Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. [28] From 1990 to 1992, she was married to director Brian Gibson, with whom she had a daughter, Grace. [1] The Undisputed Truth scored their second biggest hit in 1976 with the disco song "You + Me = Love", their first single on Whitfield Records. His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. Age, Height, Husband, Net Wor What is Jo Anne Worley doing now? 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." After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his family in his late teens, he matriculated from Northwestern High School. This memorial website was created in memory of Robert M Whitfield, 78, born on December 30, 1926 and passed away on March 2, 2005. Facebook. 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. Now Wright is sharing the story of having been reunited . In the meantime, he became an admirer of Berry Gordy as the latter emerged as the most promising new music entrepreneur in Detroit. THE WORKS OF WHITFIELD, AND THE PROMISE OF A DOCUMENTARY. At 19, Whitfield began frequenting Motown's Hitsville USA offices for a chance to work for the growing label. He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". 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. Wynk Music brings to you Ooh Boy MP3 song from the movie/album 100 Greatest Soul. Norman was raised in Harlem where he spent the majority of his spare time in pool halls. Story highlights. 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 net worth: Norman Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer who had a net worth of $10 million. He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. [3] After a highly publicized casting call, Whitfield was chosen over hundreds of women. He started there as a tambourine player; known for his keen ear, he was eventually put in charge of quality control by the labels founder, Berry Gordy Jr. 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". 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. Lynn Whitfield (ne Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. 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. Norman Whitfield. 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. Her first husband, from 1974 to 1978, was Vantile Whitfield. [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. CNN . 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. General Info Family Whitfield's rise was down to a cocktail of talent, ego, luck and, most of all, persistence. "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. All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. He is credited as being one of the creators of the "Motown Sound," and instrumental in the development of psychedelic soul. 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. [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. He was a fast learner, too -- at 18, he'd written and produced at Detroit's Thelma Records, including sides by Richard Street (future member of the Temptations), and played as a member of the Distants, the precursors to the latter group; he'd also played tambourine with the band Popcorn and the Mohawks on some Thelma sides backing the Distants. 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 . It absolutely called upon everything I thought I could do at that point. Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Tallahassee, Florida. His death was announced Sunday on social media by the Motown Museum, which did not immediately provide further details. A lot more than that, nevertheless, Whitfield and his personal travel became a significant area of the mental dynamic . - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. 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. Alongside his Motown lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong, he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. 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. 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. 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. The following year, Gordy finally succumbed and Gaye's version was even bigger. [11] In 1997, she co-starred opposite Danny Glover and Rosanna Arquette in the comedy film Gone Fishin', appeared in the supporting role in the Canadian drama The Planet of Junior Brown, and played the mother of Jurnee Smollett's title character in the critically acclaimed independent drama Eve's Bayou. "[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. July 15, 2022 11:34 AM EDT. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. Net Jung Seung Hwan - Age, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Morena Baccarin's Wiki, Husband, Net Worth, Measur 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. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . 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). Shere Whitfield Shares a Gorgeous Photo of Her Daughter Kaleigh: "All Grown Up" "So proud of the young lady you are becoming," the RHOA cast member wrote in a recent post honoring her. Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. Norman Whitfield - Psychedelic Soul (Produced By Norman Whitfield) More images Tracklist Hide Credits Companies, etc. 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. The HBO biopic required her to age from 18 to 68. He wound up in Detroit when his father's car broke down on the way back from his grandmother's funeral in California and the family settled in. 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. Norman Whitfield was born on May 12, 1940 (age 67) in New York City, New York, United States. The cause was heart and kidney failure resulting from diabetes, his daughter, Irasha Whitfield, said. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. 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 Photos by Larry Parham. 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. 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. He was 81. 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. 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. In 1975 he split with Motown and founded his own record label Whitfield Records. Until yesterday I was still holding out the slenderest hope of somehow securing an interview with Norman Whitfield, the reclusive . 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). Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. Who is Teesha Renee? In his memoir To Be Loved, Motown founder Berry Gordy remembers the young Whitfield as a tall, shy man who earned a living in his teens as a hotshot pool player. 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). For all his renown as a composer, Mr. Whitfield was even more prominent as a producer and arranger. (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). Beloved brother to Keith, Sheila, Derek and the late . [20][21] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins. Home; Trees; . "His will to live was so. In this regard, Whitfield's approach to music resembled that of the record producers of what was, by then, a bygone era. 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. 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. Mini Bio (1) Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. 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. On December 22, 1945 she was married to Norman L. Britten who preceded her in death on November 1, 1995. Gordy refused to release versions of I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the Miracles, the Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. When Whitfield wasn't producing the albums himself, Frank Wilson, using techniques and approaches he'd learned from Whitfield, was in charge. 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. 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. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! 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. "Even as his body began to fail him, his mind was so strong," she said. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. It soon became clear to Gordy that Whitfield's talents extended to arranging and production, and it was in the latter capacity that he came to prominence at the label. Whitfield also starred in a number of movies in the 2000s and 2010s. Whitfield wrote or co-wrote more than 60 hits on the UK charts and 90 on the US charts. Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? Norman Whitfield Beckford, aged 97, of Hill Street, Seven Hills Estates and formerly of Matthew Town, Inagua, died at his daughter's residence on Sunday, December 12 th, 2021.. 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. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. She co-starred in the Chris Rock comedy film Head of State (2003) and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006). Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. [5][29], A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, Learn how and when to remove this template message, for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special, Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special, Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, "Lynn Whitfield Facts, information, pictures - Encyclopedia.com articles about Lynn Whitfield", "What Becomes a Legend Most? She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. 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. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York in May 1940 and passed away . 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. High School Dropout Berry Gordy Turned An $800 Loan Into Motown Records And A $400 Million Fortune. Her love of movies was shared by her maternal grandmother, Estelle Devall Butler, who exposed her to them. . 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. He also changed the main subjects of his lyrics, from love to social issues such as politics, war and poverty. In 2004, Mr. Whitfield was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. "Where words leave off, music begins!". War actually sounds like war; Ball of Confusion is indeed a ball of confusion. She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. His father, Friendly Womack, spotted Bobby's talent on the guitar at an early age, and Bobby was only William Warren Lange. Auxiliary Post 5319. Despite Gordy's reservations over its perceived pro-drug message, it changed Motown overnight. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. He worked with The Temptations as a producer and songwriter and produced eight of their albums. 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 . 1 - 49 of 49 Total. 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 caught the psychedelic thing. 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. 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. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/norman-whitfield-mn0000957729. 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". 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. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. Is she dead? He was 67. Associated With He wrote and produced songs for several legendary artists, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. Childhood. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK 2,527 views Aug 29, 2019 One of the great composer of MOTOWN. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. 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. His daughter, CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield, recalls the lessons he taught his . 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. Date (s): Feb 09. It is certain that these achievements helped Whitfield to further increase his wealth. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. The company had started the '70s in exceptional financial health, the world at its feet and the sky seemingly the limit, but by the middle of the decade it had taken huge losses, not only on some recordings, but more tellingly on several dubious film-related projects that truly crippled their bottom line.