Episode Details
Back to EpisodesShelley's Plumbline: The Last Interview with Eddie Kendricks
Description
Shelley's Life in Music
Today we’ll begin an exploration of Shelley’s fascinating life in the music world. Over the course of his career, Shelley worked with many major names in music, such as Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and The Temptations. And he became fast friends with musical giants such as Bobby "Blue" Bland, Otis Redding, and Isaac Hayes.
Today we’ll hear a clip of his interview with Eddie Kendricks, a lead singer with The Temptations. The interview traces the evolution of The Temptations, and discusses the surprising strategies of Barry Gordy and Motown Records and how they would manage the careers of groups, giving hit songs to certain groups to increase their popularity and accelerate their careers.
Eddie also talks about his youth on the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, and how his life very nearly went in another, darker direction.
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