1966: Motown, surprisingly, signs the Isley Brothers, who have a huge hit with “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You).” The company also signs another veteran act not from Detroit, Gladys Knight & the Pips, as well as Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson as staff writers/producers.
Motown opens a West Coast office. (A sign of things to come?) The company also introduces a popular concert series at the Roostertail called Motown Mondays.
The Temptations enjoy classics: “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You.”
1967: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell score the first of many duet hits, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Your Precious Love.”
The Miracles become Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The Supremes become Diana Ross & the Supremes. Martha & the Vandellas become Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.
Kim Weston leaves Motown, as does her husband, producer/songwriter Mickey Stevenson. Motown fires Florence Ballard from the Supremes and she is replaced with Cindy Birdsong, formerly of Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles.
1968: Holland-Dozier-Holland leave Motown and subsequently start their own record company, Invictus.
The Temptations, in a shocking move, let David Ruffin go because of his inflated ego, bad behavior and (reported) drug use. Dennis Edwards is recruited and, as they used to say on radio, “the hits just kept on comin’,” starting with “Cloud Nine.”
Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations have their own TV special on NBC titled “T.C.B.: Taking Care of Business.” They have also recorded an album together.
Marvin Gaye’s slowed down version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” becomes an even bigger hit than the version by Gladys Knight & the Pips had been the year before. (However, the classic song had originally been recorded by Smokey Robinson as an album cut.)
1969: Motown signs the Jackson 5. Jean Terrell is seen performing in a nightclub by Berry Gordy Jr. and signed as a solo artist, unaware of the fact that the company has other plans for her. The Jackson 5 hit No.1 with “I Want You Back,” and it was virtually non-stop hits after that.
1970: The Supremes perform for the last time with Diana Ross as a member, and Jean Terrell is brought on stage to be introduced as the famed trio’s new lead singer.
The re-formed group has major hits with “Up the Ladder to the Roof” and “Stoned Love.” Meanwhile, Diana Ross is on her way to legendary status with “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” and the completely rearranged version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
The Four Tops and
the new Supremes record an album together titled “The Magnificent 7,” featuring the hit “River Deep, Mountain High,” first recorded by Tina Turner and produced by Phil Spector.
1971: Diana Ross has her own TV special, with Bill Cosby, the Jackson 5 and Danny Thomas as guests, as do the Jackson 5 later in the year. Michael Jackson, still a member of the group, has his first solo hit, “Got To Be There.”
1972: Motown leaves Detroit.
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