The Funk Brothers
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972.
Its members are considered among the most successful groups of studio musicians in music history. Among their hits are "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", " I Was Made to Love Her", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and "Heat Wave". Some combination of the members played on each of Motown's 100-plus U.S. R&B number one singles and 50-plus U.S. Pop number ones released from 1961 to 1972.
There is no undisputed list of the members of the group. Some writers have claimed that virtually every musician who ever played on a Motown track was a "Funk Brother". There are 13 Funk Brothers identified in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Allan Slutsky's book of the same name. These 13 members were identified by NARAS for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and were recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Selected list of hit songs on which the Funk Brothers played
- (Tamla) Motown
- "Money" – Barrett Strong
- "Please Mr. Postman" – The Marvelettes
- "Fingertips Pt. 2" – Stevie Wonder
- "The Girl's Alright with Me" - The Temptations
- "My Guy" – Mary Wells
- "Come and Get These Memories - Martha and the Vandellas
- "Where Did Our Love Go" – The Supremes
- "Baby I Need Your Loving" - The Four Tops
- "Baby Love" – The Supremes
- "Come See About Me" – The Supremes
- "My Girl" – The Temptations
- "Stop! In the Name of Love" – The Supremes
- "Back in My Arms Again" – The Supremes
- "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" – The Four Tops
- "I Hear a Symphony" – The Supremes
- "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" - The Supremes
- "You Can't Hurry Love" – The Supremes
- "Reach Out I'll Be There" – The Four Tops
- "You Keep Me Hangin' On" – The Supremes
- "Forever Came Today" – The Supremes
- "Love Child" – Diana Ross and the Supremes
- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Marvin Gaye
- "I Can't Get Next to You" – The Temptations
- "Someday We'll Be Together" – Diana Ross and the Supremes
- "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – Diana Ross
- "The Tears of a Clown" – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
- "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" – The Temptations
- "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" – The Temptations
- "Let's Get It On" – Marvin Gaye
- "You Sure Love to Ball" - Marvin Gaye
- "Come Get to This" - Marvin Gaye
- "Just a Little Misunderstanding" – The Contours
- "Shop Around" – The Miracles
- "Shotgun" – Junior Walker & the All Stars
- "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" – Marvin Gaye
- "The One Who Really Loves You" – Mary Wells
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" – The Temptations
- "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
- "(I'm a) Road Runner" – Junior Walker & the All Stars
- "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" – The Temptations
- "I Wish It Would Rain" – The Temptations
- "The Happening" - The Supremes
- "Reflections" – Diana Ross & the Supremes
- "That's the Way Love Is" - Marvin Gaye
- "Heat Wave" – Martha & the Vandellas
- "Hitch Hike" – Marvin Gaye
- "Way Over There" – The Miracles
- "Who's Lovin' You" – The Jackson 5
- "What's So Good About Goodbye" – The Miracles
- "I Was Made to Love Her" – Stevie Wonder
- "It's the Same Old Song" – The Four Tops
- "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" – The Miracles
- "Standing in the Shadows of Love" – The Four Tops
- "If I Were Your Woman" – Gladys Knight & the Pips
- "I'm Livin' in Shame - The Supremes
- "Going to a Go-Go" – The Miracles
- "Heaven Must Have Sent You" – The Elgins
- "Dancing in the Street" – Martha & the Vandellas
- "Runaway Child, Running Wild" - The Temptations
- "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" – Marvin Gaye
- "All I Need" - The Temptations
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" – Marvin Gaye
- "Cloud Nine" – The Temptations
- "What's Goin' On" – Marvin Gaye
- "Do You Love Me" – The Contours
- "Get Ready" – The Temptations
- "Function at the Junction" – Shorty Long
- "My World Is Empty Without You" – The Supremes
- "The Tracks of My Tears" – The Miracles
- "Can I Get a Witness" – Marvin Gaye
- "Nowhere to Run" – Martha & the Vandellas
- "Here Comes the Judge" – Shorty Long
- "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" – Stevie Wonder
- "Beechwood 4-5789" – The Marvelettes
- "Bernadette" – The Four Tops
- "Two Lovers" – Mary Wells
- "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" – Jimmy Ruffin
- "My Cherie Amour" – Stevie Wonder
- "I Second That Emotion" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
- "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – The Temptations
- "First I Look at the Purse" – The Contours
- "Ooo Baby Baby" – The Miracles
- "25 Miles" – Edwin Starr
- "I'll Be Doggone" – Marvin Gaye
- "Pride and Joy" – Marvin Gaye
- "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" – The Temptations
- "It Takes Two" – Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
- "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" – The Isley Brothers
- "Uptight" – Stevie Wonder
- "Devil with a Blue Dress On" – Shorty Long
- "Jimmy Mack" – Martha & the Vandellas
- "Since I Lost My Baby" – The Temptations
- "War" – Edwin Starr
- "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" – Marvin Gaye
- "Don't Mess with Bill" – The Marvelettes
- "You Beat Me to the Punch" – Mary Wells
- "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" – The Four Tops
- "Walk Away Renée" – The Four Tops
- "Mickey's Monkey" – The Miracles
- "Ain't That Peculiar" – Marvin Gaye
- "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" – Stevie Wonder
- Other labels
- "Cool Jerk" – The Capitols (Atlantic)
- "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" – Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)
- "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" – Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)
- "Bad Girl" – The Miracles (Chess)
- "Band of Gold" – Freda Payne (Invictus)
- "Crumbs off the Table" – Glass House (Invictus)
- "Give Me Just a Little More Time" – Chairmen of the Board (Invictus)
- "Someone's Been Sleeping in My Bed" – 100 Proof (Aged in Soul) (Hot Wax)
- "Boom Boom" – John Lee Hooker (Vee-Jay)