Brenda Holloway: how Motown alienated its most powerful voice
A beacon of talent throughout its golden age, Motown Records produced an unparalleled number of now-iconic performers over the years. From the powerful tones of Diana Ross to the profound political exploration of Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy’s record label played host to some of the most important names to ever grace the US pop charts. With such an extensive range of talent, however, many of the label’s most skilled performers went overlooked by the Motown bosses, as in the case of Brenda Holloway.
Hailing from California, across the country from the sweet soulful sounds of Detroit, Holloway was a teenage prodigy. Cutting her teeth performing in church choirs during childhood, the vocalist entered the music industry at the age of 14, providing backing vocals for a deluge of West Coast R&B acts during the late 1950s and early 1960s. By the time she was 16, she was already gearing up to release her debut single, ‘Hey Fool’, gaining notoriety for the unparalleled power of her performances.
It was in 1963 that Holloway first crossed paths with Motown boss Berry Gordy, shortly after her high school graduation. After lip-syncing along to a Mary Wells track, ‘You Beat Me to the Punch’, the 17-year-old singer was officially signed to the Motown Records subsidiary, Tamla, making her the label’s very first West Coast signing. However, the relationship between the artist and the label was rarely harmonious.
When she signed up, Holloway was given the option to move to Detroit or to stay in Los Angeles, but, after choosing the latter option, the vocalist found herself somewhat ostracised from the rest of the label. Without the opportunity to hang around the halls of Hitsville USA, Holloway was isolated from the rest of the Motown roster. Nevertheless, she managed to produce a few notable hits for Tamla, including the top 20 single ‘Every Little Bit Hurts’, and the Smokey Robinson-penned ‘When I’m Gone’, which was originally intended for Mary Wells.
Wells had left the label in the midst of a contract dispute, and Holloway was among the vocalists who looked set to take her place within the Motown roster. The singer, however, had different ideas. She wanted to write and record her own original material, rather than performing tracks written by and for other artists on Motown. This, along with her decision to remain in Los Angeles and her performance style, made Holloway the subject of ridicule from people like Gordy and Smokey Robinson, further alienating her from the label.
After her sophomore album, Hurtin’ and Cryin’, was scrapped by Motown, Holloway’s career with the label seemed to be in jeopardy. Although a 1965 support slot opening for The Beatles did a little to alleviate this, earning her increased attention and chart success – and eventually prompting Gordy to allow the singer to record an original composition, ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’ in 1967 – the damage to her relationship with Motown was seemingly irreparable.
After four years with the label, the 22-year-old walked out on a Detroit recording session with Smokey Robinson, ending her relationship with Motown for good. The final nail in the coffin came in 1969, when she sued Gordy for unpaid royalties resulting from ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’, which became a hit for the jazz-rock outfit Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Holloway’s music career continued after her decision to leave Motown, recording for labels like Invictus, collaborating with Joe Cocker, and continuing to write and record original material into the early 2000s. However, her time with Motown still represents one of the label’s biggest missed opportunities.
The power of her performance style, in addition to her clear quality as a songwriter, might have made her one of the label’s most renowned and successful stars. Instead, Gordy and the company exploited, alienated, and dismissed the young vocalist, eventually driving her away from the label altogether, just as they had done with Mary Wells a few years prior.
