Structural Info Facts Pictures Filmography Awards Known for movies 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. "[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. But Berry did not want to damage Temptations' image by blatant political statement. Whitfield wrote or co-wrote more than 60 hits on the UK charts and 90 on the US charts. Norman Whitfield was one of the architects of the Motown sound, from its early peak as a national label through its waning days of major chart success. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. 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. War actually sounds like war; Ball of Confusion is indeed a ball of confusion. My thing was to out-Sly Sly Stone, Mr. Whitfield said. Artist Norman Whitfield Real name Norman Jesse Whitfield Born May 12, 1940 Died September 16, 2008 Country United States IPI 00032841992 45 works 00063704487 74 works Affiliation BMI Comments Songwriter and producer credited as one of the creators of the Motown sound. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. My dad, Marvelous Mal | CNN Story highlights. Mrs. Estelle Whitfield, age 98, passed away November 23, 2020. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. Robert Dwayne Womack was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the third of five brothers. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. Norman Whitfield, renowned BMI songwriter, producer and arranger of many Motown Records hits, including "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," died September 16. His daughter, CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield, recalls the lessons he taught his . Mr. Whitfield joined Motown in the early 1960s, when he was not much more than 20. 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. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. Norman Whitfield Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic Psychedelic Soul - Produced By Norman Whitfield Various Artists (Producer Series) 13.12 Buy Now Free delivery in the UK Save item Genre: Modern Soul Label: Kent Format: CD Catalogue Id: CDTOP 504 Here is the first-ever compilation dedicated to the distinctive and influential productions of Norman Whitfield. Lynn Whitfield's Daughter Joins the Conversation - YouTube Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love, I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), (Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need, Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don't Say No), Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are), You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth, 2003-2023 Norman Whitfield: 16: Daughter: Sedonia Whitfield. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. Elgin Freeman. Required fields are marked *. 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. [25] She guest-starred as Shaunette Rene Wilson's mother, a famous Nigerian surgeon, on the Fox medical drama The Resident in 2019. [7]" Whitfield won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role, and said this gave her "the greatest sense of accomplishment and realization of my vision. [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. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. Songfacts - Songs written by Norman Whitfield Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? The family eventually relocated there, and Whitfield hustled pool and performed other marginal pursuits to survive, and also began watching and learning what was needed to work in music. 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. Norman Whitfield Whitfield was a native of Brooklyn, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. 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. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. 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. 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. Norman Whitfield in the 1940 Census | Ancestry 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. In 2004, Norman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. [1] The Undisputed Truth scored their second biggest hit in 1976 with the disco song "You + Me = Love", their first single on Whitfield Records. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. One of Whitfield's last major hits at Motown was Yvonne Fair's "It Should Have Been Me" (1975), a song he had written in 1963 and recorded originally with Kim Weston. His first act was the Undisputed Truth, whom he had convinced to leave Motown, followed by Rose Royce, Willie Hutch, Yvonne Fair, Nytro, Mammatapee and Junior Walker. 34 Parker Richardson Whitfield Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! The Car Wash soundtrack won Whitfield a Grammy Award for Best Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. 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. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy film Doctor Detroit (1983), playing the supporting role of Thelma Cleland. 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. 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. THE WORKS OF WHITFIELD, AND THE PROMISE OF A DOCUMENTARY. Songs written by Norman Whitfield. View Norman Whitfield's 1940 US census record to find family members, occupation details & more. 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. The song was first sung by the Temptations and then reproduced for Motown featuring Edwin Starr as the vocalist. Norman Whitfield - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays Norman studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. 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. On the cover of their last album together, 1973's Masterpiece, his own picture loomed larger than the band's. Motown's Barrett Strong heralded at funeral as music icon, family man His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. Norman Whitfield, 67: Motown songwriter | The Star Whitfield worked extensively with the Temptations as a producer and songwriter, producing eight of their albums between 1969 and 1973. Norman Whitfield - Biography - IMDb A demanding egotist in the studio, he worked the Temptations into the ground. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! She was a former member of McGuffey Road Church of Christ and was fond of music. Law', 'Cheers' Win Again", "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996)", "How to Get Away with Murder Postmortem: Boss Breaks Down Annalise's Motives and Killer Theories", "TV Casting News Roundup: New Roles for Rutina Wesley, Lyn - Shadow and Act", "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge & Desiree Ross Join 'Greenleaf' - Deadline", "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge and Desiree Ross Cast in - Shadow and Act", "5 Reasons to Watch Oprah Winfrey's New Series 'Greenleaf', "Lynn Whitfield Joins Sanaa Lathan In 'Nappily Ever After', The Retirement Plan: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Ashley Greene, Grace Byers, Rick Fox Among Cast For Action Pic, "Lynn Whitfield's Daughter, Grace Gibson, Covers Adeles' "Rumor Has It/Set Fire To The Rain", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lynn_Whitfield&oldid=1138033912, Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2, Episode: "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf", Episode: "Who Says It's Fair: Part 1 & 2", Episode: "All This and the Old School Tie", Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 & 4, Episode: "The Mother's-in-Law Episode" & "The Thanksgiving Episode", Episode: "Model Behavior" & "No News Is Bad News", Guest: Season 3, Recurring Cast: Season 4, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series, Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special, Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 17:45.