Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes dies at 66

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Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes dies at 66

Postby radiofan » Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:22 am

One-time lead singer of Motown's Marvelettes dies at 66
5:26 AM, Jan. 27, 2011

By BRIAN McCOLLUM
Detroit Free Press


Gladys Horton, the Detroit native whose voice led such Marvelettes hits as "Please Mr. Postman" and "Beechwood 4-5789," died late Wednesday at a nursing home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. She was 66.

"My mother died peacefully," Horton's son, Vaughn Thornton, said in a statement issued this morning by the Motown Alumni Association. "She fought as long as she could."

Horton had lived in the nursing facility since a stroke last year.

She had retired from the music business in spring 2009, noting that travel was longer enjoyable, effectively ending the 48-year reign of the original Marvelettes.

"Love comes in two directions, from your hearts to us and from our hearts to you, and it has always been that way!" she wrote in a statement at the time.

As a student at Inkster High School, Horton helped found the group that would eventually become the Marvelettes, linking up with fellow glee club members Katherine Anderson, Juanita Cowart, Georgeanna Tillman and Georgia Dobbins.

A successful audition for Motown Records was followed in 1961 by the group's debut single, "Please Mr. Postman," with 17-year-old Horton on lead vocals. It became Motown's biggest pop crossover hit to that point, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Horton was the lead singer on follow-up hits such as "Beechwood 4-5789," "Playboy" and "Too Many Fish In The Sea" before losing her lead role to Wanda Young in 1965. Horton departed the group in 1967 and moved to the Los Angeles area in the early 1970s.

She performed in later years as Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes, though she complained that her ability to tour was hampered by other "Marvelettes" incarnations with dubious ties to the original group. Her example was frequently cited amid legislative attempts to protect the naming rights of original artists.

Horton is survived by two sons. Funeral arrangements have not yet been set.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110127/E ... ertainment
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Re: Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes dies at 66

Postby Anotherwpgguy » Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:39 pm

I used to really enjoy The Marvelettes and played their songs hundreds of times, before and after Gladys Horton, and at only 66, its very unfortunate to see her go ... I used to especially like playing things like:

Don't Mess With Bill ...one for the bass parts ever recorded with the Funk Bros in the studio .. check out the slinky walk ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVsW_6AomOQ

Mr Postman .. with Gladys Horton recorded live in 2005 ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDmUVAp0aVQ

The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game ...here's the LP version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgJO0LzvuGU

Destination Anywhere ... covered in the hit movie "The Commitments" ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=116OZCAaE24

My Baby Must Be A Magician http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB0xKnFGCSY

Too Many Fish In The Sea .... pretty sure that's Robin Seymour of CKLW TV on "Swigin' Time" doing the intro ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQbpSLW1jE

Here's a segment from a live performance by "the girls" .... take a few moments to check out the backup singer's performance. They really get into it. That's one of the aspects of the soul acts where they had it all over "the counter culture" groups.....they put on a stage performance.

Here's the link to them in 1963. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObLHPaBClgI

Regards Anotherwpgguy
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Re: Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes dies at 66

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:31 pm

Anotherwpgguy wrote:Destination Anywhere ... covered in the hit movie "The Commitments" ...


As was the also noted "Too Many Fish In The Sea".
Was that a great movie or what!
I can still watch it over and over again everytime like it was fresh.
Glad they never tried to make a sequel; I'm certain it would've ruined it.
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Re: Gladys Horton of The Marvelettes dies at 66

Postby Anotherwpgguy » Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:25 am

Yup Neumann .... quite a movie indeed.

It was made even better because it was released shortly after I had a British girlfriend, and we had visited Dublin for a week doing a lot of riding on the buses, listening to the people speak, and the topics of conversation. I recognized the landmarks, understood the slang and accent (well, sort of,) and of course knew every vocal part of the music too.

When it was released, I was in the front few rows of the theatre, laughing myself silly, and alternating between singing along with the lead and backup vocals. For a good 70% of the movie I was the only one in the whole audience that was reacting because the rest were just clueless by not understanding the accents, or the context of the music because they had been raised on too much white bread music ... I felt a little embarrassed but there was nothing I could do hold back the fits of giggling ... it was too hilarious. The "commoners from the colonies" must have thought I was wacky.

Whenever I see that movie, in all sincerity ... makes me want to manage a soul band comprised mainly of whities. I think it would be an overflowing bag full of fun.

Plus, that blonde backup singer was a knockout and sure did a pair of high heels and nylons justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDBlBT8B ... re=related

So, Neumann you fookin' wanker, all the best.
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