Freddie Gorman
| Freddie Gorman | |
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Freddie Gorman
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Frederick Cortez Gorman |
| Born | April 11, 1939 |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, US |
| Died | June 13, 2006 (aged 67) |
| Genres | R&B/soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, record producer |
| Years active | 1955–2006 |
| Labels | Motown, Fantasy, Golden World, Ric-Tic |
| Associated acts | Marvelettes, Beatles, Carpenters, The Originals, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers |
Freddie Gorman (born Frederick Cortez Gorman, April 11, 1939 – June 13, 2006) was an American musician and record producer, most famous as a singer, songwriter for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
He was a native of Detroit, Michigan. A member of the Motown quartet The Originals, Freddie Gorman was also a vital unsung component of the Motown label's formative development. He co-wrote the label's first #1 pop hit "Please Mr. Postman", by the Marvelettes. In 1964 the biggest selling group of all time, the Beatles released their version, and in 1975 the Carpenters took it back to #1 again. This was the second time in pop history (after "The Twist" by Chubby Checker) that a song reached #1 in the US twice. In 2006, "Please Mr. Postman" was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Born in Detroit on April 11, 1939, Gorman developed his bass harmonizing on local street corners, and was still in high school when he made his recorded debut on the Qualitones' 1955 Josie Records single "Tears of Love". Two years later Gorman and longtime best friends Brian Holland and Sonny Sanders formed the Fideletones. After issuing "Pretty Girl" on Aladdin Records in 1959, the group splintered and Gorman resumed his day job as a mail carrier.
Freddie eventually meet with fledgling record impresario Motown founder Berry Gordy while on his route. In time Gordy hired Holland as a staff writer and producer, teaming him with fellow producer Robert Bateman to cut a single for the Motown girl group the Marvelettes. When Marvelette Georgia Dobbins suggested the title "Please Mr. Postman," Holland naturally conscripted Gorman for help with the lyrics, although his contributions to the song went unnoted for DECADES. "Please Mr. Postman" was nevertheless a huge hit, topping the Billboard pop charts in the fall of 1961, and Gordy returned the favor by releasing the Gorman solo single "The Day Will Come" on Motown's Miracle Records subsidiary. Holland and Gorman also continued their songwriting partnership, with collaboration with Berry Gordy for The Supremes' first single "I Want a Guy". Then, Holland and Gorman expanded to a triumvirate with the addition of Lamont Dozier to make it Holland–Dozier–Gorman. After a series of Motown productions including Mary Wells' "Old Love", Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "Mr. Misery (Let Me Be)", The Contours' "Pa, I Need a Car", the Marvelettes' "Forever", "Someday Someway", "Goddess of Love", "Strange I Know", and then Gorman was edged out in favor of Holland's brother Edward, and without any contractual leverage in his favor, he continued to his post office position, dropping from sight for a couple of years. Even though he was edged out by Edward Holland, Freddie and Edward wrote Martha Reeves & the Vandellas's "There He Is (At My Door)".
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