From 1966 to 1974 Norman produced numerous enormously successful records for the Temptations. Additionally, they are also creative and resourceful deep thinkers. Zodiac Sign: Norman Whitfield was a Taurus. Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong: The Temptations [US1] April 23, 1969: Covered by The Truthettes: Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Rodger Penzabene: Jimmy Ruffin: May 16, 1967: Covered by : Do Your Dance: Norman Whitfield, Dick Turner: Rose Royce: 1977: Everybody Needs Love: Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland . His main interest as a youth was centered on the pool hall, not the dance hall -- according to Nelson George in his book Where Did Our Love Go?, Whitfield not only developed a steady hand with a pool cue, but a good eye for observing and sizing up those around him. Norman Whitfield, dead of diabetes at 67, was one of the major creators of the Motown sound. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. His enthusiasm was infectious, and Gordy marveled at the moments when Whitfield was hooked on an idea. Norman Whitfield was a Taurus and was born in the Silent Generation. In 2004, Mr. Whitfield was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Discover Norman Whitfield's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Whitfield eventually joined Motown's in-house songwriting staff. People who are born with Mars as the ruling planet have beauty, charm and sensuality. Norman was a W.W.II, U.S . 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." Jackson. Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. In 2004, Norman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. William Marvin Whitfield 1918 - 2000. Norman Whitfield has Life Path Number 22. After 1968, Whitfield turned towards darker and harder sound, blending funk and psychedelic rock. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? Norman Whitfield was born in 1940s. He died on September 16, 2008, Los Angeles County, California, CA. During his last months alive, Whitfield was bed-ridden at Los Angeles's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for diabetes and other ailments. The strengths of this sign are being reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable, while weaknesses can be stubborn, possessive and uncompromising. Grammy-award winning song writer Norman Whitfield, known for co-writing such hits as "Papa was a Rolling Stone" and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" passed away yesterday at the age of 67. From 1966 to 1974, Whitfield produced virtually all of the Temptations' music, experimenting with sound effects and other production techniques. By. When he was a teenager, he and his family settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. Region. born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. By his second marriage to Agnes Giles he was father of Robert Whitfield (born between 1517-1518),[1] who married Ann, daughter of George and Rose Roberts, and then Agnes Atwood. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan, so that his father could join his sister and work in her husband's chain of drug stores, Barthwell Drugs. He was a longtime Motown producer and founded his own record label, Whitfield Records, in 1973. The first Temptations single to feature this new psychedelic soul style was "Cloud Nine" in late 1968, which earned Motown its first Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental). NORMAN WHITFIELD OBITUARY. The greatest overall compatibility with Taurus is Scorpio and Cancer. Copyright Songwriters Hall of Fame 2023. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. He had 5 children Irasha Whitfield, Michael Whitfield, Johnnie Whitfield, Norman Whitfield, Roland Whitfield. Writer and producer of Motown classics like "War" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." He helped create the . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. How old is Norman Whitfield: 68 years old Male. He had to juggle the demands of raising a family while also trying to pay for his children's education. (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). Anyone can read what you share. Next came, Sir Matthew Whitfield, of Whitfield Hall, High Sheriff of Northumberland who married Margaret, the daughter of Sir John de Lancaster, of Howgill and Rydall, a relative of William de Lancaster I. 1972 Grammy winner for Best R&B Song for "Papa Was a Rolling Stone.". Whitfield began hanging around Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. Norman was raised in Harlem where he spent the majority of his spare time in pool halls. [1] He also composed the theme song for the 1977 motion picture Which Way Is Up?, performed by Stargard. 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. 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). Whitfield scored a massive #1 hit smash with the supremely rousing and syncopated "Car Wash" by Rose Royce in 1976. My thing was to out-Sly Sly Stone, Mr. Whitfield said. This page is updated often with latest details about Norman Whitfield. When Whitfield wasn't producing the albums himself, Frank Wilson, using techniques and approaches he'd learned from Whitfield, was in charge. The group is known for their "psychedelic soul" look and sound. never heard any unreleased material from 'Hot Nights' a.A member of The Norman Whitfield family asked me if I would approach some distributors for the '911' album in Uk, there was interest, but then they went cool, I still like the album, one real classic ballad from Levi. 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. Family Norman Whitfield was born in USA. A native of Harlem, Whitfield Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Composer: Car Wash. Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. Motown producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield, . Chinese Zodiac: Norman Whitfield was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Generation. Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Your email address will not be published. Norman Whitfield 1941-2008. 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. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Norman Dale Whitfield of Briercrest, Saskatchewan, who passed away on April 25, 2023, leaving to mourn family and friends. Memorials. The Whitfield family was a landowning Norman family in present-day United Kingdom; the family was seated at Whitfield Hall in Northumberland. Cover: Courtesy of Motown Records. This article is about the English Whitfield family. Undisputed Truth consisted of members Joe Harris, who was the lead singer, and Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Joyce, who were formerly part of The Delicates. Norman Jesse Whitfield was born on the 12th May 1940, in Harlem, New York City, USA, and was a songwriter, music producer and arranger, and is best known for his collaboration with Berry Gordys record label Motown for which he wrote numerous hit singles such as I Heard it Through the Grapevine, War, Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) and Papa Was a Rollin Stone among plenty of others. Something" and "Needle in a Haystack" by the Velvelettes. Parents. Among the many soul classic songs Whitfield co-wrote, produced, and/or arranged are "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," "Cloud Nine," "War," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "I Can't Get Next to You," and "Smiling Faces Sometimes. " Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. During the next 12 years til 1974, he produced all the groups material, including eight studio albums, and also wrote a dozen of their hit singles. You'll find all-time classics such as Marvin Gaye 's 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', the Temptations . Whos the richest R&B Singer in the world. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Whitfield moved with his family to Detroit in the early 1960s and was eventually hired to work in Motown's quality control department. his father's car broke down there. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. When Norman Whitfield was born, they were already in command of a very significant historical period. joined Motown's in-house songwriting staff. 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. North America. At 67 years old, Norman Whitfield height not available right now. [3] Whitfield died on September 16, 2008. Lakewood Memorial Park. increasingly dissatisfied working with Gordy and left Motown to form He also helped usher in the era of psychedelic soul, producing the work of artists like Edwin Starr and the Undisputed Truth. Whitfield scored a [1] Longer songs, distorted guitars, multitracked drums, and inventive vocal arrangements became trademarks of Whitfield's productions, and later of records produced by Motown staffers he coached, including Frank Wilson. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. 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. 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. Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Rose Royce (whose members were originally Edwin Starr's backing band while at Motown) went on to record three more popular albums, and had two huge UK hits with "Wishing on a Star" (1977) and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (1978), but could never top the success of "Car Wash", which served as the theme song to the 1976 motion picture Car Wash. 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. Stone," "I Can't Get Next to You," and "Smiling Faces Sometimes." Moreover, Whitfield was a major instrumental figure in He wrote and produced songs for several legendary artists, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. Rather than content himself -- as most of his contemporaries did -- with producing one hit version of a song done a certain way and aimed at a particular audiences, he would treat the same song differently with a variety of artists, looking for new permutations of its appeal to put before the public. This was after Gordy had rejected the idea of recording it with Gaye, the Miracles, or the Isley Brothers. Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. Pop U.S. R&B UK Singles Chart Other charting versions, and notes 1962 "Pride and Joy . New York-born music legend Norman Whitfield came to Detroit by chance. Information about His net worth in 2023 is being updated as soon as possible by infofamouspeople.com, You can also click edit to tell us what the Net Worth of the Norman Whitfield is, Norman Whitfield was born on May 12, 1940 (age 68) in New York City, New York, United States He is a celebrity randb singer His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco His the best movie is Car Wash His successful albums are That Motown Sound, Favorites, Blue Velvet, Classics In His career, Norman Whitfield has achieved an Grammy Award for Best R&B Song He died on September 16, 2008, Los Angeles County, California, CA He had 5 children Irasha Whitfield, Michael Whitfield, Johnnie Whitfield, Norman Whitfield, Roland Whitfield He has an estimated net worth of $ 10 million, Reference: Wikipedia, FaceBook, Youtube, Twitter, Spotify, Instagram, Tiktok, IMDb. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. 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). From 1966 to In the early 14th century, Richard Whitfield, Lord of Whitfield Hall in Whitfield, Northumberland married heiress Isabel Vipont, who was widow of Roger de Clifford, 2nd Baron de Clifford. the late 60s psychedelic soul sub-genre. Whitfield was born in Harlem, where his main achievement was to become a skilled pool player. This is a list of songs written by Norman Whitfield, either as a sole writer or with others Chart hits and other notable songs written by Norman Whitfield. Norman Dale Whitfield Obituary. His son, John Whitfield, living 1480 had married Ann, the only daughter of Sir William Hilton, of Hylton Castle. His son Thomas Whitfield, who was born about mid 1545, studied at Oxford University and at the Inner Temple, qualifying as an advocate. Among his hits there were the soundtrack album for the film Car Wash (1976), for which he wrote the score. Founder Berry Gordy Jr. recognized Whitfield's persistence and hired him for the quality control department, which determined which songs would or would not be released. Temptations. teens. The story of him and songwriting partner Barrett Strong creating three distinct versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" for Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips and The Temptations reflects his creativity. A spokeswoman at Cedars-Sinai Medical. 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. This article will clarify Norman Whitfield's Wife, Songs, Net Worth, Daughter, and other information. (modern). Miles' grandson John Whitfield, born about 1520, settled at Tenterden in Kent and his descendants continued the Whitfield line, which includes the eminent lawyer Sir Ralph Whitfield (1588-1645) and his son Sir Herbert Whitfield (1617-1677). It is a Platform where Influencers can meet up, Collaborate, Get Collaboration opportunities from Brands, and discuss common interests. Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. 1 on the R&B charts in 1966. Fish in the Sea" by the Marvelettes, and both "He Was Really Saying Motown record label founder Berry Gordy Jr. gave When he was a teenager, he and his family settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. Norman Whitfields mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. He turned around and annoyed Gordy intensely, finally cajoling him into okaying another attempt at the song by Gladys Knight & the Pips. On January 18, 2005, Whitfield pleaded guilty for failing to report royalty income he earned from 1995 to 1999 to the Internal Revenue Service. He co-wrote "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", "Ball of Confusion", "War", "Smilin' Faces", and "Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away with Me)". After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his family in his late teens, he matriculated from Northwestern High School. Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. Born in New York in 1943, Whitfield wasn't yet in his teens when R&B began exerting itself as a major musical force. 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]. He was famous for being a R&B Singer. Mississippi. Birth Name: Norman Jesse Whitfield Occupation: R&B Singer Place Of Birth: New York City Date Of Birth: May 12, 1940 Date Of Death: September 16, 2008 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Unknown Nationality: American Norman Whitfield was born on the 12th of May, 1940. Motown record label founder Berry Gordy Jr. gave Norman a job in the quality control department that determined which songs would or would not be released as singles. This engagement provided the basis for Norman Whitfields net worth and also helped him to set his foot in the world of songwriting. Year Song Original artist Co-writer(s) with Whitfield U.S. his own label Whitfield Records in the mid 70s. 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. A Celebration of Dale's Life will be held on Monday, May 1st, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Briercrest Community Hall, Briercrest, SK. For the American cadet branch, see, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whitfield_family&oldid=1131765156, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 17:15. In His career, Norman Whitfield has achieved an Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Whitfield left Motown in 1975 to start his own Whitfield Records label, scoring his last greatest success with the band Rose Royce, which earned him a second Grammy for the Car Wash soundtrack, followed by several hits at the end of the decade. [3] He wrote or co-wrote 61 hits on the UK charts and 92 on the US charts.[4]. 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. Normans education details are not available at this time. Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was 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. In late 1962, Whitfield became part of the early boom era at Motown Records, joining the ranks of Harvey Fuqua, Mickey Stevenson, and the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. Whitfield died at age 67 from complications In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . Norman Dale Whitfield aged 69 years of Briercrest, SK, passed away on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023. 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. Motown sound. Before Fame He told later interviewers that his family had settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. In an interview with David Ritz for Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye (Da Capo, 1991), Mr. Whitfield recalled the deep influence of the new, hard-driving funk of Sly Stone, and how he tried to bring something of Mr. Stones sound to his work at Motown. Motown included such songs as Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy," "Too Many Ian McCann. They were too young to see action in World War II and too old to participate in the fun of the Summer of Love. 1974 Norman produced numerous enormously successful records for the The family derives its name from the old English hwit-feld, meaning open white lands. [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". February 21, 2023. At age 18 he wrote and produced songs for Detroit's Thelma Records. The group hit right out of the box with another Whitfield song that managed to capture its time and place, "Smiling Faces Sometimes," which became a number three hit in 1971. Among Mr. Whitfields other hits were Papa Was a Rollin Stone, written with Mr. Strong. [1] The Undisputed Truth scored their second biggest hit in 1976 with the disco song "You + Me = Love", their first single on Whitfield Records. Background [ edit] 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. . "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," In the mid-1970s, Mr. Whitfield left Motown to start his own label, Whitfield Records. On 5-12-1940, Norman Whitfield was born. The song also became one of the most valuable copyrights owned by Motown, as it was covered by hundreds of artists, most notably Creedence Clearwater Revival, both on an edited single, and as an epic-length jam on their perennially popular LP Cosmo's Factory. Whitfield enjoyed some success as a composer with "Too Many Fish in the Sea" by the Marvelettes, and "Needle in a Haystack" by the Velvettes, but it was his drive and his vision as a producer that allowed him to take over the helm of the Temptations' records. He took over Smokey Robinson's role as the main producer for the Temptations in 1966, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"[2] performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the pop charts. 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. Revealed hidden truth about 'Storage Wars' star Da Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, Songwriter, Record producer, Film Score Composer, Johnnie Whitfield, Norman Whitfield, Irasha Whitfield, Roland Whitfield, Michael Whitfield, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. songs would or would not be released as singles. Home; Trees; Search; DNA; Explore; . 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. Those with Life Path Number 22 are natural leaders. Moreover, Whitfield was a major instrumental figure in the late 60s psychedelic soul sub-genre. Mini Bio (1) Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. 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. NORMAN WHITFIELD OBITUARY Norman Albert Whitfield SANDY RUN -Norman Albert Whitfield, 87, of Sandy Run passed away on April 2, 2015 at Lexington Medical Center. [1], During his 25-year career, Whitfield co-wrote and produced many enduring hits for Motown artists, including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg",[2] "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "War", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". It was 1973 and The Temptations thought (perhaps hoped) they were at a . One is hard-pressed to find anything less than 100 percent enthusiasm from the Temptations, especially on "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," but while their performance of "Masterpiece" is energetic (and the song receives a rousing roar at start and finish from the crowd), it's also abbreviated and pushes the vocalists to the fore, and doesn't even attempt to emulate Whitfield's elaborate studio approach. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 12 May. Norman Whitfield had an international smash hit in 1976 with Rose Royce's "Car Wash", issued on MCA Records. "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 was born on May 12, 1940 (age 68) in New York City, New York, United States. 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. Following the end of the war, it was the start of the Baby Boomer years and technology advancements such as the jet engine, nuclear fusion, radar, rocket technology and others later became the starting points for Space Exploration and Improved Air Travel. Norman Whitfield. The Whitfield family was a landowning Norman family in present-day United Kingdom; the family was seated at Whitfield Hall in Northumberland. He is not dating anyone. He married Mildred Manning. He is from USA. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. 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. However, his real breakthrough came in 1966 when Whitfield became the main producer for The Temptations music group. [2] Their younger son Henry Whitfield, born about 1591, was a founder of Guilford, Connecticut in the American colonies where he built the Henry Whitfield House, the oldest stone house in New England and Connecticut.[3]. Venus is the planet of love, harmony, money and possessions. Gordy finally came to appreciate Whitfield's persistence as an attribute they shared, and put him in charge of "quality control" -- he would listen to blank label copies of the company's latest finished sides and critique them without knowing who was on or behind them, boil his observations down to a numerical score, and give the results to Gordy to think about. In 1975 he split with Motown and founded his own record label Whitfield Records. New York-born music legend Norman Whitfield came to Detroit by chance his father's car broke down there. [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. 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. moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late of diabetes on September 16, 2008 in Lake Tahoe, California. Here is the first-ever compilation dedicated to the distinctive and influential productions of Norman Whitfield. According to our Database, He has no children. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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?"
