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. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Her mother is an African-American while her father is Creole making her half Native American. "His will to live was so. 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. 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. He produced soul group Masterpiece in 1980. Mastered At - Sound Mastering Ltd Designed At - the-unknown.co.uk Marketed By - Ace Distributed By - Ace Credits 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). All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. 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. Born in New York in 1943, Whitfield wasn't yet in his teens when R&B began exerting itself as a major musical force. From 1963 onward, Whitfield had produced most of their recordings of his own songs, and by 1966, he'd completely taken over producing the Temptations in the wake of their huge hit "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," as well as "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "I Know I'm Losing You." Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem on May 12, 1940. 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. Tallahassee, Florida. Norman Whitfield Whitfield was a native of Brooklyn, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. 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". Sly was definitely sly, and his sound was new, his grooves were incredible, he borrowed a lot from rock. 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 In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy film Vacation Friends. [27], Whitfield has been married twice. Meet Lynn Whitfield & Brian Gibson's Daughter Grace Learn about Her Hollywood Career By Stephen Thompson Aug 02, 2020 04:00 P.M. 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 was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. Yesterday I heard through the grapevine that he passed away on Tuesday afternoon. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. In the 2000s, Whitfield had many supporting roles on television and in films. [26] In 2022, she set to appear opposite Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman in the action comedy film, The Retirement Plan. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. Norman Whitfield's Life Path Number is 22 as per numerology. A junior figure at Hitsville, hungry for his big break, he hung around the studio watching more established producers such as Holland-Dozier-Holland at work. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy film Doctor Detroit (1983), playing the supporting role of Thelma Cleland. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. After 1968, Whitfield turned towards darker and harder sound, blending funk and psychedelic rock. "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. 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. A demanding egotist in the studio, he worked the Temptations into the ground. [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. Whitfield worked extensively with the Temptations as a producer and songwriter, producing eight of their albums between 1969 and 1973. She co-starred in the Chris Rock comedy film Head of State (2003) and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006). Norman Whitfield had an international smash hit in 1976 with Rose Royce's "Car Wash", issued on MCA Records. Date (s): Feb 09. He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. With Eddie Holland, Mr. Whitfield wrote Aint Too Proud to Beg for the Temptations, which reached No. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $25,000 fine and spend the next six months in house confinement. On television, Whitfield had recurring roles on Boston Public and Without a Trace in the 2000s. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). Whitfield later was cast in a leading role in Greenleaf's planned spinoff. 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. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get it On" (1973) - Written . She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her breakout performance as Josephine Baker in the HBO biographical film The Josephine Baker Story (1991). Nova Whitfield is best known for being the daughter of DcYoungFly, a rapper, comedian, and performer who has starred on MTV's Wild N Out. Norman Whitfield - Psychedelic Soul (Produced By Norman Whitfield) More images Tracklist Hide Credits Companies, etc. 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. His father, Friendly Womack, spotted Bobby's talent on the guitar at an early age, and Bobby was only After several years fighting diabetes, Norman Whitfield passed away at the age of 68, on the 16th September 2008 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. 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. Dorian Lynskey. [1] 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. THE WORKS OF WHITFIELD, AND THE PROMISE OF A DOCUMENTARY. He told later interviewers that his family had settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York in May 1940 and passed away in September 2008. [25] She guest-starred as Shaunette Rene Wilson's mother, a famous Nigerian surgeon, on the Fox medical drama The Resident in 2019. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations. admin March 2, 2022 Biography Leave a comment. The Car Wash soundtrack won Whitfield a Grammy Award for Best Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. On December 22, 1945 she was married to Norman L. Britten who preceded her in death on November 1, 1995. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. In 2005 he faced tax evasion charges apparently between 1995 and 1999 he earned around $500,000 per year but failed to report a total income of over $2 million. It's possible to glimpse the fine line the quintet and its producer were walking on the live recordings from the tour for Masterpiece, on In Japan. Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? .more .more 57 Dislike Share Save Alain Robert 12.3K subscribers Subscribe Comments 6 Add a. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. At 19, Whitfield began frequenting Motown's Hitsville USA offices for a chance to work for the growing label. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. 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. 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. She was preceded in death by her father; grandparents, Julius and Annie Graham, William and Gertrude Whitfield; and 3 aunts. High School Dropout Berry Gordy Turned An $800 Loan Into Motown Records And A $400 Million Fortune. Childhood. Besides his daughter, Irasha, of Los Angeles, Mr. Whitfield is survived by four sons, Norman, of Los Angeles; Michael, of Toluca Lake; Johnnie, of Atlanta; and Roland, of Murrieta, Calif.; a brother, Bill, of Los Angeles; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. He turned around and annoyed Gordy intensely, finally cajoling him into okaying another attempt at the song by Gladys Knight & the Pips. With partner Norman Whitfield wrote enduring hits "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". 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. "[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. Associated With He wrote and produced songs for several legendary artists, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. February 28, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. 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. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. Thu., Sept. 18, 2008 (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). [3] Whitfield died on September 16, 2008. The cause of death was heart and kidney failure due to diabetes. She is the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Among his hits there were the soundtrack album for the film Car Wash (1976), for which he wrote the score. Age, Height, Husband, Net Wor What is Jo Anne Worley doing now? In 1975, Whitfield left Motown, following its move from Detroit, to form his own label, Whitfield Records. 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. In the 1990s, Whitfield played leading roles in a number of made-for-television movies and had several starring roles in theatrical films, including A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), Gone Fishin' (1997), Eve's Bayou (1997), Stepmom (1998), Head of State (2003), Madea's Family Reunion (2006), and The Women (2008). Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. Songs written by Norman Whitfield. By Matt Wesley. Selected singles production/songwriting credits, Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental, Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance, Grammy Award for Best Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Category:Albums produced by Norman Whitfield, List of songs written by Norman Whitfield, I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations | AllMusic, "The Associated Press: Motown writer, producer Norman Whitfield dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Norman_Whitfield&oldid=1136555329, 1969: "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down" The Temptations (US #20, US R&B #2), 1970: "You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You)" Gladys Knight & the Pips (US #35, US R&B #3), also recorded by the Temptations, 1974: "Help Yourself" The Undisputed Truth (US #63, US R&B #19), This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 22:49. 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. 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 . Funeral Home website by. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. 12: Daughter: Ida Whitfield. From 2016 to 2020, she starred as Lady Mae Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network dramatic series Greenleaf, for which she won critical acclaim and garnered two NAACP Image Awards and a Gracie Award. Beloved brother to Keith, Sheila, Derek and the late . "Even as his body began to fail him, his mind was so strong," she said. In 1975 he split with Motown and founded his own record label Whitfield Records. 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]. Gordy also soon learned to trust Whitfield's bouts of seemingly reckless enthusiasm. "He and Norman Whitfield were the only songwriters who successfully produced political/social protest songs against Gordy's standing order not to do so," Mr. Posner said. He also helped usher in the era of psychedelic soul, producing the work of artists like Edwin Starr and the Undisputed Truth. "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. Jacob Lewis Fuller. 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 . - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Gordy refused to release versions of I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the Miracles, the Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye. Whitfield is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Ball Of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - The Temptations. The family eventually relocated there, and Whitfield hustled pool and performed other marginal pursuits to survive, and also began watching and learning what was needed to work in music. 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. Her mother is a founding member of the Baton Rouge chapter of The Links Incorporated and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. In 1983, Whitfield teamed up with Motown again, and produced The Temptations hit single Sailing Away while in 1985 he produced the original soundtrack of another Schultz movie, the martial arts cult classic The Last Dragon. [15] She also had a recurring role on Hit the Floor[16] and appeared as the abusive mother of April (Rochelle Aytes) on Mistresses. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get it On" (1973) - Written . 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. After wood-shedding on local . Another account she has is on Facebook, with over 25,000 followers, but the account has not been updated since 2018. Whitfield fell into a coma, briefly improved, but eventually succumbed to diabetic complications. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. 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 He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. Mr. Whitfield won a Grammy for the album, recorded by the band Rose Royce. 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. His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details. Lynn Whitfield's Early Life Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the eldest of four children, and a daughter of Jean Butler, an officer of a finance agency, and Valerian Smith, a dentist. In the meantime, he became an admirer of Berry Gordy as the latter emerged as the most promising new music entrepreneur in Detroit. She continued her career, starring in the made-for-television movies A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991); Stompin' at the Savoy (1992) with Vanessa L. Williams, Jasmine Guy, and Vanessa Bell Calloway; Taking the Heat (1993) with Tony Goldwyn; State of Emergency (1994) with Joe Mantegna; Sophie and the Moonhanger (1996); The Wedding (1998), as Halle Berry's mother; The Color of Courage (1998) alongside Linda Hamilton; and Deep in My Heart (1999) opposite Anne Bancroft.
