R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6728

New Year's Day on BBC 2.

In 1965, some of Motown’s brightest new stars, including The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, arrived in London for a tour that would change the face of British music history.

At that time, pop music fans in the UK were unlikely to hear black music on mainstream radio, and names like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson still meant nothing to most British people.

But thousands of miles away from where these exciting new sounds were being recorded in Detroit, a small group of dedicated British music fans had stumbled across the songs and began championing its artists.

This is the story of how, by doing so, they paved the way for the first Motown tour of Britain, changing the country’s popular culture forever and helping propel the Motown artists to international stardom.

If memory serves Helen was lucky enough to see this tour?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gqgp

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19218 Location: Cheshire

Oh Becky yes I did! Spring 1965 and I'd not seen that it was going to be on again so thank you for the reminder.

I don't think I realised how lucky I was even though I was a big fan of them all back then. I can visualise them even now, something I put down to VCRs not being available and you never knew if you would see any recordings of show again! It was very poorly supported, in Newcastle anyway, with the City Hall being half empty.

I'm not sure how I heard Motown thinking back especially back in the early days. Pirate radio wasn't picked up very well in the NE, even Radio Scotland wasn't very clear. It must have been Luxemburg thinking back or perhaps some of the specialist programmes on the old Light Programme featured a few. Once heard you never forgot and I had a little tape recorder back then too!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6728

Thoroughly enjoyed this - must have brought back lots of lovely memories for you,Helen.

I'm not sure where I first heard Motown but remember My Guy from Mary Wells being played all of the time (and loving it)

Luxembourg was the first station that I remember listening to for pop music. The Top Twenty on a Sunday evening and the American Top Ten/Twenty on a Friday evening.

Once Caroline started in my area I don't remember any problems receiving it.

Also thoroughly enjoyed the Lamont Dozier programme

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19218 Location: Cheshire

Oh yes so many memories Becky!

The first time I heard Caroline was when we were at Blackpool staying with Mum's cousin who lived South Shore, I also remember being so upset that you couldn't get any reception when we got back to Newcastle!

I remember Mary Wells' 'My Guy' which of course was a hit so probably heard it on the Pick Of The Pops. My friend had a brother whose name was Mike and their surname was Guy so he always sang his name to the title! I remember 'Heatwave' which came out the previous year and I think that was probably the first track that I loved.

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005