10: With Eddie Holland, Mr. Whitfield wrote Aint Too Proud to Beg for the Temptations, which reached No. The song was first sung by the Temptations and then reproduced for Motown featuring Edwin Starr as the vocalist. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. She was a 1993 graduate of Hubbard High School and obtained a Bachelor's Degree from Ohio State University and a Master's Degree from UCLA. I'll be doing something similar tonight. secondhandsongs.com. Twitter. [20][21] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Besides his daughter, Irasha, of Los Angeles, Mr. Whitfield is survived by four sons, Norman, of Los Angeles; Michael, of Toluca Lake; Johnnie, of Atlanta; and Roland, of Murrieta, Calif.; a brother, Bill, of Los Angeles; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. After several years fighting diabetes, Norman Whitfield passed away at the age of 68, on the 16th September 2008 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. But Berry did not want to damage Temptations' image by blatant political statement. In an interview with David Ritz for Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye (Da Capo, 1991), Mr. Whitfield recalled the deep influence of the new, hard-driving funk of Sly Stone, and how he tried to bring something of Mr. Stones sound to his work at Motown. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. Funeral Home website by. Her mother is a founding member of the Baton Rouge chapter of The Links Incorporated and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/norman-whitfield-mn0000957729. He was a longtime Motown producer and founded his own record label, Whitfield Records, in 1973. (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). Whitfield has been credited with helping create the Motown Sound and helping the development of the subgenre psychedelic soul. Beloved brother to Keith, Sheila, Derek and the late . Award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield and her movie director ex-husband Brian Gibson share a beautiful daughter named Grace Gibson who fell in love with her parents' career and followed in their footsteps. ", Video Game writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - uncredited, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", music: "Richard Pryor Dialogue" / producer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "I'm Going Down", "Sunrise", "Righteous Rhythm", "Water", "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "Keep On Keepin' On" / writer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "Richard Pryor Dialogue", "I'm Going Do, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Documentary writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Documentary writer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Just My Immagination Running Away With Me" - as Whitfield, Norman, writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video Game writer: "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Eye of the Tiger / Holler If Ya Hear Me", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevyne" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE" by nm1100552, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video documentary writer: "Cloud 9", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes, TV Series documentary writer - 5 episodes, writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: " I Know I'm Losing You" - as Norman J. Whitfield. Mrs. Estelle Whitfield, age 98, passed away November 23, 2020. The psychedelic soul records Whitfield produced for the Temptations and other artists such as Edwin Starr and the Undisputed Truth experimented with and updated the Motown sound for the late-1960s. But success corrupted the once-shy outsider. [1] He found a songwriting collaborator in lyricist Barrett Strong, the performer on Motown's first hit record, "Money (That's What I Want)", and wrote material for the Temptations and other Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, both of whom recorded Whitfield-produced hit versions of the Whitfield/Strong composition "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". 1972 Grammy winner for Best R&B Song for "Papa Was a Rolling Stone.". Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. And even as the label's fortunes were starting to turn downward, Whitfield and the Temptations generated a triple-decker award-winning single in "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," which won two Grammys plus a songwriter's award. She leaves to cherish her memory, her mother, of Hubbard; 4 brothers; 1 uncle, Bill Whitfield of Calif.; many cousins and host of other family members and friends. Norman Whitfield was one of the architects of the Motown sound, from its early peak as a national label through its waning days of major chart success. Norman Whitfield, a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and arranger for Motown Records whose many hits, including the signature song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," helped solidify the. Private services were held at the L. E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home for Miss Irasha Graham Whitfield, 40, of Beverly Hills, Calif. who departed this life Sunday, July 3. Norman Whitfield had an international smash hit in 1976 with Rose Royce's "Car Wash", issued on MCA Records. At 19, Whitfield began frequenting Motown's Hitsville USA offices for a chance to work for the growing label. Gordy wasn't always tolerant of the young man's presence at Motown's studios, and occasionally chased him off the premises, but not so often that Whitfield didn't pick up what he needed to know: watching recordings being made and songs being fine-tuned. Lynn Whitfield's Early Life Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the eldest of four children, and a daughter of Jean Butler, an officer of a finance agency, and Valerian Smith, a dentist. The song also became one of the most valuable copyrights owned by Motown, as it was covered by hundreds of artists, most notably Creedence Clearwater Revival, both on an edited single, and as an epic-length jam on their perennially popular LP Cosmo's Factory. Whitfield and lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. One of Whitfield's last major hits at Motown was Yvonne Fair's "It Should Have Been Me" (1975), a song he had written in 1963 and recorded originally with Kim Weston. High School Dropout Berry Gordy Turned An $800 Loan Into Motown Records And A $400 Million Fortune. Among his hits there were the soundtrack album for the film Car Wash (1976), for which he wrote the score. I could match him though, rhythm for rhythm, horn for horn., Norman Whitfield, Motown Songwriter and Producer, Dies at 68, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/arts/music/18whitfield.html. On January 18, 2005, Whitfield pleaded guilty for failing to report royalty income he earned from 1995 to 1999 to the Internal Revenue Service. Rose Royce (whose members were originally Edwin Starr's backing band while at Motown) went on to record three more popular albums, and had two huge UK hits with "Wishing on a Star" (1977) and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (1978), but could never top the success of "Car Wash", which served as the theme song to the 1976 motion picture Car Wash. TV Mini-Series documentary writer - 1 episode, writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", writer: "Just my imagination running away with me" - as Norman I. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "I Wanna Get Next to You", writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", as N. Whitfield, "Holler If Ya Hear Me" / writer: "Holler If Ya Hear Me" - as N. Whitfield, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today", Madonna: The Girlie Show - Live Down Under, TV Movie documentary writer: "Rain" - as N. Whitfield, TV Movie writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Raisins Sold Out: The California Raisins II, TV Movie writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", producer: "War" / writer: "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka", "War", writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", TV Movie writer: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" - uncredited, Documentary "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" / producer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Wherever I Lay My Hat That's My Home", TV Special documentary writer: "That's the way Love is", producer: "The Last Dragon", "Stand Your Ground", "The Final Test" / writer: "The Last Dragon", "Stand Your Ground", "The Final Test", TV Series writer - 1 episode, 1985 lyrics - 1 episode, 1982 music - 1 episode, 1982, Video writer: "Friendship Train", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", writer: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", TV Movie documentary writer: "Needle in a Haystack", Documentary "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", lyrics: "WAR" - as N. Whitfield / music: "WAR" - as N. Whitfield, Bassie en Adriaan en het geheim van de sleutel, lyrics: "Which Way Is Up?" He turned around and annoyed Gordy intensely, finally cajoling him into okaying another attempt at the song by Gladys Knight & the Pips. [1] The Undisputed Truth scored their second biggest hit in 1976 with the disco song "You + Me = Love", their first single on Whitfield Records. Associated With He wrote and produced songs for several legendary artists, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. He was 68 and lived in Toluca Lake, Calif. Mastered At - Sound Mastering Ltd Designed At - the-unknown.co.uk Marketed By - Ace Distributed By - Ace Credits The Gladys Knight & the Pips' version was the best-selling Motown single so far, but it was surpassed a year later by Gaye's version. [7]" Whitfield won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role, and said this gave her "the greatest sense of accomplishment and realization of my vision. United States. Jason, Scott, Shelly, Wanda,Taylor & Brad Stone. Starr's version of "War" w Show more. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. [1] Birth name. Norman Whitfield - Psychedelic Soul (Produced By Norman Whitfield) More images Tracklist Hide Credits Companies, etc. When it comes to his personal life, Norman Whitfield managed to keep it private he had five children but details of their mother(s) is lacking. Whitfield enjoyed some success as a composer with "Too Many Fish in the Sea" by the Marvelettes, and "Needle in a Haystack" by the Velvettes, but it was his drive and his vision as a producer that allowed him to take over the helm of the Temptations' records. [11] In 1997, she co-starred opposite Danny Glover and Rosanna Arquette in the comedy film Gone Fishin', appeared in the supporting role in the Canadian drama The Planet of Junior Brown, and played the mother of Jurnee Smollett's title character in the critically acclaimed independent drama Eve's Bayou. Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (ne Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer who wrote the musicals, The Supper and The Wake. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". His interest in R&B dates from his mid-teens, and it was not long after that the New York-born Whitfield found himself stranded in Detroit, when his father's car broke down while on the way back from a relative's funeral in California. / music: "Which Way Is Up? Norman Whitfield was one of the architects of the Motown sound, from its early peak as a national label through its waning days of major chart success. "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield was an Olympic medalist, Tuskegee airman and longtime U.S. diplomat. Songs written by Norman Whitfield. "[22] She won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020 as well as the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series in 2017. In the meantime, he became an admirer of Berry Gordy as the latter emerged as the most promising new music entrepreneur in Detroit. Lynn Whitfield (ne Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. But Berry did not want to damage Temptations' image by blatant political statement. This memorial website was created in memory of Robert M Whitfield, 78, born on December 30, 1926 and passed away on March 2, 2005. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. The second thought was regret: that there has been . She continued her career, starring in the made-for-television movies A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991); Stompin' at the Savoy (1992) with Vanessa L. Williams, Jasmine Guy, and Vanessa Bell Calloway; Taking the Heat (1993) with Tony Goldwyn; State of Emergency (1994) with Joe Mantegna; Sophie and the Moonhanger (1996); The Wedding (1998), as Halle Berry's mother; The Color of Courage (1998) alongside Linda Hamilton; and Deep in My Heart (1999) opposite Anne Bancroft. Whitfield's motives are still unclear - was he truly passionate about social change or just a canny hitmaker who sensed the mood of the times and catered to it? His work was also recorded over the years by artists as varied as Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bruce Springsteen. He was 81. Following the death of Isaac Hayes last month, it's been a bad year for fans of heavily orchestrated, epic soul. .more .more 57 Dislike Share Save Alain Robert 12.3K subscribers Subscribe Comments 6 Add a. "[8] She also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film nomination and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Story highlights. of 1. Is she dead? He caught the psychedelic thing. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York in May 1940 and passed away in September 2008. Her love of movies was shared by her maternal grandmother, Estelle Devall Butler, who exposed her to them. All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. A spokeswoman at Cedars-Sinai Medical Cent Following the end of the war, it was the start of the Baby Boomer years and technology advancements such as the jet engine, nuclear fusion, radar, rocket technology and others later became the starting points for Space Exploration and Improved Air Travel. Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. Estelle leaves behind two daughters, Lynn Whitfield and Kathy Carroll (John), grandsons, Chad Carroll and Kevin Carroll (Lauren), two great-grandchildren, Ryleigh and Isaiah Carroll. I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations. Among his early successes was "I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To," written in collaboration with Eddie Holland and cut by the Temptations in late 1962. The early 1940s were dominated by World War II. After writing hits for Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes and the Velvelettes, he wrested creative control of the Temptations from Smokey Robinson in 1966 with the success of Ain't Too Proud to Beg. She also starred as Dorothea Garibaldi in the Disney Channel films The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2. After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his family in his late teens, he matriculated from Northwestern High School. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. He is credited as being one of the creators of the "Motown Sound," and instrumental in the development of psychedelic soul. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. Many, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine, memorably recorded both by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, were written with his frequent collaborator Barrett Strong. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. A demanding egotist in the studio, he worked the Temptations into the ground. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get it On" (1973) - Written . Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. One is hard-pressed to find anything less than 100 percent enthusiasm from the Temptations, especially on "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," but while their performance of "Masterpiece" is energetic (and the song receives a rousing roar at start and finish from the crowd), it's also abbreviated and pushes the vocalists to the fore, and doesn't even attempt to emulate Whitfield's elaborate studio approach. [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. Gordy refused to release versions of I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the Miracles, the Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye. Norman Whitfield was among the architects from the Motown audio, from its early top being a country wide label through its waning times of major graph achievement. He was known especially for his work with the Temptations; he produced many of their recordings for Motown, including the album Cloud Nine, whose title track earned the group a Grammy in 1969. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York in May 1940 and passed away . Their version, almost a gospel rendition, was a huge hit, by some accounts the biggest-selling single in the history of the label up to that time; in its wake, the Marvin Gaye rendition, much more raw sounding (and also produced by Whitfield), was issued, and it chalked up even bigger sales than its predecessor. Meet Lynn Whitfield & Brian Gibson's Daughter Grace Learn about Her Hollywood Career By Stephen Thompson Aug 02, 2020 04:00 P.M. Whitfield made her professional screen debut in 1981 as Jill Thomas in the critically acclaimed NBC serial drama Hill Street Blues. Norman Whitfield Biography. He also changed the main subjects of his lyrics, from love to social issues such as politics, war and poverty. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. [6] He added contemporary song topics, moving from love songs to the social issues of the time, such as war, poverty and politics. Her mother is an African-American while her father is Creole making her half Native American. Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (ne Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer who wrote the musicals, The Supper and The Wake. By Matt Wesley. Her daughter has opted to pursue a career in music, and Lynn has been very supportive of her endeavors. When the record label chief vetoed a single release of Whitfield's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" that had been cut by Marvin Gaye, opting instead for a more romantic song, Whitfield refused to let the matter drop. [27], Whitfield has been married twice. It is certain that these achievements helped Whitfield to further increase his wealth. After several years fighting diabetes, Norman Whitfield passed away at the age of 68, on the 16th September 2008 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. In 1983, Whitfield teamed up with Motown again, and produced The Temptations hit single Sailing Away while in 1985 he produced the original soundtrack of another Schultz movie, the martial arts cult classic The Last Dragon. Whitfield's big success with his own label, however, and his last big commercial hit, came in 1976 with the group Rose Royce, which he had discovered during their time as Edwin Starr's backup band (known then as Magic Wand). Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. Like Isaac Hayes, Norman Whitfield, who died earlier this week, was one of the Motown pioneers of epic soul, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, The reclusive genius of psychedelic soul Norman Whitfield. On television, Whitfield had recurring roles on Boston Public and Without a Trace in the 2000s. Whitfield enjoyed a professional triumph with the Temptations' All Directions (1972), and followed it up with his greatest effort, the appropriately named Masterpiece (1973); and it was a two-fold personal and professional triumph, for both albums featured a lineup of the group -- Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams -- which, though well-regarded, lacked the presence of acknowledged stars Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams. In 2004, Mr. Whitfield was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Mr. Whitfield joined Motown in the early 1960s, when he was not much more than 20. She co-starred in the Chris Rock comedy film Head of State (2003) and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006). [1] Longer songs, distorted guitars, multitracked drums, and inventive vocal arrangements became trademarks of Whitfield's productions, and later of records produced by Motown staffers he coached, including Frank Wilson. Norman Whitfield's Life Path Number is 22 as per numerology. When he was a teenager, he and his family settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. [3] After a highly publicized casting call, Whitfield was chosen over hundreds of women. He worked with The Temptations as a producer and songwriter and produced eight of their albums. Norman Whitfield Follow Artist + Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. A lot more than that, nevertheless, Whitfield and his personal travel became a significant area of the mental dynamic . According to sources, it is estimated that the total amount of Norman Whitfields net worth, as of early 2017, would exceed the sum of $10 million, acquired by his prosperous career in the music industry which spanned almost 50 years. Lisa Wright always knew she was adopted, but had no idea her biological mother was a star on one of her favorite television shows.
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