The Originals

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = The Originals


Background = group_or_band
Origin = Detroit, Michigan
Years_active = 1966 - 1982
Genre = R&B/soul/disco
Label = Soul/Motown
Associated_acts = Marvin Gaye
Past_members = Freddie Gorman (Deceased)
Walter Gaines
Ty Hunter (Deceased)
Henry Dixon
C.P. Spencer (Deceased)
Joe Stubbs (Deceased)

The Originals consisted of bass singer Freddie Gorman, baritones Walter Gaines and C.P. Spencer, and tenors Ty Hunter and Henry Dixon. They were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the 1960s and 1970s, most notable for the hits "Baby I'm For Real", "The Bells" and the disco classic, "Down to Love Town".

History

The group found modest success in the first half of the decade, often working as backup singers for recordings by artists such as Jimmy Ruffin ("What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", 1966) and David Ruffin ("My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", 1969). The Originals found their biggest success under the guidance of Motown legend Marvin Gaye, who co-wrote and produced two of the group's biggest singles, "Baby I'm For Real", and "The Bells". Both songs became seminal soul music recordings, and both songs have since been covered: 1990s R&B group After 7 re-recorded "Baby I'm For Real" and made it a hit again in 1992, while another 1990s R&B group Color Me Badd re-recorded "The Bells" for one of their albums. While the group went on to have more modest success in both the soul and disco fields near the end of the decade, including "Down To Love Town," a #1 dance chart hit, the songs they made with Marvin Gaye are their most memorable notable.

After the death of Ty Hunter, on February 24, 1981, the group ceased all recordings and broke up about year later.

Originals member Joe Stubbs passed away on February 5, 1998. C.P. Spencer followed on October 20, 2004 and then Freddie Gorman on June 13, 2006.

Discography

Albums

*1969: "Baby, I'm for Real" (originally released as "Green Grow the Lilacs") (Soul) - US Pop #174, US R&B #18
*1970: "Portrait of the Originals" (Soul) - US Pop #198, US R&B #47
*1970: "Naturally Together" (Soul) - US R&B #44
*1972: "Def-I-Ni-Tions" (Soul)
*1974: "Game Called Love" (Soul)
*1975: "California Sunset" (Soul) - US R&B #51
*1976: "Communique" (Soul)
*1977: "Down to Love Town" (Soul)
*1978: "Another Time, Another Place" (Fantasy)
*1979: "Come Away with Me" (Fantasy)
*1981: "Yesterday and Today" (Polydor)
*1999: "The Very Best of the Originals" (Motown)

ingles

*1969: "Baby I'm For Real" - US Pop #14, US R&B #1
*1970: "The Bells" - US Pop #12, US R&B #4
*1970: "We Can Make It Baby" - US Pop #74, US R&B #20
*1970: "I Like Your Style" - US R&B #20
*1971: "God Bless Whoever Sent You" - US Pop #53, US R&B #24
*1976: "Down to Love Town" - US Pop #47, US R&B #93, US Dance #1
*1976: "Everybody's Gotta Do Something" - US #13

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External links

*allmusic|id=10:39fwxqe5ldse
* [http://www.soultracks.com/the_originals.htm Soul Tracks page on the Originals]
* [http://www.soulexpress.net/original.htm The complete Originals discography at Soul Express]