![]() ![]() In 1963, singing folk in New York City’s clubs, they signed to Columbia, cutting Wednesday Morning, 3AM, their spartan debut album. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel first hit at the age of 15 with the Everly Brothers-apeing “Hey Schoolgirl” – under the name of Tom & Jerry! Perhaps, thankfully, further releases bombed. The small dark-haired one wrote the songs, and the tall fair one supplied the stratospheric harmonies. Selected track: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967)Ĭlick to load video 4: Simon And Garfunkel He eventually tried one further microphone job share with Diana Ross, but his musical heart belonged to the lost Tammi. Their dozen hits started with 1967’s inspired “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and ended with the perfect 1969 pop of “The Onion Song.” Alas, Terrell fell seriously ill towards the end of their run, and her tragic death at the age of 24, from a brain tumor, upset Gaye so badly that he withdrew from public appearances for two years. Producer-writers Ashford & Simpson were also one of the top male-female vocal duos of the day, so knew what worked for Marvin and Tammi. Motown great Marvin had two musical foils, Mary Wells and Kim Weston, before he teamed with Tammi. ![]() However, some have chemistry: Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell are the perfect example of having what it takes to become one of the best vocal duos in history. Selected track: “Rainy Days And Mondays” (1971)Ĭlick to load video 3: Marvin Gaye And Tammi TerrellĪ lot of vocal duos are dreamed up in record company marketing departments as a way of stretching careers or to raise a duettist’s profile to that of their partner. Their albums sold millions – the compilation The Singles went seven times platinum in the US, and when Karen died, in 1983, pop lost a beloved talent. Critics who called them anodyne had tin ears: the fuzzbox guitar solo at the end of “Goodbye To Love” (1972) was a wild coda to a song of total despair. Theirs wasn’t music for the kids, so they signed to A&M, which specialized in sounds to soothe stressed adults.ġ970 saw their big breakthrough with “(They Long To Be) Close To You.” Its lush arrangement, laden with harmonies like cream on milky coffee, set the tone for “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days And Mondays” and numerous further hits. Intimacy was key to their sound: Richard miked Karen so closely, you could hear her every breath. But their contributions to rock, both mutually and separately, will never be forgotten.Karen Carpenter was their signature voice, her keyboard-caressing brother Richard had the production nous to illuminate her talent – and, though Carpenters may not initially be seen to sit among the best vocal duos, Richard sang well himself. Tina has understandably not wished to be associated with Ike for three decades, even forgoing their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ( Phil Spector accepted the award in her stead). ![]() Imagine "Proud Mary" without Tina's crackly whorl and Ike's baritone counter-melody? Hell, imagine the Rolling Stones' music if they had never toured with them? Ike & Tina's versatile interchange traversed genre like none before them – from folk and funk and country to deep soul, psych, and even musicals – while reinventing what a rock and roll performance could be via their onstage energy (and Tina's leg-power dances for days). It's a horrific legacy that clouds their decades of collaboration, which happen to be some of the most indelible American music ever. It's well-documented why these two were a toxic pairing – Ike's physical abuse was so extreme that when she finally broke it off in 1976, she hid out and bought a gun for protection, just in case. ![]()
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