That success was complicated by the growing antipathy of the Temptations themselves, who sometimes felt like backup participants on their own records amid Whitfield's production efforts -- and Whitfield's prominent visual presence on Masterpiece's artwork -- a rare level of prominence for a producer -- couldn't have helped matters with the group. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. Their version, almost a gospel rendition, was a huge hit, by some accounts the biggest-selling single in the history of the label up to that time; in its wake, the Marvin Gaye rendition, much more raw sounding (and also produced by Whitfield), was issued, and it chalked up even bigger sales than its predecessor. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Jacob Lewis Fuller. WHITFIELD Alan Victor of Darlington aged 77 years on 18th February, peacefully at home with his loving wife Joan and daughter Dawn by his side. He was well known for working with Berry Gordy's Motown labels in the 1960s. 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. Phonographic Copyright - Ace Records Ltd. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Its emblem, a W, was virtually an inverted Motown M with a different color scheme, and he took the Undisputed Truth with him and kept tinkering with their sound. Who is Teesha Renee? 10: She was a 1993 graduate of Hubbard High School and obtained a Bachelor's Degree from Ohio State University and a Master's Degree from UCLA. With partner Norman Whitfield wrote enduring hits "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". How rich would Norman Whitefield be today? / music: "Which Way Is Up? Buy Meta Added by Bastien Works 87 Discussions 1 All Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. Dorian Lynskey. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972) was done first by the Undisputed Truth, before Whitfield rerecorded the song with the Temptations for a longer, more definitive (and massively successful) version. His interest in R&B dates from his mid-teens, and it was not long after that the New York-born Whitfield found himself stranded in Detroit, when his father's car broke down while on the way back from a relative's funeral in California. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . 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. Norman Whitfield, renowned BMI songwriter, producer and arranger of many Motown Records hits, including "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," died September 16. But while Hayes was a famously charming and outgoing character hence those frustratingly reductive obits that mentioned Shaft and South Park and left it at that Whitfield was always a mystery. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Though largely invisible professionally in his later years, he did re-emerge in the news in 2005 when he pleaded guilty to settle a tax evasion case from the late '90s. DC Young Fly Daughter's Nova Whitfield: Age, Mom, Bio, Parents, Net Worth! He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. Norman Whitfield, a long time friend and best friend during our growing up years, was laid to rest at the Lower Greens Creek Cemetery - he lived in Eastland at the time of his death. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. [4] In the movie, she appeared nude on-screen. 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. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. With Eddie Holland, Mr. Whitfield wrote Aint Too Proud to Beg for the Temptations, which reached No. February 27, 2023 (74 years old) View obituary. The Gladys Knight & the Pips' version was the best-selling Motown single so far, but it was surpassed a year later by Gaye's version. United States. He was to see sides and potential in that group's sound that would enhance both of their careers in the decade to follow. Whitfield and lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million. Whitfield made her professional screen debut in 1981 as Jill Thomas in the critically acclaimed NBC serial drama Hill Street Blues. Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? [20][21] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. Robert Dwayne Womack was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the third of five brothers. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. Sly was definitely sly, and his sound was new, his grooves were incredible, he borrowed a lot from rock. Doubtlessly, all these ventures made positive impact on Whitfields net worth. Facing charges of tax evasion on more than $2 million worth of income, he was sentenced to six months of house confinement and a $25,000 fine. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations. of 1. . [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. In 2004, Mr. Whitfield was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The cause was heart and kidney failure resulting from diabetes, his daughter, Irasha Whitfield, said. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy film Vacation Friends. His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. The following year, Gordy finally succumbed and Gaye's version was even bigger. He recruited new members, most notably Taka Boom (aka Yvonne Stevens, the sister of Chaka Khan), later with the Glass Family, to work with Joe Harris, and saw hits from this version of the group with "You + Me = Love" and "Let's Go Down to the Disco." admin March 2, 2022 Biography Leave a comment. 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. secondhandsongs.com. CONTENT. His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details. Norman Jesse Whitfield Birth 12 May 1941 Harlem, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA Death 16 Sep 2008 (aged 67) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA Burial Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA Show Map Plot All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. In 2005, he was sentenced to six months house arrest for tax evasion, avoiding imprisonment only because of diabetes and other health problems. Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. [1] 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. Twitter. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. She also had a regular role on the short-lived NBC detective series The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 and later guest-starred on Martin and Touched by an Angel. 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. 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. Jason, Scott, Shelly, Wanda,Taylor & Brad Stone. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK 2,527 views Aug 29, 2019 One of the great composer of MOTOWN. Whitfield has won a total of seven NAACP Image Awards. "[6] The New York Times added that Whitfield "powerfully captures her [Baker's] passionate determination. 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. 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 . 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. The single's instrumental B-side earned Whitfield and arranger Paul Riser a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. After 1968, Whitfield turned towards darker and harder sound, blending funk and psychedelic rock. By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them. Whitfield wrote or co-wrote more than 60 hits on the UK charts and 90 on the US charts. Story highlights. In the mid-1970s, Mr. Whitfield left Motown to start his own label, Whitfield Records. Undeterred,Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's best-selling single to date. 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. The title track on the Temptations' album Masterpiece (1973) was the quintessential effort in this direction, an epic-length production propelled by a driving beat and lush instrumentation (in several layers) and filled with lyrics steeped in the urban landscape of the time -- ironically, as impressive as the latter was as a production, five people who were not entirely pleased with the track or the album were the Temptations themselves, who felt that they'd taken something of a back seat to the instrumentation and the overall production on what was supposed to be their album. My thing was to out-Sly Sly Stone, Mr. Whitfield said. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem on May 12, 1940. 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. Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's bestselling single at the time. He caught the psychedelic thing. Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. [28] From 1990 to 1992, she was married to director Brian Gibson, with whom she had a daughter, Grace. Mr. Whitfields songs were recorded by a string of Motown luminaries, who besides Mr. Gaye included the Temptations and the Jackson Five. The cause of death was heart and kidney failure due to diabetes. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Another account she has is on Facebook, with over 25,000 followers, but the account has not been updated since 2018. She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. Copyright - Ace Records Ltd. He was bad. 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. Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! "I Can't Get Next to You," "Ball of Confusion," and "Cloud Nine" -- all written with his main songwriting partner, Barrett Strong -- were among the best records to come out of the label during the turn of the '60s and into the '70s. But friction and antagonism grew between Whitfield and the Temptations; the group hated how Whitfield put more emphasis on the instrumentation instead of their vocals, and that he was writing fewer romantic ballads for them. Whitfield has been credited with helping create the Motown Sound and helping the development of the subgenre psychedelic soul. When Motown moved to. 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 Whitfield often recorded notably different versions of songs with different artists in search of a hit, and did so successfully in the cases of Edwin Starr, with "War" (1970; originally recorded by the Temptations), and the Undisputed Truth, with "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971; also originally by the Temptations). Whitfield fell into a coma, briefly improved, but eventually succumbed to diabetic complications. The critic Greil Marcus remembers friends who pulled their cars over the first time they heard Papa Was a Rollin' Stone and sat "waiting, shivering, as the song crept out of the box and filled up the night". Norman Whitfield was among the architects from the Motown audio, from its early top being a country wide label through its waning times of major graph achievement. Thu., Sept. 18, 2008 War actually sounds like war; Ball of Confusion is indeed a ball of confusion. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York in May 1940 and passed away . Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. When he was a teenager, he and his family settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. In 1975, faced with reduced options at the recording company that had been his professional home for more than a decade, Whitfield left Motown to start his own label, Whitfield Records. His first professional engagement came at his age of 19, when he began serving in Motown headquarters Hitsville U.S.A. in its quality control department. 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. Is she dead? Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. Your email address will not be published. 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. ", Video Game writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - uncredited, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", music: "Richard Pryor Dialogue" / producer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "I'm Going Down", "Sunrise", "Righteous Rhythm", "Water", "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "Keep On Keepin' On" / writer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "Richard Pryor Dialogue", "I'm Going Do, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Documentary writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Documentary writer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Just My Immagination Running Away With Me" - as Whitfield, Norman, writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video Game writer: "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Eye of the Tiger / Holler If Ya Hear Me", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevyne" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE" by nm1100552, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video documentary writer: "Cloud 9", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes, TV Series documentary writer - 5 episodes, writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: " I Know I'm Losing You" - as Norman J. Whitfield.