With Eddie Holland, Mr. Whitfield wrote Aint Too Proud to Beg for the Temptations, which reached No. Strong eventually went behind the scenes as a songwriter, teaming with producer Norman Whitfield in the mid-1960s to cowrite smashes for Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Edwin Starr and the . Following the death of Isaac Hayes last month, it's been a bad year for fans of heavily orchestrated, epic soul. Your email address will not be published. [4] In the movie, she appeared nude on-screen. After Temptations lead singer David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards in 1968, Whitfield moved the group into a harder, darker sound that featured a blend of psychedelic rock and funk heavily inspired by the work of Sly & the Family Stone and Funkadelic. He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. In his memoir To Be Loved, Motown founder Berry Gordy remembers the young Whitfield as a tall, shy man who earned a living in his teens as a hotshot pool player. In the 2000s, Whitfield had many supporting roles on television and in films. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! The Temptations' version earned a second Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Whitfield and the Temptations, and Whitfield and Strong shared the songwriters' award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. 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. Licensed To - Ace Records Ltd. 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. Whitfield is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. 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?" Legendary songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield, the anchor of Motown 's early 70s movement toward funk, has died. 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. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Norman Whitfield. 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. 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). He attended Northwestern High School. [24], In 2018, Whitfield co-starred opposite Sanaa Lathan in the romantic comedy film Nappily Ever After, which was released on Netflix. In this Digital Exclusive, Lynn Whitfield's daughter Grace asks the group how they manage to support each other and stay connected during these times.Find OW. He also changed the main subjects of his lyrics, from love to social issues such as politics, war and poverty. 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. [1] Alongside his Motown lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong, he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. It is certain that these achievements helped Whitfield to further increase his wealth. With partner Norman Whitfield wrote enduring hits "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". 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. On January 18, 2005, Whitfield pleaded guilty for failing to report royalty income he earned from 1995 to 1999 to the Internal Revenue Service. DC Young Fly Daughter's Nova Whitfield: Age, Mom, Bio, Parents, Net Worth! He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. [9][10] At the time of filming, Lawrence was 12 years younger than Whitfield, who was then 42. Over 25 years Whitfield co-wrote and produced many Motown hits including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "Cloud Nine", "War", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details. Psychedelic Soul - Produced By Norman Whitfield Various Artists (Producer Series) 13.12 Buy Now Free delivery in the UK Save item Genre: Modern Soul Label: Kent Format: CD Catalogue Id: CDTOP 504 Here is the first-ever compilation dedicated to the distinctive and influential productions of Norman Whitfield. 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]. Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's bestselling single at the time. Salli Richardson-Whitfield and daughter Parker during Golden Globe Gifting Suite - Boom Boom Room at Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA, United States. Either way, he changed the landscape of soul. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. Whitfield achieved wide recognition in the title role of The Josephine Baker Story (1991), portraying the American who became a Folies Bergre star, a French Resistance fighter during World War II, and a civil rights activist. In late 1962, Whitfield became part of the early boom era at Motown Records, joining the ranks of Harvey Fuqua, Mickey Stevenson, and the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. He was also widely recognized for his work with The Temptations, producing eight of their studio albums, as well as for his own record label Whitfield Records. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. Story highlights. After wood-shedding on local . I'll be doing something similar tonight. Norman Whitfield passed away on September 16, 2008 at 68 years old. By way of Wilson's contemporary work with the Four Tops, Whitfield's influence extended to other corners of the Motown stable during this era. It's very much the Temptations' own approach to the song, as distinct from Whitfield's, not that it would have been a simple matter to re-create the latter's approach live. How rich would Norman Whitefield be today? The HBO biopic required her to age from 18 to 68. / music: "Which Way Is Up? 1 on the R&B charts in 1966. 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. July 15, 2022 11:34 AM EDT. Norman Whitfield, who died on Tuesday aged 67, was a songwriter and producer and one of the principal architects of the Motown sound; he was responsible for many of the label's greatest hits . 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. Her mother is an African-American while her father is Creole making her half Native American. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $25,000 fine and spend the next six months in house confinement. A native of Harlem, New York, Whitfield spent most of his teen years in local pool halls. And the Temptations, whose singing had taken on a darker sound in 1968 when original lead singer David Ruffin was succeeded by Dennis Edwards, effectively became his "instrument," Whitfield conceiving ever more ambitious songs and productions in which to employ them; their singles and albums were his canvas, which he filled up with his songs, creating ever more involved and ambitious works in the process. Read Full Biography Overview Biography Songs Credits Awards Related Share on facebook twitter tumblr Related Artists Associated with Barrett Strong Associated with The Temptations Followed by Terence Trent D'Arby Influenced by The Coasters William Warren Lange. Whitfield joined Motown's in-house songwriting staff, co-writing the Marvin Gaye hit "Pride & Joy", the Marvelettes's "Too Many Fish in the Sea" and the Velvelettes's "Needle in a Haystack". Her mother is a founding member of the Baton Rouge chapter of The Links Incorporated and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. He was born in Harlem in 1943. He also helped usher in the era of psychedelic soul, producing the work of artists like Edwin Starr and the Undisputed Truth. 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. 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. The song was so well-known that 22 years later, its lyrics ("War, what is it good for") figured in a key joke (involving Tolstoy's War and Peace) at the center of an episode of Seinfeld. By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them. But success corrupted the once-shy outsider. THE WORKS OF WHITFIELD, AND THE PROMISE OF A DOCUMENTARY. However, his real breakthrough came in 1966 when Whitfield became the main producer for The Temptations music group. Norman Whitfield was born in 1940s. 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 . [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". That year he left Motown to set up Whitfield Records but his only subsequent major success was Rose Royce, who released the likes of Car Wash and Wishing on a Star, and he retired from music in the early 80s. [1] The Undisputed Truth scored their second biggest hit in 1976 with the disco song "You + Me = Love", their first single on Whitfield Records. She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. Gordy finally came to appreciate Whitfield's persistence as an attribute they shared, and put him in charge of "quality control" -- he would listen to blank label copies of the company's latest finished sides and critique them without knowing who was on or behind them, boil his observations down to a numerical score, and give the results to Gordy to think about. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. 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. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . If he thought something was a hit, he would keep pushing until it was. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. Whitfield created a new group around this time out of the ruins of a failed Motown act called the Delicates and one ex-member of a group called the Preps -- he put Billie Rae Calvin, Brenda Joyce Evans, and Joe Harris together as the Undisputed Truth and, calling all of the shots for the group as far as songs and recordings, they became one of his two principal vehicles for his musical ideas. Childhood. Mr. Whitfield won a Grammy for the album, recorded by the band Rose Royce. In 2004, Norman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. It absolutely called upon everything I thought I could do at that point. With Wynk Music, you will not only enjoy your favourite MP3 songs online, but you will also have access to our hottest playlists such as English Songs, Hindi Songs, Malayalam Songs, Punjabi Songs, Tamil Songs . Among Mr. Whitfields other hits were Papa Was a Rollin Stone, written with Mr. Strong. Mini Bio (1) Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. Her first husband, from 1974 to 1978, was Vantile Whitfield. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his family in his late teens, he matriculated from Northwestern High School. After a long bout with diabetes and subsequent health issues, Whitfield died in Los Angeles, CA, on September 16, 2008, at age 65. admin March 2, 2022 Biography Leave a comment. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. Whitfield also starred in a number of movies in the 2000s and 2010s. From 1966 to 1974, Whitfield produced virtually all of the Temptations' music, experimenting with sound effects and other production techniques. This was a classic Whitfield strategy. 04:13. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. He wound up in Detroit when his father's car broke down on the way back from his grandmother's funeral in California and the family settled in. Some of his first projects included releasing The Undisputed Truths hit single You + Me = Love. Age, Height, Husband, Net Wor What is Jo Anne Worley doing now? The single's instrumental B-side earned Whitfield and arranger Paul Riser a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. Nova Whitfield is a lovely young lady with an angelic appearance. February 27, 2023 (74 years old) View obituary. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations. Is she dead? Ball Of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - The Temptations. 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. CONTENT. 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]. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love, I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), (Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need, Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don't Say No), Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are), You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth, 2003-2023 The song itself may have said more than it meant to about the time in which it was written, recorded, and released, with a slow tempo and an ominous mood.