Norman Thomas Whitfield family tree Family tree Explore more family trees. Beginning with their soundtrack to the movie Car Wash, the group enjoyed a series of three hit albums and accompanying hit singles for Whitfield's label. Norman Whitfield - IMDb They hate hypocrisy and gossip and can sometimes be a bit arrogant and impatient. The cause was heart and kidney failure resulting from diabetes, his daughter, Irasha Whitfield, said. Whitfield eventually joined Motown's in-house songwriting staff. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). Home; Trees; Search; DNA; Explore; . More than that, however, Whitfield and his personal drive became an important part of the psychological dynamic of the label, often pushing Motown founder Berry Gordy to try out songs and sounds that he didn't fully appreciate himself, to their mutual benefit. 1974 Norman produced numerous enormously successful records for the Norman Whitfield (1922-2004) - Find a Grave Memorial When he was a teenager, he and his family settled in Detroit after their car broke down there. A native of Harlem, Whitfield In an interview with David Ritz for Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye (Da Capo, 1991), Mr. Whitfield recalled the deep influence of the new, hard-driving funk of Sly Stone, and how he tried to bring something of Mr. Stones sound to his work at Motown. In his late teens, he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan so that his father could join his sister and work in her . Norman Whitfield - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges Legendary songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield, the anchor of Motown 's early 70s movement toward funk, has died. NORMAN WHITFIELD - Michigan Rock and Roll Legends From 1963 onward, Whitfield had produced most of their recordings of his own songs, and by 1966, he'd completely taken over producing the Temptations in the wake of their huge hit "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," as well as "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "I Know I'm Losing You." Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. Besides his daughter, Irasha, of Los Angeles, Mr. Whitfield is survived by four sons, Norman, of Los Angeles; Michael, of Toluca Lake; Johnnie, of Atlanta; and Roland, of Murrieta, Calif.; a brother, Bill, of Los Angeles; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. He had to juggle the demands of raising a family while also trying to pay for his children's education. He took over Smokey Robinson's role as the main producer for the Temptations in 1966, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"[2] performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the pop charts. The Songwriters Hall of Fame's ongoing mission is to celebrate and honor the contributions and legacies of songwriters of all genres of music while developing and nurturing the next generation of songwriters through Master Sessions, songwriting craft forums, scholarships and digital initiatives. Pop U.S. R&B UK Singles Chart Other charting versions, and notes 1962 "Pride and Joy . [1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. It was 1973 and The Temptations thought (perhaps hoped) they were at a . Dragon" in 1985. spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. List of songs written by Norman Whitfield - Wikipedia The greatest overall compatibility with Taurus is Scorpio and Cancer. Richard Whitfield, of Whitfield Hall living in 1332, was father of Robert de Whitfield, of Whitfield Hall, living 1370. His son Thomas Whitfield, who was born about mid 1545, studied at Oxford University and at the Inner Temple, qualifying as an advocate. Norman Whitfield; . The area was granted by William, King of Scotland in the twelfth century. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. The family eventually relocated there, and Whitfield hustled pool and performed other marginal pursuits to survive, and also began watching and learning what was needed to work in music. And the Temptations, whose singing had taken on a darker sound in 1968 when original lead singer David Ruffin was succeeded by Dennis Edwards, effectively became his "instrument," Whitfield conceiving ever more ambitious songs and productions in which to employ them; their singles and albums were his canvas, which he filled up with his songs, creating ever more involved and ambitious works in the process. This was after Gordy had rejected the idea of recording it with Gaye, the Miracles, or the Isley Brothers. Cover: Courtesy of Motown Records. His work was also recorded over the years by artists as varied as Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bruce Springsteen. Motown hitmaker Norman Whitfield dies in L.A | Reuters Motown sound. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? He had been with Motown for several years without scoring a major hit, but in 1970 he enjoyed the biggest single of his career with "War," co-written by Whitfield and Holland. Among Mr. Whitfields other hits were Papa Was a Rollin Stone, written with Mr. Strong. But Masterpiece's critical notices were better than its sales, and Whitfield soon found himself, like most of the label's other producers, being discouraged from further recordings as ambitious as that, particularly as Motown's fortunes declined. Among his early successes was "I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To," written in collaboration with Eddie Holland and cut by the Temptations in late 1962. He was famous for being a R&B Singer. Born in New York in 1943, Whitfield wasn't yet in his teens when R&B began exerting itself as a major musical force. Whitfield did return to Motown briefly in the early '80s to produce the Temptations' "Sail Away," and also the soundtrack album to the movie The Last Dragon. For all his renown as a composer, Mr. Whitfield was even more prominent as a producer and arranger. They are confident and can inspire others to achieve their goals with their great ambition. Mississippi. Norman Thomas Whitfield 1950-2012 - Ancestry He wrote and produced songs for several legendary artists, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. All rights reserved. He married Mildred Manning. Among the many soul classic songs Whitfield co-wrote, Whitfield created a new group around this time out of the ruins of a failed Motown act called the Delicates and one ex-member of a group called the Preps -- he put Billie Rae Calvin, Brenda Joyce Evans, and Joe Harris together as the Undisputed Truth and, calling all of the shots for the group as far as songs and recordings, they became one of his two principal vehicles for his musical ideas. He was bad. Whitfield began hanging around Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. Writer and producer of Motown classics like War and I Heard It Through the Grapevine. He helped create the Motown sound. Its emblem, a W, was virtually an inverted Motown M with a different color scheme, and he took the Undisputed Truth with him and kept tinkering with their sound. 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone': Temptations And Norman Whitfield Strike Again William Marvin Whitfield 1918 - 2000. Mr. Whitfields songs were recorded by a string of Motown luminaries, who besides Mr. Gaye included the Temptations and the Jackson Five. After wood-shedding on local . In this regard, Whitfield's approach to music resembled that of the record producers of what was, by then, a bygone era. increasingly dissatisfied working with Gordy and left Motown to form In the meantime, he became an admirer of Berry Gordy as the latter emerged as the most promising new music entrepreneur in Detroit. From 1966 to 1974 Norman produced numerous enormously successful records for the Temptations. Norman was raised in Harlem where he spent the majority of his spare time in pool halls. Son Richard Whitfield, and grandson, Ralph Whitfield, followed as owners of Whitfield Hall. Had he worked for a label like Columbia or RCA Victor in the middle/late '50's, with a roster of artists spanning the musical spectrum, Whitfield might well have been cutting R&B, country, pop, and rock & roll (and vocal and instrumental) versions of his songs. They are often visionaries and can see the potential in people and situations. He moved to Detroit in his late teens and petitioned the burgeoning Motown label to give him a job. The song itself may have said more than it meant to about the time in which it was written, recorded, and released, with a slow tempo and an ominous mood. But whose? Using his keen eye for observation, Whitfield found a mentor in Motown founder Berry Gordy. Norman Whitfield - Wikipedia the late 60s psychedelic soul sub-genre. When Whitfield wasn't producing the albums himself, Frank Wilson, using techniques and approaches he'd learned from Whitfield, was in charge. Whitfield and frequent songwriting collaborator Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Also learn how He earned most of Norman Whitfield networth? According to our Database, He has no children. Among his hits there were the soundtrack album for the film Car Wash (1976), for which he wrote the score. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. Whitfield became the company's spark plug as music entered the psychedelic era, taking to the new sound, and especially the use of sound effects, more easily than most of the label's production personnel. Before Fame Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's bestselling single at the time. Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. I could match him though, rhythm for rhythm, horn for horn., Norman Whitfield, Motown Songwriter and Producer, Dies at 68, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/arts/music/18whitfield.html. Norman Whitfield Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Ruling Planet: Norman Whitfield had a ruling planet of Venus and has a ruling planet of Venus and by astrological associations Friday is ruled by Venus. We will continue to update information on Norman Whitfields parents. [1] He found a songwriting collaborator in lyricist Barrett Strong, the performer on Motown's first hit record, "Money (That's What I Want)", and wrote material for the Temptations and other Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, both of whom recorded Whitfield-produced hit versions of the Whitfield/Strong composition "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Their son, William Whitfield, married to the sole heiress of Randle Holme of Alston Moor in Cumberland, in turn had son, William Whitfield. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. (The tune was by the Funk Brothers.). Grammy-award winning song writer Norman Whitfield, known for co-writing such hits as "Papa was a Rolling Stone" and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" passed away yesterday at the age of 67. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. He is not dating anyone. He was a longtime Motown producer and founded his own record label, Whitfield Records, in 1973. He also changed the main subjects of his lyrics, from love to social issues such as politics, war and poverty. Norman Whitfield has Life Path Number 22. He co-wrote "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", "Ball of Confusion", "War", "Smilin' Faces", and "Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away with Me)". Norman Whitfield: Songwriter and producer who added a political edge He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Norman Whitfield, a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and arranger for Motown Records whose many hits, including the signature song I Heard It Through the Grapevine, helped solidify the Motown sound in the 1960s and afterward, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles. (modern). Norman Whitfield called his new group Undisputed Truth. After several years fighting diabetes, Norman Whitfield passed away at the age of 68, on the 16th September 2008 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He also helped usher in the era of psychedelic soul, producing the work of artists like Edwin Starr and the Undisputed Truth. While Brian and Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier defined "The Sound Of Young America" which was championed by mid-sixties Tamla Motown, the songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield took Berry Gordy . Published on October 14, 2022 Memorials. This is a list of songs written by Norman Whitfield, either as a sole writer or with others Chart hits and other notable songs written by Norman Whitfield. His first professional engagement came at his age of 19, when he began serving in Motown headquarters Hitsville U.S.A. in its quality control department. . Norman moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan when he was in his late teens. Copyright Songwriters Hall of Fame 2023. 1972 Grammy winner for Best R&B Song for "Papa Was a Rolling Stone.". Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. Mr. Whitfield won a Grammy for the album, recorded by the band Rose Royce. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem on May 12, 1940. Norman Whitfield | Pop and rock | The Guardian This article is about the English Whitfield family. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. In this deep excursion, Kenoly shares his musical roots and family; tells how he came into Whitfield's favor as a trusted studio partner; opens the book with stories about the height of Whitfield Records, especially the songs and the magic; recounts unforgettable memories about the production giant; reveals how that world came crumbling down in Norman Whitfield was born on May 12, 1940 (age 68) in New York City, New York, United States. 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. Host . Sly was definitely sly, and his sound was new, his grooves were incredible, he borrowed a lot from rock. ", Video Game writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - uncredited, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", music: "Richard Pryor Dialogue" / producer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "I'm Going Down", "Sunrise", "Righteous Rhythm", "Water", "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "Keep On Keepin' On" / writer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "Richard Pryor Dialogue", "I'm Going Do, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Documentary writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Documentary writer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Just My Immagination Running Away With Me" - as Whitfield, Norman, writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video Game writer: "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Eye of the Tiger / Holler If Ya Hear Me", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevyne" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE" by nm1100552, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video documentary writer: "Cloud 9", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes, TV Series documentary writer - 5 episodes, writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: " I Know I'm Losing You" - as Norman J. Whitfield.