I’ve been doing solo dates in the States since 1975 but not of course at the pace that I used to with The Miracles. I’m freer to do them at my own pace now because there’s no-one else involved.”
I remember him saying he varied his act from show to show because he believed in pleasing his audience. “So the first four or five numbers are formatted just to get us started, then we sing whatever the people want to hear. Whatever they yell out, we sing it, because that’s why they came to see us.” The evening I saw the show, he sang all, or part of, every song title thrown at him. Most times his band threw themselves into the music, other times they followed Smokey’s lead and improvised.
Moving on. When enterprising pimp Willie Dynamite – who always dressed in bright coloured outfits with a matching hat – refused to agree to a mandate that would assign pimps to specific districts, he set himself on a collision course with the kingpin of New York prostitution. Worse yet, Willie comes under the scrutiny of a pair of detectives. Then there’s Cora, a former prostitute now employed as a social worker, who aims to take down Willie’s operation by preaching reform to his girls. And this is the short synopsis of the film where Martha Reeves contributed a trio of songs. I was reminded of this Willie Dynamite soundtrack from 1973 when writing about Big Time, so thought I’d give it a mention here as, probably like Smokey’s film, Martha’s soundtrack contribution has long been forgotten, or at the very least, relegated to the darkest corner of the lost film department.
Willie Dynamite was Martha’s first project for MCA Records, and as she wrote in her autobiography Dancing In The Street, “It was one of my best accomplishments, thanks to director Gilbert Moses and composer J. J. Johnson. In the early seventies after the success of Superfly and its number one soundtrack album by Curtis Mayfield, suddenly ‘black pimp films’ were all the rage…… It was one of those films where everyone wore flashy clothes and platform shoes. Its one touch of class came by featuring Diana Sands in the cast. This would be her last film.”
On the soundtrack Martha’s songs were “Willie D”, “King Midas” and “Keep On Movin’ On”. Recalled Martha, “It was fine for testing my wings at recording away from Motown Records, but I had my sights on much bigger things.” Her backing singers were credited as The Sweet Things, comprising Clydie King and her friends, Jeanie and Fran. I don’t know whether the album was issued in the UK as Martha sent me a promotional copy, so I never bothered to check. I have to say, I was struck by how versatile a singer she had become since leaving Motown, yet, wondered, as she’s a God-fearing lady, whether she was comfortable with the film’s content. Either way, Martha sounded confident and in control, so I knew her future adventure would be just fine. Willie Dynamite was premiered in Chicago in December 1973, followed by dates in New York and Los Angeles. In January 2005 it was released on DVD.
Now, of the US single releases in June ’77, we were treated to Albert Finney’s “Those Other Men”/”What Have They Done (To My Home Town)” from “Albert Finney’s Album”; Jerry Butler’s “Chalk It Up”/”I Don’t Want Nobody To Know”, A-side “Suite For A Single Girl”/B-side “Love’s On The Menu”; David Ruffin’s “Just Let Me Hold You For A Night”/”Rode By The Place (Where We Used To Stay)” from his “In My Stride” album, and the Dynamic Superiors’ “Nowhere To Run (Pt 1)”/”Nowhere To Run (Pt 2)” from “Give And Take”. All on the Motown label. In the UK, however, I could only find a couple, namely, “Tailgate”/”Mr Disco Radio” from 21st Creation, and “Vitamin U”/”Holly” courtesy of Smokey.
As you know, I’ve been a staunch supporter of the Former Ladies of The Supremes from the group’s inception through to the current day. During that time, the membership has changed several times, so without going into too much detail at this time, here’s a potted history. During 1985, eight years after The Supremes officially disbanded, Scherrie Payne was signed to the Los Angeles-based SuperStar International Records. They approached her with the idea of reforming The Supremes, something Scherrie jumped at. She first called upon Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong. Mary declined because she was pursuing a solo career, while Cindy gave the thumbs up, later coaxing Jean Terrell to join the new line-up.
The three set about forming a new incarnation of The Supremes, although due to contractual problems over the ownership of the actual name, they decided to use “FLOS”, the Former Ladies of the Supremes. However, before the new trio could be launched, Cindy decided on a solo career, so another former Supreme, Lynda Laurence joined the trio, replacing Cindy just as she had done in 1972. Over the years non-Supreme ladies joined them, namely, Sundray Tucker, Freddi Poole and Joyce Vincent.
Long-story-short, the last membership of the FLOS was Scherrie, ex-Supreme Susaye Greene, and Joyce Vincent. At the end of last month, their manager Eric Iversen called me to say there were changes afoot, and a couple of days later Scherrie took to social media saying Susaye had left the group and that Lynda had agreed to return. Here’s part of her message, starting with her thanks to all their loyal fans for their continuing support for over 38 years! “Susaye, who joined us in 2017, is departing, and will be devoting her time to her entrepreneurial endeavours, digital media platforms and much more. I know they’ll be great because Susaye is multi-talented. I’m so excited and happy for her. My other ‘Supreme Sister’ Lynda has graciously agreed to return to the group, and along with Joyce Vincent and me, we will continue.” You may remember, Lynda had previously been in the Former Ladies from 1986 to 2017, and in total has worked with Scherrie for a staggering 31+ years! With her return, the missing Zing returned to the group. And I for one, welcome Lynda back with open arms.
Finally, for now at least, you’ll remember, Scherrie and Lynda joined Diana Ross on her Return To Love tour which, had it kicked off in Europe, would, I’m convinced, have been a huge hit. It wasn’t to be and the tour was cut short. And it’s this I hope to talk about with Lynda in the near future. And a little bit more – of course!
Talking about Scherrie has reminded me that her big sister, Freda, has recorded a smashing new single “Do You Still Dream About Me?”, produced by a wonderfully talented Rick Gianatos, for his Altair label. The hookline here is like a magnet, as it just won’t let go. Y’know, it’s such a thrill to have new material from our “Band Of Gold” gal, and, my, she sounds so good against that rumbling medium beat. And, surprise, there’s a little scat singing too. As a 7-track CD-EP, with additional mixes from the best in the business, it’s available on all major platforms.
I’ve just had another birthday and I’m really grateful, and humbled, by so many messages from Motown people who took time out to remember the day. You are just the best – and I’m honoured to be a part of the family.
Sharon Davis
(Visual of Former Ladies Of The Supremes/copyright Erik Iverson)
