Gladys Horton interview April 1992
I sadly received the news today that Gladys Horton from Motown's Marvelettes died after a number of strokes on Wednesday 26th January 2010.
Bill Randle spoke to her in London for PCRL radio here in Birmingham in April of 1992 and together we made this 45 minute radio show that went out that year. She was quite annoyed at the treatment she received from Motown after her No.1 hit Please Mr Postman and some of her side of the story can be heard in this interview.That same year she was trying to find a UK publisher for the book she had written about her life with Motown, she wanted to call it a Letter to the Postman and was to feature many letters to her co-artistes at the label that she had composed for them. Bill had recently visited the Motown museum in Detroit and she tells him what she thought about that as well!
This is the first time I have put this recording on the net. It has been restored today by myself from the Reel-Reel tape that we edited on 18 years ago and digitally improved. A book, shown above came out in 2004 with another name!..... was it the same book?
No Bill, it is not the same book, as far as I know Gladys Horton was not involved in the writing. Haven't read the book, but have read a lot about it, on the Soulful Detroit Forum (SFD), among other places.
ReplyDeleteRobbert
wow...a big WOW!!...amazing how badly Motown treated their breakthough first #1 pop hit artists; shame on Berry Gordy and Esther for their shameful history re writes and abusive treatment of Gladys Horton and The Marvelettes
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to edit and share this rare interview! Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteGladys Horton's book was never released. However, she was interviewed for the book that was released in 2004. Her participation in the project was somewhat limited since at that time, she was still trying to have her own manuscript published.
ReplyDeleteBill, thank you for posting this! I am lucky to have been able to obtain the recent Hip-o select Marvelettes box sets, Forever, and Forever More. I re-read Marc Taylor's bio on these ladies and now have a fairly good understanding of their vocal talent and the uphill battle for acceptance they fought from within their record label. What a sad story, but they maintained the best they could and what a wonderful legacy they leave behind.
ReplyDeleteThe selection committee of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame have NO excuse not to do right by The Marveletttes and give them their place of honor in the limelight for evermore.
A fellow named "Baby Bollox" out of Britain posts his wonderful re-workings of many Tamla Motown recordings on youtube and the Marvelettes are featured on many of his very sensitive to the original remixes.
Thank you again and may the Marvelettes know theh are much loved and respected!