 |
| Phillipe Wynne Born: 4-3-1941 Died: 7-14-1984 ....of a heart attack. |
| Originally, called The Domingoes, the Spinners formed when the quintet were high school students in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale in 1957. At the time, the group featured Bobbie Smith, Pervis Jackson, George W. Dixon, Billy Henderson and Henry Fambrough. Four years later, they came to the attention of producer Harvey Fuqua, who began recording the group — who were now called The Spinners — for his Tri-Phi Records. The band's first single, "That's What Girls Are Made For," became a Top 10 R&B hit upon its 1961 release and featured Smith on vocals. Following its release, Dixon was replaced by Edgar "Chico" Edwards. Over the next few years, the group released a series of failed singles, and when Tri-Phi was bought out by Motown in the mid-1960's, the Spinners became part of the larger company's roster. By that time, Edwards had been replaced by G.C. Cameron.
Though the Spinners had some R&B hits at Motown during the late 1960's, including "I'll Always Love You" and "Truly Yours," they didn't have a genuine crossover success until 1970, when Stevie Wonder gave the group "It's A Shame." The song became a hit all over again in 1980 when it was included on a Disconet remix, the "At Midnight Medley." Motown never concentrated on the Spinners, and they let the group go in 1972. Before the band signed with Atlantic Records, Phillipe Wynne replaced Cameron as the group's lead vocalist. Wynne had previously sung with Catfish and Bootsy Collins. At Atlantic Records, the Spinners worked with producer Thom Bell, who gave the group a lush, seductive sound, complete with sighing strings, a tight rhythm section, sultry horns, and a slight funk underpinning. Wynne quickly emerged as a first-rate soul singer, and the combination of the group's harmonies, Wynne's soaring leads and Bell's meticulous production made the Spinners the most popular soul group of the 1970's. Once the group signed with Atlantic, they became a veritable hit machine, topping the R&B and pop charts with songs like "I'll Be Around," "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," "One of a Kind (Love Affair)," "Ghetto Child," "Rubberband Man" and "You're Throwing a Good Love Away." Not only were their singles hits, but their albums constantly went gold and charted in the Top 20. Despite their familiar songs and obvious R&B success, the had only one number one pop hit. Teaming up Dionne Warwick with the Spinners was a brilliant move by producer Thom Bell that gave both halves of the double-act their first and only number one singles. "Then Came You" came about after the Spinners were asked by Dionne to be her opening act on a five-week summer theatre tour, bringing the soul group into Las Vegas for the first time, a move Dionne felt was long overdue. Bell, suggested that Dionne duet with lead singer Phillipe Wynn on "Then Came You." Dionne was signed to Warner Bros. Records at the time. Atlantic's sister label under the WEA corporate umbrella. With the exception of "Then Came You," Dionne's five years on Warner Bros. left her completely devoid of hits. Phillip Wynne left the band to pursue a solo career in 1977; he was replaced by John Edwards. Though none of Wynne's solo records were big hits, his tours with Parliament-Funkadelic were well-received, as were his solo concerts. In October 1984, he died of a heart attack during a concert in Oakland, California. The Spinners, meanwhile, had a number of minor hits in the late 1970's, highlighted by their disco covers of "Working My Way Back To You" and the medley "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time." During the early 1980's, they had several minor hits before fading away from the charts and entering the oldies circuit, reprising their earlier material for 1999's new studio effort "At Their Best." |
 |