Motown

Norman Whitfield - One of Motown's most innovative producer/writers is gone

From the first time I heard The Temptation's classic, "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", in it's full length album version, I knew that I was hearing something unique. Layers of rhythm, horns, strings and vocals swirling in haunting echoes punched in and out of the mix to create a purely spacial dramatic Funk. I was stunned. I had nothing to compare it to. It was on their follow-up track, the 14 minute epic, "Masterpiece, that I was further blown away by Norman's mastery at the mixing board and his lyrics that slapped me across the face with naked honesty.
Sheer artistic genius. A man of limitless "vision" in spectral sound.
No single producer got more Funk out of the Funk Brothers than Norman.
Mr. Whitfield's contributions as a songwriter/producer included collaborations with Marvin Gaye on, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Edwin Starr's, "War" as well as The Temptation's, "Can't Get Next To You", "Cloud Nine", "Ball Of Confusion", "Just My Imagination", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "Runaway Child, Running Wild", one killer 8 minute version of "Friendship Train" (also a hit for Gladys Knight and The Pips) and that great Undisputed Truth track, "Smiling Faces Sometimes". A few years later, he scored big with the soundtrack to "Car Wash".
Norman Whitfield's influence can never be fully measured and he deserves the highest praise for his contributions to modern music.
He was 68 and died of complications from diabetes. From the first time I heard The Temptation's classic, "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", in it's full length album v... more

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