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. Norman Jesse Whitfield Profile: American songwriter and producer (born May 12, 1940, in Harlem, New York - died September 16, 2008, in Los Angeles) best known for his work with Berry Gordy 's Motown label during the 1960s. Norman Jesse Whitfield (1941-2008) - Find a Grave Memorial Family Life He fathered four sons and one daughter. 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. . Barrett Strong, Motown artist known for 'Money,' dies at 81 12: Daughter: Ida Whitfield. Norman Whitfield - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. Norman Whitfield, Motown Songwriter and Producer, Dies at 68 Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. 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 Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. War actually sounds like war; Ball of Confusion is indeed a ball of confusion. But Berry did not want to damage Temptations' image by blatant political statement. In 1969, Whitfield won three BMI Awards for the songs "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "I Wish It Would Rain," and "You're My Everything."[5]. But Masterpiece's critical notices were better than its sales, and Whitfield soon found himself, like most of the label's other producers, being discouraged from further recordings as ambitious as that, particularly as Motown's fortunes declined. His enthusiasm was infectious, and Gordy marveled at the moments when Whitfield was hooked on an idea. Whitfield kept moving with the times, his songs taking on an edge of gritty social realism in their lyrics that were far removed from the romantic ballads on which much of the "Motown Sound" had been built across the company's first decade. 1 - 49 of 49 Total. The company had started the '70s in exceptional financial health, the world at its feet and the sky seemingly the limit, but by the middle of the decade it had taken huge losses, not only on some recordings, but more tellingly on several dubious film-related projects that truly crippled their bottom line. February 27, 2023 (74 years old) View obituary. It soon became clear to Gordy that Whitfield's talents extended to arranging and production, and it was in the latter capacity that he came to prominence at the label. Dorian Lynskey. Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? Artist Norman Whitfield Real name Norman Jesse Whitfield Born May 12, 1940 Died September 16, 2008 Country United States IPI 00032841992 45 works 00063704487 74 works Affiliation BMI Comments Songwriter and producer credited as one of the creators of the Motown sound. Until yesterday I was still holding out the slenderest hope of somehow securing an interview with Norman Whitfield, the reclusive genius of psychedelic soul. . In the early 1980s, Whitfield began working as a producer for Motown again, helming the Temptations' 1983 hit single "Sail Away" and the soundtrack to The Last Dragon.[1]. Whitfield became the company's spark plug as music entered the psychedelic era, taking to the new sound, and especially the use of sound effects, more easily than most of the label's production personnel. He was 67. Jason, Scott, Shelly, Wanda,Taylor & Brad Stone. Norman Whitfield Beckford, aged 97, of Hill Street, Seven Hills Estates and formerly of Matthew Town, Inagua, died at his daughter's residence on Sunday, December 12 th, 2021.. Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. Nova Whitfield is a lovely young lady with an angelic appearance. Norman Whitfield - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Rolling Stones. Whitfield played the leading role of Lady Mae Greenleaf, the imperious minister's wife and the power- and money-hungry matriarch of the family. 1 on the R&B charts in 1966. 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. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". On December 22, 1945 she was married to Norman L. Britten who preceded her in death on November 1, 1995. The following year, Gordy finally succumbed and Gaye's version was even bigger. Whitfield also appeared in The Women (2008), The Rebound (2009), and Mama, I Want to Sing (2011) and had many roles in low-profile B-movies. Norman Whitfield: death of a soul icon | Music | The Guardian Advertisement After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK - YouTube We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. 34 Parker Richardson Whitfield Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images He was well known for working with Berry Gordy's Motown labels in the 1960s. In 1976, Whitfield wrote and produced Rose Royces hit single Car Wash which in 1977 served as the main theme for Michael Schultzs eponymous comedy movie Car Wash, and earned him another Grammy Award. Mastered At - Sound Mastering Ltd Designed At - the-unknown.co.uk Marketed By - Ace Distributed By - Ace Credits [2] She also was a regular cast member in the short-lived 1988 ABC female-driven medical drama series HeartBeat alongside Kate Mulgrew, Laura Johnson, and Gail Strickland. "Even as his body began to fail him, his mind was so strong," she said. He started there as a tambourine player; known for his keen ear, he was eventually put in charge of quality control by the labels founder, Berry Gordy Jr. The second thought was regret: that there has been . Lynn Whitfield - Wikipedia 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. Award-Winning Songwriter/Producer Norman Whitfield Dead at 68 "His will to live was so. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan, so that his father could join his sister and work in her husband's chain of drug stores, Barthwell Drugs. Norman Whitfield - Rate Your Music He was bad. 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. When Whitfield wasn't producing the albums himself, Frank Wilson, using techniques and approaches he'd learned from Whitfield, was in charge. Story highlights. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield, who helped create some of the legendary label's most important anthems, including Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the. However, his real breakthrough came in 1966 when Whitfield became the main producer for The Temptations music group. Estelle Whitfield Obituary - Memphis, TN His "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" one of the most played songs of the 20th century on American radio and TV. 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Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. [1], During his 25-year career, Whitfield co-wrote and produced many enduring hits for Motown artists, including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg",[2] "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "War", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Another account she has is on Facebook, with over 25,000 followers, but the account has not been updated since 2018. of 1. During his last months alive, Whitfield was bed-ridden at Los Angeles's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for diabetes and other ailments. Born in West Point, Mississippi in 1941, singer/composer Barrett Strong was a pivotal figure in Motown's formative years, and is perhaps best known for his collaborations during the late '60s and early '70s with fellow Motown . In 1996, Whitfield was cast as the female lead opposite Martin Lawrence in the dark romantic comedy film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Auxiliary Post 5319. Whitfield's rise was down to a cocktail of talent, ego, luck and, most of all, persistence. Home; Trees; . [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK 2,527 views Aug 29, 2019 One of the great composer of MOTOWN. Age, Height, Husband, Net Wor What is Jo Anne Worley doing now? : Lynn Whitfield became Josephine Baker, Budapest became Paris and Harlem as HBO raced to complete the first movie about the storied entertainer's life", "HBO's 'Josephine Baker': The Naked Truth", "Lynn Whitfield Shimmies into the Skin of Sultry Josephine Baker", "TV Weekend; With Josephine Baker Through a Long Life", "2 Emmys For James Earl Jones; 'L.A. 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. Inspired by Sly and the Family Stone's wild arrangements, he wrote the hard-driving, socially aware Cloud Nine with lyricist Barrett Strong (who is himself currently recovering from a stroke) for the Temptations. He was a fast learner, too -- at 18, he'd written and produced at Detroit's Thelma Records, including sides by Richard Street (future member of the Temptations), and played as a member of the Distants, the precursors to the latter group; he'd also played tambourine with the band Popcorn and the Mohawks on some Thelma sides backing the Distants. She was a member of the Burlington Seventh Day Adventist Church serving as treasurer for eight years and was a Life Member of Athens V.F.W. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. But Berry did not want to damage Temptations' image by blatant political statement. February 28, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. Birth name. Norman passed away in 2008. Undeterred,Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's best-selling single to date. Twitter. More than that, however, Whitfield and his personal drive became an important part of the psychological dynamic of the label, often pushing Motown founder Berry Gordy . 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. Norman Whitfield. Norman Whitfield Bio, Wiki 2017 - Musician Biographies Despite Gordy's reservations over its perceived pro-drug message, it changed Motown overnight. He had been with Motown for several years without scoring a major hit, but in 1970 he enjoyed the biggest single of his career with "War," co-written by Whitfield and Holland. Mr. Whitfield, who had been charged with failing to report more than $4 million in income, was fined $25,000 and sentenced to six months home detention. On the cover of their last album together, 1973's Masterpiece, his own picture loomed larger than the band's. 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. Elgin Freeman. From 1966 to 1974, Whitfield produced virtually all of the Temptations' music, experimenting with sound effects and other production techniques. Law', 'Cheers' Win Again", "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996)", "How to Get Away with Murder Postmortem: Boss Breaks Down Annalise's Motives and Killer Theories", "TV Casting News Roundup: New Roles for Rutina Wesley, Lyn - Shadow and Act", "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge & Desiree Ross Join 'Greenleaf' - Deadline", "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge and Desiree Ross Cast in - Shadow and Act", "5 Reasons to Watch Oprah Winfrey's New Series 'Greenleaf', "Lynn Whitfield Joins Sanaa Lathan In 'Nappily Ever After', The Retirement Plan: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Ashley Greene, Grace Byers, Rick Fox Among Cast For Action Pic, "Lynn Whitfield's Daughter, Grace Gibson, Covers Adeles' "Rumor Has It/Set Fire To The Rain", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lynn_Whitfield&oldid=1138033912, Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2, Episode: "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf", Episode: "Who Says It's Fair: Part 1 & 2", Episode: "All This and the Old School Tie", Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 & 4, Episode: "The Mother's-in-Law Episode" & "The Thanksgiving Episode", Episode: "Model Behavior" & "No News Is Bad News", Guest: Season 3, Recurring Cast: Season 4, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series, Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special, Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 17:45.