The Velvelettes - The Very Best Of
The group was founded in 1961 by sisters Carolyn and Millie Gill with cousins Bertha Barbee-McNeal and Norma Barbee (both from Flint, Michigan) on the Western Michigan University campus, where they were students. Carolyn's friend Betty Kelly was also an original member. The group signed to Motown Records, but were not given top priority, as other female vocal groups were attracting audiences and recording hits. They recorded with Motown during 1963 although none of the material was released by Motown during that year. However, Motown allowed two of the recorded tracks There He Goes and That's The Reason Why produced by William Stevenson to be leased to the IPG label (Independent Producers Group) as as single. The Velvelettes got their break in 1964 thanks to young producer Norman Whitfield, who produced Needle In A Haystack as a single for the group, on Motown's VIP subsidiary. "Needle In A Haystack" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1964. The group recorded its follow-up, He Was Really Sayin' Somethin, with Whitfield again producing, and spent time on various Motown-sponsored tours as an opening act.
Motown became apprehensive about the group's potential, and wary of the expense of the recordings. Not wanting to let good time and money go to waste, the label released two additional singles, Lonely Lonely Girl Am I and A Bird In The Hand, as the group endured several line-up changes. Both singles flopped, and Motown cancelled the scheduled release of the group's eponymous debut album.
The Velvelettes returned to recording backing vocals, and occasionally were able to record new material for themselves. The last Velvelettes recordings included These Things Will Keep Me Loving You, which became their last American single. It dented the R&B charts, and the group gradually split apart. Betty Kelley, an original Velvelette, and Sandra Tilley, a newer member of the group, transferred to Martha & The Vandellas, replacing older members of that group. Lead singer Carolyn "Cal" Gill married future Temptation Richard Street in November 1969, and The Velvelettes officially broke up in early to mid 1970.
02 Lonely Lonely Girl Am I
03 Since You've Been Loving Me
04 There He Goes
05 That's the Reason Why
06 I Know His Name (Only His Name)
07 Should I Tell Them
08 Throw a Farewell Kiss
09 These Things Will Keep Me Loving You
10 I'm the Exception to the Rule
11 Needle in a Haystack
12 Bird in the Hand (Is Worth Two in the Bush)
13 Let Love Live (A Little Bit Longer) - Previously unissued
14 I'm So Glad It's Twilight Time - Previously unissued
15 Think of the Times - Previously unissued
16 "Hidden" Bonus track: Season's Greetings from Motown
The Velvelettes - The Very Best Of
