Martha Reeves & The Vandellas "Anthology" 2 X LP (1974)
Details: Lovely condition Martha & The Vandellas "Anthology" (1974) 2-record set. Light wear on records, gatefold is in fantastic condition with very little wear, also. Pitman pressing.
Description: "...in 1993, this two-record set was the ultimate Martha Reeves & The Vandellas set. It's still worth hearing, as it contains all the essential hits from their early-'60s run..."--AllMusic
"Motown's brightest female star after Diana Ross, Martha Reeves was the earthy, gospel-infused counterpart to her rival Ross' uptown sophistication. With her backing group, the Vandellas, Reeves cut some of the brightest, most infectiously danceable R&B of her time. Unfortunately, she didn't fare as well after leaving Motown for a solo career in the '70s, and although she continued to perform for quite sometime, it was mostly on the oldies circuit, looking back over her past glories.
Reeves was born in Eufaula, AL, on July 18, 1941, and before she was even a year old, her family moved to Detroit. As a child, she sang in her grandfather's church and in school, and continued her vocal training through high school. After graduating in 1959, she joined a girl group called the Fascinations, and the following year co-founded the Del-Phis, whose membership included the future Vandellas. They cut a flop single for a Chess subsidiary in 1961; the same year, Reeves won a talent contest as a solo act and got a nightclub engagement performing as Martha LaVaille. There she was noticed by Motown exec William "Mickey" Stevenson, who invited her to stop by the label's offices. Reeves wasn't able to land an audition right away but did parlay her visit into a secretarial job in the A&R department. She caught a lucky break when backup singers were needed for a recording session as quickly as possible, and so the Del-Phis wound up supporting Marvin Gaye on his first hit, 1962's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow." Stevenson was impressed enough to record a Del-Phis (renamed the Vels) single, "You'll Never Cherish a Love So True ('Til You Lose It)," and released it on Motown's Mel-O-Dy subsidiary. One day, Mary Wells failed to show up for a recording session, and musicians' union rules demanded that a lead vocalist be present on the mic -- so secretary Reeves was hastily tapped to sing "I'll Have to Let Him Go." That song went on to become the first single credited to the newly renamed Martha & the Vandellas in 1963; their second single, the ballad "Come and Get These Memories," reached the R&B Top Five.
The rest, of course, was history. Martha & the Vandellas racked up an impressive slate of Motown classics that included the Top Five smashes "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" and "Dancing in the Street," plus "Nowhere to Run," "I'm Ready for Love," "Jimmy Mack," and "Honey Chile," all of which made the R&B Top Five. Despite the occasional personnel turnover, and the fact that rivals the Supremes had become Motown's female group of choice, Martha & the Vandellas' run of success continued through 1967."
Grade: VG+ (Records/Cover)
TRACK LISTING SIDE A:
A1. I'll Have To Let Him Go
A2. Come And Get These Memories
A3. Love Is Like A Heat Wave
A4. A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Every Day)
A5. Quicksand
A6. There He Is (At My Door)
TRACK LISTING SIDE B:
B1. Live Wire
B2. Dancing In The Street
B3. Wild One
B4. Nowhere To Run
B5. Motoring
B6. You've Been In Love Too Long
TRACK LISTING SIDE C:
C1. Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)
C2. My Baby Loves Me
C3. I'm Ready For Love
C4. Jimmy Mack
C5. Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone
C6. Honey Chile
C7. I Promise To Wait My Love
TRACK LISTING SIDE D:
D1. (We've Got) Honey Love
D2. I Gotta Let You Go
D3. Bless You
D4. In And Out Of My Life
D5. Benjamin
D6. Tear It On Down