Salli Richardson-Whitfield and daughter Parker during Golden Globe Gifting Suite - Boom Boom Room at Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA, United States. Norman Whitfield - Wikipedia In 2004, Norman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. [23] The series ended in 2020 after five seasons and 60 episodes. [3] He wrote or co-wrote 61 hits on the UK charts and 92 on the US charts.[4]. She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. 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. 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. This engagement provided the basis for Norman Whitfields net worth and also helped him to set his foot in the world of songwriting. Jason, Scott, Shelly, Wanda,Taylor & Brad Stone. 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). He is credited as being one of the creators of the "Motown Sound," and instrumental in the development of psychedelic soul. Story highlights. Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Sly was definitely sly, and his sound was new, his grooves were incredible, he borrowed a lot from rock. Album by Larry Parham. It is certain that these achievements helped Whitfield to further increase his wealth. Norman Whitfield | Pop and rock | The Guardian CNN . Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. Ball Of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - The Temptations. - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The dawn of the '70s and the success of albums such as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and Stevie Wonder's Innervisions saw the company enter a last, great flowering in its recordings. . Date (s): Feb 09. 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. Mastered At - Sound Mastering Ltd Designed At - the-unknown.co.uk Marketed By - Ace Distributed By - Ace Credits Her accounts mostly post personal photos, behind the scenes footage, and promotions of her projects. His interest in R&B dates from his mid-teens, and it was not long after that the New York-born Whitfield found himself stranded in Detroit, when his father's car broke down while on the way back from a relative's funeral in California. His songwriting career began in the early 1960s when he was included in co-writing The Marvelettes hit single Too Many Fish in the Sea, Marvin Gayes Pride & Joy and later Needle in a Haystack written for The Velvelettes. That year he left Motown to set up Whitfield Records but his only subsequent major success was Rose Royce, who released the likes of Car Wash and Wishing on a Star, and he retired from music in the early 80s. Despite Gordy's reservations over its perceived pro-drug message, it changed Motown overnight. 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). [15] She also had a recurring role on Hit the Floor[16] and appeared as the abusive mother of April (Rochelle Aytes) on Mistresses. 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. Barrett Strong, Motown artist known for 'Money,' dies at 81 Photos by Larry Parham. He then started his own label, Whitfield Records, in 1975, which yielded the Rose Royce hit "Car Wash". 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 a long bout with diabetes and subsequent health issues, Whitfield died in Los Angeles, CA, on September 16, 2008, at age 65. From 1966 to 1974, Whitfield produced virtually all of the Temptations' music, experimenting with sound effects and other production techniques. When Motown moved to. 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. I'll be doing something similar tonight. "Even as his body began to fail him, his mind was so strong," she said. Norman Whitfield: Songwriter and producer who added a political edge He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $25,000 fine and spend the next six months in house confinement. Mr. Whitfields songs were recorded by a string of Motown luminaries, who besides Mr. Gaye included the Temptations and the Jackson Five. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get it On" (1973) - Written . Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (ne Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer who wrote the musicals, The Supper and The Wake. [9][10] At the time of filming, Lawrence was 12 years younger than Whitfield, who was then 42. The HBO biopic required her to age from 18 to 68. Whitfield's rise was down to a cocktail of talent, ego, luck and, most of all, persistence. Lisa Wright always knew she was adopted, but had no idea her biological mother was a star on one of her favorite television shows. Buy Meta Added by Bastien Works 87 Discussions 1 All 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. Auxiliary Post 5319. Meet Lynn Whitfield & Brian Gibson's Daughter Grace - AmoMama February 28, 2023 (76 years old) View obituary. Lynn Whitfield - Wikipedia SOLUTIONS. 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. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem on May 12, 1940. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. The single's instrumental B-side earned Whitfield and arranger Paul Riser a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. 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. He produced soul group Masterpiece in 1980. Norman Whitfield had an international smash hit in 1976 with Rose Royce's "Car Wash", issued on MCA Records. We will remember him forever. 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. Whitfield has been credited with helping create the Motown Sound and helping the development of the subgenre psychedelic soul. The cause was heart and kidney failure resulting from diabetes, his daughter, Irasha Whitfield, said. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. 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. In his late teens his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her husband's chain of drug stores, and Norman began attending Northwestern High School. He was 67. 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. 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. 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. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. High School Dropout Berry Gordy Turned An $800 Loan Into Motown Records And A $400 Million Fortune. When it comes to his personal life, Norman Whitfield managed to keep it private he had five children but details of their mother(s) is lacking. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. [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". Whitfield achieved wide recognition in the title role of The Josephine Baker Story (1991), portraying the American who became a Folies Bergre star, a French Resistance fighter during World War II, and a civil rights activist. [28] From 1990 to 1992, she was married to director Brian Gibson, with whom she had a daughter, Grace. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK - YouTube Facebook. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Rolling Stones. .more .more 57 Dislike Share Save Alain Robert 12.3K subscribers Subscribe Comments 6 Add a. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . 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. The second thought was regret: that there has been . In the 2000s, Whitfield had many supporting roles on television and in films. New York-born music legend Norman Whitfield came to Detroit by chance. . Robert M Whitfield (1926-2005) *78, Grave #59173735 - Sysoon According to sources, it is estimated that the total amount of Norman Whitfields net worth, as of early 2017, would exceed the sum of $10 million, acquired by his prosperous career in the music industry which spanned almost 50 years. Undeterred,Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's best-selling single to date. Norman Whitfield Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. Obituary for Irasha Graham Whitefield Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? Leonard Levi Whitfield (1932-2021) - Memorial Find a Grave Birth name. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. 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. When a notification about first-round voting in the 2021 Grammys slipped into my digital letterbox the other day, the initial thought which came to mind was of Motown's first such honour - for 1968's "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations - and the man behind it, Norman Whitfield.. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. Some of his first projects included releasing The Undisputed Truths hit single You + Me = Love. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. [20][21] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins. 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. [1] "[6] The New York Times added that Whitfield "powerfully captures her [Baker's] passionate determination. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy film Doctor Detroit (1983), playing the supporting role of Thelma Cleland. 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. Required fields are marked *. The Temptations' version earned a second Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Whitfield and the Temptations, and Whitfield and Strong shared the songwriters' award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. 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. She was preceded in death by her father; grandparents, Julius and Annie Graham, William and Gertrude Whitfield; and 3 aunts. 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. 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. Phonographic Copyright - Ace Records Ltd. 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. Thu 18 Sep 2008 09.15 EDT. Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? Whitfield's big chance came when Holland-Dozier-Holland stormed out of Motown in early 1968 in a row over profit-sharing. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield was an Olympic medalist, Tuskegee airman and longtime U.S. diplomat. Award-Winning Songwriter/Producer Norman Whitfield Dead at 68 The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million. Motown Final Flashcards | Quizlet Funeral Home website by. General Info Family Norman Whitfield - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges Whitfield and lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Norman Whitfield. The song itself may have said more than it meant to about the time in which it was written, recorded, and released, with a slow tempo and an ominous mood. [1] He found a songwriting collaborator in lyricist Barrett Strong, the performer on Motown's first hit record, "Money (That's What I Want)", and wrote material for the Temptations and other Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, both of whom recorded Whitfield-produced hit versions of the Whitfield/Strong composition "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". In the early 1980s, Whitfield began working as a producer for Motown again, helming the Temptations' 1983 hit single "Sail Away" and the soundtrack to The Last Dragon.[1]. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. [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. Songfacts - Songs written by Norman Whitfield 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. writer: "Too Many Fish in the Sea" - as Norman Whitfield Jr. writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What The World Is Today" 1970 - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "Back Again" - as Norman Jesse Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me" - as W. Norman, writer: "I Can't Get Next To You" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" - as Norman J. Whitfield, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through The Grape Vine", Video Game writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Video Game as Norman J. Whitfield, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", Documentary writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me", "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "I heard it through the grapevine", "I heard it through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" 1964 - as Norman J. Whitfield, as Norman J. Whitfield, "CLOUD NINE", "I WISH IT WOULD RAIN", "TAKE A LOOK AROUND", "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE", "SMILING FACES SOMETIMES", TV Movie documentary writer: "Needle in a Haystack", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" 1969 - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Wanna Get Next to You" - as Norman Jesse Whitfield, music: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me", Documentary writer: "Holler If Ya' Hear Me", writer: "Pride and Joy" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Party at the Palace: The Queen's Concerts, Buckingham Palace, TV Movie documentary writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Documentary as Norman J. Whitfield, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "Girl Why You Wanna Make Me Blue", "Ball Of Confusion That's What The World Is Today", "Pride And Joy", writer: "Anything For You Divine Mill Film Re-Mix" - as Norman J. Whitfield, TV Series 1 episode, 1977 writer - 3 episodes, 1977 - 2000, writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Superstar Remember How You Got Where You Are", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Car Wash The Pop Rox Car Jack Remix", TV Movie writer: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", "Smiling Faces Sometimes" - uncredited, writer: "Too Many Fish in the Sea" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: - as N. Whitfield / writer: "Luv Me, Luv Me", TV Movie writer: "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Car Wash" - uncredited, TV Series writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.