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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZJOHNSON, Marv(b 15 Oct. '38, Detroit; d 16 May '93, Columbia SC) Soul/R&B vocalist, on the first ever Motown record. After a teenage career in local vocal group The Serenaders, he was spotted by Berry Gordy singing on a float in a carnival. The first release (on UA, as Motown was initially only a production company) was his first hit, "Come To Me' (no. 30 '59). Eight more USA Hot 100 entries '59-61 incl. "I Love The Way You Love' and "You Got What It Takes' (both top 10) and "(You've Got To) Move Two Mountains' (no. 20). "You Got What It Takes' at no. 5 was his biggest hit in the UK. Although his hits previewed the Motown sound he faded from the charts, except for "I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)', which made top 40 on the soul chart '66 on the Gordy label; in '69 "I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose' was no. 10 in UK on Tamla Motown in UK (didn't chart in USA), whereupon "I Miss You' was released in the UK and reached the top 30. |