I Remember Motown: When We Were Just Family

By Frances Maclin

The reason that I have chosen to write this book is to document the twenty-five years that I worked as Motowns tape library director and to recapture these memories that would otherwise be lost. This book is probably more for me than anyone else. However, I feel that any of my former Motown coworkers who read it will recapture many of their memories and perhaps go on to write their own personal book.

I would encourage those who purchase my book to read it as though they were having a conversation with me. It is not written as a novel but as an expression of my time spent at Motown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499084467

Frances Maclin

Motown fans are always interested in new material coming out about Motown. Due to my being a former employee, they will be excited to read about my experiences back in the former days.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Frances (Fran Heard) Maclin.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014918511

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4990-8445-0

                Softcover        978-1-4990-8447-4

                eBook             978-1-4990-8446-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/25/2014

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CONTENTS

Dedications

Acknowledgements

From the Author

We Were the Biggest Fans

1St Company Picnic

Stevie Never Met a New Door

We Were Bowling Champs

Weed Picking Party

Front Window Display

Mr. Edwards’ Campaign Ladies

I Won

Snowed In But Not Out

Going To Gwen’s House

Walking Home With The Temptations

Going To Church With Pops and Moms Gordy

The Night Pops and Moms Gordy Visited My Apartment

Spending Time With Moms Gordy

Fired and Rehired the Same Day

Battle Of the Stars

Shipping Department Gathering

Introduced to My Look-A-Like?

My One and Only Song

Who Is That Voice?

The Motown Kiss

The Sterling Ball

Hello Hollywood

Our 20TH Anniversary

In Remembrance Of Past Motown Members

Unsung Heroes

My Best Kept Secret

Inside Session Data

About the Author

DEDICATIONS

T his book is dedicated to all of the employees that I worked with during my Motown years.

Miss Ray, who without knowing it at the time that she hired me, was sent by God to give me a new lease on life.

Mr. Berry Gordy, the man with an awesome vision who allowed me to be just a small part of what was yet to come.

Rebecca Davidson, the woman who was the most awesome secretary to Mr. Gordy. I still marvel at her ability to handle the responsibilities that were heaped upon her.

Fay Hale, the woman with the biggest heart, and a strong loyalty to the company.

Brenda Boyce, Miss A&R plus.

Georgia Ward, my dear friend and co-worker, who has kept me posted on all of the news of Motown as the years have gone by.

Also, I had some very close relationships with many of the Motown artists; however, my dearest friendship was with Smokey Robinson. I shared some of my young childhood days with Smokey’s family and they became my family as we grew up on Belmont Street in Detroit. His sister Jerrie, his niece Sylvia, and his wonderful dad, Daddy Five, always welcomed me into their home. I probably was at their house more than my own house. Smokey and I were in the same music class in school. Even during our school days he had a voice that took notice, for it was very noticeable in the tenor section when he was not in class.

Smokey’s Motown group, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, was a very special group of people. The guys of the group were Bobby Rogers and Pete Warren Moore, who were like kinfolk to me, and Ronald White, whose memory I cherish and who will always have a special place in my heart.