1977 The Originals – Down To Love Town
The Originals, often called “Motown’s best-kept secret”, were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the late 1960s and the 1970s, most notable for the hits “Baby I’m for Real”, “The Bells” and the disco classic “Down to Love Town”. Formed in 1966, the group originally consisted of bass singer Freddie Gorman, baritone (and the group’s founder) Walter Gaines, and tenors C. P. Spencer and Hank Dixon (and briefly Joe Stubbs). Ty Hunter replaced Spencer when he left to go solo in the early 1970s. The Originals had all previously sung in other Detroit groups, Spencer having been an original member of the (Detroit) Spinners and Hunter having sung with the Supremes member Scherrie Payne in the group Glass House. Spencer, Gaines, Hunter, and Dixon (at one time or another) were also members of the Voice Masters. As a member of the Holland–Dozier–Gorman writing-production team (before Holland–Dozier–Holland), Gorman (as a mailman) was one of the co-writers of Motown’s first number 1 pop hit “Please Mr. Postman”, recorded by the Marvelettes. In 1964, the Beatles released their version. In 1975, the Carpenters took it to number 1 again. This was the second time in pop history that a song had reached number 1 twice. “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, reached number 1 in 1960 and 1961. In 2006, “Please Mr. Postman” was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Tracks
1 Hurry Up And Wait (Edotha Croom, Janie Bradford, Freddie Gorman) 5:19
2 Down To Love Town (Don Daniels, Kathy Wakefield, Michael B Sutton) 5:52
3 You Are A Blessing To Me (Brenda Sutton, Michael B Sutton) 6:00
4 Six Million Dollar Man (Brenda Sutton, Kathy Wakefield, Michael B Sutton) 5:53
5 Mother Nature’s Best (Janie Bradford, Lee Harrington, Freddie Gorman) 4:46
6 Sunrise (Brenda Sutton, Michael B Sutton, Tom DePierro) 4:51
7 Been Decided (Brenda Sutton, Kathy Wakefield, Michael B Sutton) 5:21
Musicians
1 Hurry Up And Wait
Bass | James Jamerson Jr |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | Ben Benay |
Guitar | Greg Poree |
Keyboards | Bobby Manchurian |
Keyboards | Freddie Gorman |
Percussion | Bob Zimmetti |
2 Down To Love Town
Bass | James Jamerson Jr |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Drums | Alvin Taylor |
Guitar | Billy Cooper |
Guitar | Dean Parks |
Guitar | Jay Graydon |
Guitar | Melvin Ragin |
Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
Guitar | Stephen Beckmeier |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Percussion | Eddie Brown |
Percussion | King Errisson |
3 You Are A Blessing To Me
Bass | David Shields |
Drums | Ed Greene |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | David T. Walker |
Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
Guitar | Mike Shumann |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Keyboards | Michael Sutton |
Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
Percussion | Jack Ashford |
Percussion | Oliver Brown |
4 Six Million Dollar Man
Bass | David Shields |
Drums | Ed Greene |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | David T. Walker |
Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
Guitar | Mike Shumann |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Keyboards | Michael Sutton |
Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
Percussion | Jack Ashford |
Percussion | Oliver Brown |
5 Mother Nature’s Best
Bass | James Jamerson Jr |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | Ben Benay |
Guitar | Greg Poree |
Keyboards | Bobby Manchurian |
Keyboards | Freddie Gorman |
Percussion | Bob Zimmetti |
6 Sunrise
Bass | David Shields |
Drums | Ed Greene |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | David T. Walker |
Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
Guitar | Mike Shumann |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Keyboards | Michael Sutton |
Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
Percussion | Jack Ashford |
Percussion | Oliver Brown |
7 Been Decided
Bass | David Shields |
Drums | Ed Greene |
Drums | James Gadson |
Guitar | David T. Walker |
Guitar | Ray Parker Jr |
Guitar | Mike Shumann |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Keyboards | Michael Sutton |
Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
Keyboards | Sylvester Rivers |
Percussion | Jack Ashford |
Percussion | Oliver Brown |
Liner Notes
Producer – The Originals (Tracks 1, 5)
Producer – Freddie Gorman (Tracks 1, 5)
Producer – Michael B Sutton (Track 2)
Producer – Frank Wilson (Track 2)
Producer – Michael B. Sutton (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
Producer (Production Assistant) – Brenda Sutton
Arranged By – Bob Manchurian (Tracks 1, 5)
Arranged By – Dale Warren (Tracks 1, 5)
Arranged By – Greg Poree (Track 2)
Arranged By – Michael B Sutton (Track 2)
Arranged By – Frank Wilson (Track 2)
Arranged By – Arthur Wright (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
Arranged By – David Blumberg (Tracks 3, 4, 6)
Engineer – Reginald Dozier (Track 5)
Engineer (Mastering) – Jack Andrews
Engineer (Mixing) – Kevin Beamish (Track 2)
Engineer (Mixing) – Frank Wilson (Track 2)
Engineer (Mixing) – Art Stewart (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
Engineer (Recording) – Andrew Berliner (Track 2)
Engineer (Recording) – Kevin Beamish (Track 2)
Engineer (Recording) – Glenn Jordan (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
Engineer (Recording) – Michael Shumann (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
Design – Wriston Jones
Graphics (Director) – Carl Overr
Photography By – Charles William Bush
Typography (Lettering) – Vigon Nahas Vigon
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Motown Record Corporation
Copyright (c) – Motown Record Corporation
Recorded At – ABC Recording Studios
Recorded At – Crystal Sound
Recorded At – Kendun Recorders
Recorded At – Motown Recording Studios
Mixed At – Crystal Sound
Mastered At – Motown Recording Studios