His "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" one of the most played songs of the 20th century on American radio and TV. 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. Even amid all of this activity with the Temptations, he found other important outlets for his compositions, most notably in the person of Edwin Starr. July 15, 2022 11:34 AM EDT. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. In 1996, Whitfield was cast as the female lead opposite Martin Lawrence in the dark romantic comedy film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 - September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy 's Motown labels during the 1960s. Either way, he changed the landscape of soul. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote a string of Motown classics including "War" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," has died. Phonographic Copyright - Ace Records Ltd. 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). More than that, however, Whitfield and his personal drive became an important part of the psychological dynamic of the label, often pushing Motown founder Berry Gordy to try out songs and sounds that he didn't fully appreciate himself, to their mutual benefit. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. He was known especially for his work with the Temptations; he produced many of their recordings for Motown, including the album Cloud Nine, whose title track earned the group a Grammy in 1969. 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. 1 on the R&B charts in 1966. Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. Structural Info Facts Pictures Filmography Awards Known for movies Whitfield became the company's spark plug as music entered the psychedelic era, taking to the new sound, and especially the use of sound effects, more easily than most of the label's production personnel. Mr. Whitfield, who often wrote both lyrics and music, had more than 450 songs released in his lifetime, his daughter said. 2023 L.E. The following year, Gordy finally succumbed and Gaye's version was even bigger. Whitfield made her professional screen debut in 1981 as Jill Thomas in the critically acclaimed NBC serial drama Hill Street Blues. Buy Meta Added by Bastien Works 87 Discussions 1 All Thanks to him, songs could pass the 10-minute mark, use every studio trick available and speak to the concerns of a tougher, angrier black America. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. Mini Bio (1) Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. 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. 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. 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. He then started his own label, Whitfield Records, in 1975, which yielded the Rose Royce hit "Car Wash". "Where words leave off, music begins!". . Salli Richardson-Whitfield and daughter Parker during Golden Globe Gifting Suite - Boom Boom Room at Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA, United States. He worked with The Temptations as a producer and songwriter and produced eight of their albums. Even when one of his songs was a hit, he would try the song in a different way, placing it with an artist who would take it in a distinctly different direction. He told later interviewers that his family had settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! He also changed the main subjects of his lyrics, from love to social issues such as politics, war and poverty. Dorian Lynskey. - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Your email address will not be published. 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. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York. 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. With partner Norman Whitfield wrote enduring hits "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". Elgin Freeman. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. 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. "[6] The New York Times added that Whitfield "powerfully captures her [Baker's] passionate determination. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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 . When Motown moved to. [17], In 2015, Whitfield was cast as the main villain in Greenleaf, the Oprah Winfrey Network original scripted drama series about the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. Following graduation, she first garnered attention on the stage by performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. She married playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfield, one of the company's co-founders and a pioneer of black theatre, in 1974. 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. Doubtlessly, all these ventures made positive impact on Whitfields net worth. 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. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. After a long bout with diabetes and subsequent health issues, Whitfield died in Los Angeles, CA, on September 16, 2008, at age 65. Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. 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 . Hayes and Whitfield were two of my heroes for the way they redrew the boundaries of soul, letting songs thunder and swirl far beyond the traditional pop song format. 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". Norman Whitfield. This engagement provided the basis for Norman Whitfields net worth and also helped him to set his foot in the world of songwriting. Cloud Nine - The Temptations. He was born in Harlem in 1943. With Eddie Holland, Mr. Whitfield wrote Aint Too Proud to Beg for the Temptations, which reached No. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. He was to see sides and potential in that group's sound that would enhance both of their careers in the decade to follow. DC Young Fly Daughter's Nova Whitfield: Age, Mom, Bio, Parents, Net Worth! 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. "Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work," Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement. Norman Whitfield | Artist | GRAMMY.com Artist Norman Whitfield WINS* 2 NOMINATIONS* 4 19th Annual GRAMMY Awards WINNER Album Of Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or Television Special Car Wash View All Nominations For This Artist Through the 65th GRAMMY Nominations Norman Whitfield News View All News The trio never hit again as big as they did with that song, as Whitfield concentrated most of his efforts on the Temptations, but he used the Undisputed Truth to try out funk and psychedelic experiments, both with his own songs (including the first version of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone") and covers of other writers' songs. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown Time before earning international acclaim touring the United States, Australia and London's West End in the 1977 production of the landmark play "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" alongside Alfre Woodard.[2]. Lisa Wright always knew she was adopted, but had no idea her biological mother was a star on one of her favorite television shows. A lot more than that, nevertheless, Whitfield and his personal travel became a significant area of the mental dynamic . Whitfield wrote or co-wrote more than 60 hits on the UK charts and 90 on the US charts. 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 . "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield was an Olympic medalist, Tuskegee airman and longtime U.S. diplomat. Beginning in the '80s and with the decline of disco, however, Whitfield was virtually unheard as either a producer or songwriter, except for the omnipresent reissues of his 13 years of Motown productions -- in that regard, in 2002 and 2003, the Undisputed Truth were the subject of separate compilations on both sides of the Atlantic, and the Temptations' catalog has been mined regularly and remastered with increasing frequency since the late '90s. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. "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. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/norman-whitfield-mn0000957729. Until yesterday I was still holding out the slenderest hope of somehow securing an interview with Norman Whitfield, the reclusive . Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? Norman passed away in 2008. For all his renown as a composer, Mr. Whitfield was even more prominent as a producer and arranger. Jason, Scott, Shelly, Wanda,Taylor & Brad Stone. 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 Motown sound in the 1960s and afterward, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles. "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. Norman Whitfield: 16: Daughter: Sedonia Whitfield. Who is Teesha Renee? Album by Larry Parham. Required fields are marked *. In 1976, Whitfield wrote and produced Rose Royces hit single Car Wash which in 1977 served as the main theme for Michael Schultzs eponymous comedy movie Car Wash, and earned him another Grammy Award. Some of his first projects included releasing The Undisputed Truths hit single You + Me = Love. Date (s): Feb 09. After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his family in his late teens, he matriculated from Northwestern High School. Mr. Whitfields songs were recorded by a string of Motown luminaries, who besides Mr. Gaye included the Temptations and the Jackson Five. 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". She also starred in the television films The George McKenna Story opposite Denzel Washington and Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI as the title character and in the ABC miniseries The Women of Brewster Place alongside Oprah Winfrey and Cicely Tyson). Twitter. 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. "[22] She won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020 as well as the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series in 2017. Read Full Biography. General Info Family He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. And even as the label's fortunes were starting to turn downward, Whitfield and the Temptations generated a triple-decker award-winning single in "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," which won two Grammys plus a songwriter's award. He was bad. [20][21] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins. Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy film Vacation Friends. From 2014 to 2015, she appeared in the ABC legal drama How to Get Away with Murder as villainous Mary Walker. Norman Whitfield net worth: Norman Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer who had a net worth of $10 million. On December 22, 1945 she was married to Norman L. Britten who preceded her in death on November 1, 1995. He was 68 and lived in Toluca Lake, Calif. Norman Whitfield was born in 1940s. Her accounts mostly post personal photos, behind the scenes footage, and promotions of her projects. Beginning with the single "I Wish It Would Rain," written in collaboration with lyricist Eddie Holland, he moved both the group and Motown into a new era, which opened up the subject matter as well as the sound of their songs. 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. This was a classic Whitfield strategy. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Norman Whitfield. The cause of death was heart and kidney failure due to diabetes. In 1975 he split with Motown and founded his own record label Whitfield Records. She was a 1993 graduate of Hubbard High School and obtained a Bachelors Degree from Ohio State University and a Masters Degree from UCLA. He was well known for working with Berry Gordy's Motown labels in the 1960s. If he thought something was a hit, he would keep pushing until it was. Additionally, the 1968 single "Cloud Nine" became the first Motown record to win a Grammy Award, for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group. "His will to live was so. admin March 2, 2022 Biography Leave a comment. Among his early successes was "I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To," written in collaboration with Eddie Holland and cut by the Temptations in late 1962. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. [7]" Whitfield won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role, and said this gave her "the greatest sense of accomplishment and realization of my vision. Wynk Music brings to you Ooh Boy MP3 song from the movie/album 100 Greatest Soul. [3] After a highly publicized casting call, Whitfield was chosen over hundreds of women. 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. His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. 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?" Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. His daughter, CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield, recalls the lessons he taught his . Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Norman Whitfield had an international smash hit in 1976 with Rose Royce's "Car Wash", issued on MCA Records. 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. Whitfield did return to Motown briefly in the early '80s to produce the Temptations' "Sail Away," and also the soundtrack album to the movie The Last Dragon. Norman Whitfield was born on May 12, 1940 (age 67) in New York City, New York, United States. This was after Gordy had rejected the idea of recording it with Gaye, the Miracles, or the Isley Brothers. Norman Whitfield passed away on September 16, 2008 at 68 years old. But success corrupted the once-shy outsider. I'll be doing something similar tonight. He paved the way for classics such as What Going On and Innervisions within Motown, plus hard-hitting political statements by the likes of the O'Jays and the Isley Brothers outside of it. his father's car broke down there. My thing was to out-Sly Sly Stone, Mr. Whitfield said. Among Mr. Whitfields other hits were Papa Was a Rollin Stone, written with Mr. Strong. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. 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. His first act was the Undisputed Truth, whom he had convinced to leave Motown, followed by Rose Royce, Willie Hutch, Yvonne Fair, Nytro, Mammatapee and Junior Walker. Mr. Whitfield won a Grammy for the album, recorded by the band Rose Royce. She was preceded in death by her father; grandparents, Julius and Annie Graham, William and Gertrude Whitfield; and 3 aunts. [2] She also was a regular cast member in the short-lived 1988 ABC female-driven medical drama series HeartBeat alongside Kate Mulgrew, Laura Johnson, and Gail Strickland. His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. 12: Daughter: Ida Whitfield. Following the death of Isaac Hayes last month, it's been a bad year for fans of heavily orchestrated, epic soul. (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? Funeral Home website by. When the record label chief vetoed a single release of Whitfield's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" that had been cut by Marvin Gaye, opting instead for a more romantic song, Whitfield refused to let the matter drop. The cause was heart and kidney failure resulting from diabetes, his daughter, Irasha Whitfield, said. 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. Mastered At - Sound Mastering Ltd Designed At - the-unknown.co.uk Marketed By - Ace Distributed By - Ace Credits Whitfield later was cast in a leading role in Greenleaf's planned spinoff. All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. Later that year his Cloud Nine, performed by The Temptations was honored with a prestigious Grammy Award which was followed by another Grammy for Papa Was a Rollin Stone which was released in 1973. He is survived by his Daughters: Linda Dean, Ann-Marie Major, Sherry Beneby, Hilly Harper, and Lerlene Moss-Walcott; Sons: Eugene and Andrew Beckford; Adopted Daughter: Judy Deleveaux; and a host of other relatives . Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. In the mid-1970s, Mr. Whitfield left Motown to start his own label, Whitfield Records. However, his real breakthrough came in 1966 when Whitfield became the main producer for The Temptations music group. [5] In his review, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly said: "Whitfield is exceptionally good as the legendary singer-dancer who came to prominence in the 20s for her throaty singing and her notorious "banana dance"a wiggly little number executed while wearing nothing except a skirt of real bananas. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. Whitfield's motives are still unclear - was he truly passionate about social change or just a canny hitmaker who sensed the mood of the times and catered to it? Car Wash - Rose Royce. 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. 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. 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. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK 2,527 views Aug 29, 2019 One of the great composer of MOTOWN. 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 "[8] She also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film nomination and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Whitfield also starred in a number of movies in the 2000s and 2010s. War was recorded by the Temptations before Edwin Starr, and Papa Was a Rollin' Stone was tried out on Whitfield's pet group the Undisputed Truth prior to the Temptations. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! Norman Whitfield's Life Path Number is 22 as per numerology. 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. New York-born music legend Norman Whitfield came to Detroit by chance. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. NEW YORK (AP) Barrett Strong, one of Motown's founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company's breakthrough single "Money (That's What I Want)" and later collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "War" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," has died .
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