Though the Supremes eventually overshadowed them, Martha & the Vandellas were, for a brief period around 1963 and 1964, one of the top acts in the Motown stable. Led by Martha Reeves, who could let loose with lung-busting shouts as easily as whisper, the trio made some of the best dance records of the mid-'60s.
Formed in 1960 by Martha Reeves and school chums Rosalind Ashford and Annette Sterling, they were originally known as the Del-Phis. After a lone single for Checkmate records flopped completely, the girls wound up at Motown, singing backups for Marvin Gaye on "Hitch Hike" and "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow." In 1963, Motown head honcho Berry Gordy renamed them and gave them their own contract; an amazing string of hits, including "Heat Wave," "Dancing In The Street" and "Nowhere To Run" followed soon after. With Reeves's powerhouse vocals leading the way, the songs were, for the most part, more jubilant, aggressive and real-sounding than any other girl group records of the era; the Supremes sounded positively sedate in comparison. Unfortunately, the latter's supper-club image better suited Gordy's showbiz aspirations, and though Martha & the Vandellas continued to score hits through the late '60s, it was obvious that Motown's priorities were somewhere else.
Strictly a singles act, Martha & the Vandellas never made a satisfying LP. This shouldn't diminish their standing, however; Motown artists didn't really start making quality albums until the early '70s. Besides, Martha & the Vandellas' skein of hits was enormously influential on American and English artists; performers as diverse as Linda Ronstadt and the Jam have covered "Heatwave," while Mick Jagger and David Bowie had a 1985 hit with a cover of "Dancing In The Street." Ultimately, though, you're better off with any of Motown's Martha & the Vandellas collections than the albums as originally released.
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