When most baby-boomers hear the words R & B Oldies, they automatically think Motown. Founder Berry Gordy shocked the world in the 1960s and 1970s with his seemingly never-ending river of fantastically talented singers, singing groups, and bands. Together they produced hit after hit with R & B Oldies that are still heard to this day. Legendary artists were the heroes of the day, and these are their greatest hits.
I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye still remains one of the seminal songs of the sixties. This is just one of the incredible R & B oldies that Gaye gave to the world, along with Mercy, Mercy Me, Innercity Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), Trouble Man, Lets Get it On, and many, many more. Marvin Gaye changed the landscape of music and his songs will always be listened to by new generations of R & B lovers.
Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips was probably the single most infectious song ever to come out of Motown. Gladys belted the song with a gospel feel while the smooth Pips danced and crooned in the background. Pure soul gold.
Lets Stay Together by Al Green marked the beginning of the future Reverends career which spanned a period of about ten solid, sensational years. Hit after hit followed and established this crooner as one of the greatest R & B oldies singers of all time.
Tracks of My Tears by the great Smokey Robinson was one of those songs that you always heard at school dances. With a voice as sultry and rough as his name, Smokey climbed swiftly to the top of the charts and stayed there for years.
You are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder marked one of the first crossover of the R & B oldies songs. It was played in heavy rotation not only by the AM soul stations but also by the rock and roll stations. Stevie went on to achieve a level of super stardom seldom matched and never surpassed to this day.
Bernadette by the Four Tops also crossed racial lines and became a hit on top 40 stations all over the country. The Four Tops enjoyed a string of top 10 hits including Cant Help Myself and many others.
Stop (in the Name of Love) by Diana Ross and the Supremes marked one of those unforgettable R & B oldies that was seen across the world when it debuted on the Ed Sullivan show.
What would American music be like without the immense influence of R & B oldies and their impact not only on the world of music, but on erasing racial boundaries? These Motown artists have helped to shape the rich and enduring tapestry of American music that lives on to this very day.