Metaphor For a Music Driven Life

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The recent passing of Four Tops lead vocalist Levi Stubbs brought back a tidal wave of memories, for as much as his booming voice was a part of my past, it also colors my present existence.

I vividly recall ‘Reach Out[I'll Be There]‘, being played in my Aunt Sue’s apartment, just as how today, as a professional vocalist, I now sing their old hit, ‘Bernadette’, with an R&B band called ironically, The Bernadettes[yes, we are pretty good]. I was raised in an environment where music was the primary backdrop. My mother and her sisters, as well as her brothers, and my grandfather, were all excellent singers, and their gifts were passed down to my sister and brother, as well as many of my cousins. I thought about where I come from, where I’ve been, and where I’m going, musically, even after over 20 years in the game.

Motown has always fascinated me, as I recall seeing the Temptations at New York’s Apollo Theatre as a 10- year-ld, among other major R&B acts. I also remember performing on the Wednesday Amateur Night at the famed theatre, and being booed back in 1989. Trust me it was not due to a lack of talent, just a poor choice of material. It was a pivotal point in my development as a vocalist, for the next night, I received a huge ovation in a much smaller venue, giving me the confidence to carry on when I easily could have been discouraged. In retrospect, had I sung a Motown tune, I would have been better received, instead of the unfinished original song I attempted.

Motown has always fascinated me, but I was too young to comprehend the precision with which the Motown machine operated, an assembly line of hit making performers, writers, and producers. As a man, I was dismayed to learn that Berry Gordy, the man behind the Motown phenomenon, paid his people like factory workers, ala Ford or General Motors. This practice led to the independence wars won by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, the blueprints for what I do vocally, as well as the departure of the Jackson 5, and although Jermaine Jackson remained, his star is forever dim compared to his iconic little brother, Michael.

There was always music in our home. My mother’s albums always seemed to be off-limits, to me anyway. They were for ‘old people’, as I used to say, not understanding that my mother at the time was approaching thirty..The old 45rpms were fair game for us, we had all the hits, and I became most familiar with the ‘B’ side of these records, songs that are now part of my repetoire, tunes like ‘You’ve Got It Bad Girl’, the reverse side of ‘Superstition’, and ‘God Is Love’, the flip side of ‘What’s Going On’.

I have vivid memories of how, in 1970 as a 9-year-old summer camper, watch 5 other kids singing ‘The Love You Save’, by the Jackson 5, and wishing I could be part of it, back when my shyness prevented me from doing so.

That same summer I heard for the first time, a Stevie-written hit for the Spinners, ‘It’s A Shame’, an all-time favorite that I sing today with The Bernadettes. So many artists have empowered me,even the late Rick James, whose old band, The Stone City Band, considered me for a spot as the lead vocalist two years ago. Artists like the Commodores[ the early to late 70s funky version], Switch, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson,The Originals, Temptations, and so many more, inspired me, and although my performance plate consists of jazz, pop, standards,funk, and soul, Motown provided the foundation for my vocal training.

 As a college student and into my 20s, my record collecting was off the charts. For years, no one knew why I bought so many albums, in fact my mom and sister once played a practical joke on me, bringing me an album on a plate at dinnertime. Trust me, I knew what I was doing. Around 1981, I went back and bought the 1972 breakthrough album, ‘Music Of My Mind’ by Stevie Wonder,which contains my all time favorite song, Superwoman[Where Were You When I Needed You], a tune I can never sing enough.

The harsh realities of the music business have a tendency to humanize your dreams, but thanks to my upbringing, can never dim my passion. Thank you, Moms for giving me the gift of song, for buying those 45s, thank you Berry Gordy for Motown, and the classiest collection of performers ever seen on a single record label, and thank you Levi Stubbs, a most powerful but underrated vocal force on the musical landscape, for providing me with the dream. I am forever grateful.

This story is filed under: Arts & Culture