The Spinners | |
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The Spinners in 1965. From left to right: Billy Henderson, Edgar Edwards, Bobby Smith, Henry Fambrough, and Pervis Jackson.
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Background information | |
Also known as | Detroit Spinners Motown Spinners |
Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Genres | R&B, smooth soul |
Years active | 1954–present |
Labels | Tri-Phi, Motown, V.I.P. (Motown), Atlantic, |
Associated acts | Harvey Fuqua, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick |
Members |
Henry Fambrough Charlton Washington Marvin Taylor Jessie Robert Peck Ronnie Moss |
Past members |
Pervis Jackson Billy Henderson C. P. Spencer James Edwards Bobby Smith George Dixon Edgar "Chico" Edwards G. C. Cameron Philippé Wynne John Edwards Frank Washington Harold "Spike" Bonhart |
The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues vocal group that formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1954. They enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s. The group continues to tour, with Henry Fambrough as the only original member.
The group is also listed as the Detroit Spinners and the Motown Spinners, due to their 1960s recordings with the Motown label. These other names were used in the UK to avoid confusion with a British folk group also called The Spinners. In 2015, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1954, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C. P. Spencer, and James Edwards formed The Domingoes in Ferndale, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit. The friends resided in Detroit's Herman Gardens public housing project and came together to make music.
James Edwards remained with the group for a few weeks and was replaced by Bobby Smith, who sang lead on most of the Spinners' early records and their Atlantic Records hits. Spencer left the group shortly after Edwards, and later joined the Voice Masters and the Originals. George Dixon replaced Edwards, and the group renamed themselves the Spinners in 1961.
The Spinners' first single, "That's What Girls Are Made For," was recorded under Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi Records. The single peaked at number 27 on the Top 100 chart in August 1961.Smith sang lead vocal on this track, coached by Fuqua. The group's follow-up single, "Love (I'm So Glad) I Found You," also featured lead vocals by Smith. This song reached number 91 that November, and was the last Tri-Phi Records' single to reach the Top 100 charts.