We will remember him forever. Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. [25] She guest-starred as Shaunette Rene Wilson's mother, a famous Nigerian surgeon, on the Fox medical drama The Resident in 2019. . From 2016 to 2020, she starred as Lady Mae Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network dramatic series Greenleaf, for which she won critical acclaim and garnered two NAACP Image Awards and a Gracie Award. Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. Norman was raised in Harlem where he spent the majority of his spare time in pool halls. That success was complicated by the growing antipathy of the Temptations themselves, who sometimes felt like backup participants on their own records amid Whitfield's production efforts -- and Whitfield's prominent visual presence on Masterpiece's artwork -- a rare level of prominence for a producer -- couldn't have helped matters with the group. He attended Northwestern High School. Rose Royce (whose members were originally Edwin Starr's backing band while at Motown) went on to record three more popular albums, and had two huge UK hits with "Wishing on a Star" (1977) and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (1978), but could never top the success of "Car Wash", which served as the theme song to the 1976 motion picture Car Wash. Some of his first projects included releasing The Undisputed Truths hit single You + Me = Love. His main interest as a youth was centered on the pool hall, not the dance hall -- according to Nelson George in his book Where Did Our Love Go?, Whitfield not only developed a steady hand with a pool cue, but a good eye for observing and sizing up those around him. Nova Whitfield is best known for being the daughter of DcYoungFly, a rapper, comedian, and performer who has starred on MTV's Wild N Out. His the best movie is Car Wash. Daughter Mignon Strong said her father's strength of spirit persisted through his final days. Estelle leaves behind two daughters, Lynn Whitfield and Kathy Carroll (John), grandsons, Chad Carroll and Kevin Carroll (Lauren), two great-grandchildren, Ryleigh and Isaiah Carroll. [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". The second thought was regret: that there has been . The cause of death was heart and kidney failure due to diabetes. Her love of movies was shared by her maternal grandmother, Estelle Devall Butler, who exposed her to them. Among his hits there were the soundtrack album for the film Car Wash (1976), for which he wrote the score. Buy Meta Added by Bastien Works 87 Discussions 1 All Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love, I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), (Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need, Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don't Say No), Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are), You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth, 2003-2023 Norman Whitfield. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Rolling Stones. Norman Whitfield, who died on Tuesday aged 67, was a songwriter and producer and one of the principal architects of the Motown sound; he was responsible for many of the label's greatest hits . Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. Whitfield often recorded notably different versions of songs with different artists in search of a hit, and did so successfully in the cases of Edwin Starr, with "War" (1970; originally recorded by the Temptations), and the Undisputed Truth, with "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971; also originally by the Temptations). Norman Whitfield was born in 1940s. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. His work was also recorded over the years by artists as varied as Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bruce Springsteen. His songwriting career began in the early 1960s when he was included in co-writing The Marvelettes hit single Too Many Fish in the Sea, Marvin Gayes Pride & Joy and later Needle in a Haystack written for The Velvelettes. Whitfield's rise was down to a cocktail of talent, ego, luck and, most of all, persistence. After 1968, Whitfield turned towards darker and harder sound, blending funk and psychedelic rock. Norman Whitfield | Artist | GRAMMY.com Artist Norman Whitfield WINS* 2 NOMINATIONS* 4 19th Annual GRAMMY Awards WINNER Album Of Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or Television Special Car Wash View All Nominations For This Artist Through the 65th GRAMMY Nominations Norman Whitfield News View All News http://www.allmusic.com/artist/norman-whitfield-mn0000957729. Your email address will not be published. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. secondhandsongs.com. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get it On" (1973) - Written . CONTENT. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote a string of Motown classics including "War" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," has died. Though largely invisible professionally in his later years, he did re-emerge in the news in 2005 when he pleaded guilty to settle a tax evasion case from the late '90s. In 1975 he started Whitfield Records which produced the hit single "Car Wash" by Rose Royce. He started there as a tambourine player; known for his keen ear, he was eventually put in charge of quality control by the labels founder, Berry Gordy Jr. Norman Jesse Whitfield Birth 12 May 1941 Harlem, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA Death 16 Sep 2008 (aged 67) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA Burial Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA Show Map Plot [17], In 2015, Whitfield was cast as the main villain in Greenleaf, the Oprah Winfrey Network original scripted drama series about the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. It was written as a Vietnam war protest song. It's possible to glimpse the fine line the quintet and its producer were walking on the live recordings from the tour for Masterpiece, on In Japan. July 15, 2022 11:34 AM EDT. Advertisement The next year, he was in the news again after he pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. He was 67. Mr. Whitfield, who had been charged with failing to report more than $4 million in income, was fined $25,000 and sentenced to six months home detention. A lot more than that, nevertheless, Whitfield and his personal travel became a significant area of the mental dynamic . 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. The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million. Lynn Whitfield (ne Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. Following the end of the war, it was the start of the Baby Boomer years and technology advancements such as the jet engine, nuclear fusion, radar, rocket technology and others later became the starting points for Space Exploration and Improved Air Travel. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! The company had started the '70s in exceptional financial health, the world at its feet and the sky seemingly the limit, but by the middle of the decade it had taken huge losses, not only on some recordings, but more tellingly on several dubious film-related projects that truly crippled their bottom line. Hayes and Whitfield were two of my heroes for the way they redrew the boundaries of soul, letting songs thunder and swirl far beyond the traditional pop song format. He produced soul group Masterpiece in 1980. When the record label chief vetoed a single release of Whitfield's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" that had been cut by Marvin Gaye, opting instead for a more romantic song, Whitfield refused to let the matter drop. His father, Friendly Womack, spotted Bobby's talent on the guitar at an early age, and Bobby was only Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. Licensed To - Ace Records Ltd. Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. - Fell in love with jazz guitarist, Slim Gaillard's young daughter, Janis Hunter. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them. Auxiliary Post 5319. But friction and antagonism grew between Whitfield and the Temptations; the group hated how Whitfield put more emphasis on the instrumentation instead of their vocals, and that he was writing fewer romantic ballads for them. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy film Doctor Detroit (1983), playing the supporting role of Thelma Cleland. The title track on the Temptations' album Masterpiece (1973) was the quintessential effort in this direction, an epic-length production propelled by a driving beat and lush instrumentation (in several layers) and filled with lyrics steeped in the urban landscape of the time -- ironically, as impressive as the latter was as a production, five people who were not entirely pleased with the track or the album were the Temptations themselves, who felt that they'd taken something of a back seat to the instrumentation and the overall production on what was supposed to be their album. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! Doubtlessly, all these ventures made positive impact on Whitfields net worth. Whitfield's motives are still unclear - was he truly passionate about social change or just a canny hitmaker who sensed the mood of the times and catered to it? Whitfield also starred in a number of movies in the 2000s and 2010s. 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. He was not imprisoned because of health problems such as diabetes. I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations. / music: "Which Way Is Up? [3] Whitfield died on September 16, 2008. 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. He spent the last few months at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles. Her accounts mostly post personal photos, behind the scenes footage, and promotions of her projects. Many, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine, memorably recorded both by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, were written with his frequent collaborator Barrett Strong. Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's bestselling single at the time. The song was so well-known that 22 years later, its lyrics ("War, what is it good for") figured in a key joke (involving Tolstoy's War and Peace) at the center of an episode of Seinfeld. "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield was an Olympic medalist, Tuskegee airman and longtime U.S. diplomat. Lynn Whitfield's Early Life Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the eldest of four children, and a daughter of Jean Butler, an officer of a finance agency, and Valerian Smith, a dentist. That year he left Motown to set up Whitfield Records but his only subsequent major success was Rose Royce, who released the likes of Car Wash and Wishing on a Star, and he retired from music in the early 80s. Funeral Home website by. He is survived by his Daughters: Linda Dean, Ann-Marie Major, Sherry Beneby, Hilly Harper, and Lerlene Moss-Walcott; Sons: Eugene and Andrew Beckford; Adopted Daughter: Judy Deleveaux; and a host of other relatives . The song was first sung by the Temptations and then reproduced for Motown featuring Edwin Starr as the vocalist. Photos by Larry Parham. He is a celebrity Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer. He was also widely recognized for his work with The Temptations, producing eight of their studio albums, as well as for his own record label Whitfield Records. In 2005 he faced tax evasion charges apparently between 1995 and 1999 he earned around $500,000 per year but failed to report a total income of over $2 million. Norman Whitfield Follow Artist + Motown producer/songwriter who helped define the label's sound. She is the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Meet Lynn Whitfield & Brian Gibson's Daughter Grace Learn about Her Hollywood Career By Stephen Thompson Aug 02, 2020 04:00 P.M. In his memoir To Be Loved, Motown founder Berry Gordy remembers the young Whitfield as a tall, shy man who earned a living in his teens as a hotshot pool player. 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. Tori Hughes Wiki Bio, age, ethnicity, net worth, d How real is History Channel survival show Alone? Norman Whitfield Biography. He was survived by his daughter and four sons from who he had eight grandchildren. Whitfield received positive reviews from critics for her performance. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. Levi was born on January 10, 1932, to Allen Edgar Whitfield and Hattie Ellen Adams Whitfield in Old Joe,. In this Digital Exclusive, Lynn Whitfield's daughter Grace asks the group how they manage to support each other and stay connected during these times.Find OW. WHITFIELD Alan Victor of Darlington aged 77 years on 18th February, peacefully at home with his loving wife Joan and daughter Dawn by his side. Norman Whitfield. In 1975, Whitfield left Motown, following its move from Detroit, to form his own label, Whitfield Records. His interest in R&B dates from his mid-teens, and it was not long after that the New York-born Whitfield found himself stranded in Detroit, when his father's car broke down while on the way back from a relative's funeral in California. If he thought something was a hit, he would keep pushing until it was. SOLUTIONS. Mr. Whitfield won a Grammy for the album, recorded by the band Rose Royce. In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy film Vacation Friends. Thu., Sept. 18, 2008 Whitfield's big chance came when Holland-Dozier-Holland stormed out of Motown in early 1968 in a row over profit-sharing. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. It soon became clear to Gordy that Whitfield's talents extended to arranging and production, and it was in the latter capacity that he came to prominence at the label. Mini Bio (1) Music producer, arranger, and songwriter Norman Jessie Whitfield was born on May 12, 1941 in New York City. Whitfield made her professional screen debut in 1981 as Jill Thomas in the critically acclaimed NBC serial drama Hill Street Blues. Norman Whitfield net worth: Norman Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer who had a net worth of $10 million. Miss Whitfield was born September 5, 1975 in Hollywood, a daughter of Norman Whitfield and Asari Graham. 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 studied briefly at a technical school in Detroit before joining Thelma Records, a local label, when he was about 19. of 1. - Anti-Vietnam War song recorded by Temptations, on album Psychedelic Shack. Whitfield and lyrical collaborator Barrett Strong were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2004. Tallahassee, Florida. Whitfield has won a total of seven NAACP Image Awards. Norman Whitfield passed away on September 16, 2008 at 68 years old. "[22] She won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020 as well as the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series in 2017. On television, Whitfield had recurring roles on Boston Public and Without a Trace in the 2000s. 1972 Grammy winner for Best R&B Song for "Papa Was a Rolling Stone.". For the next few years, Whitfield or his protg, Frank Wilson, produced virtually all of the Temptations' recordings, although as Gordy recalled in his autobiography, Whitfield was ambitious enough to extend his influence as a producer far and wide; he still wrote songs as well, and he was always looking for different ways of presenting the same composition. Mrs. Estelle Whitfield, age 98, passed away November 23, 2020. 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. Whitfield enjoyed some success as a composer with "Too Many Fish in the Sea" by the Marvelettes, and "Needle in a Haystack" by the Velvettes, but it was his drive and his vision as a producer that allowed him to take over the helm of the Temptations' records. She co-starred in the Chris Rock comedy film Head of State (2003) and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006). . 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. On January 18, 2005, Whitfield pleaded guilty for failing to report royalty income he earned from 1995 to 1999 to the Internal Revenue Service. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $25,000 fine and spend the next six months in house confinement. Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote a string of Motown classics including "War" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," has died at 67. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York. This was after Gordy had rejected the idea of recording it with Gaye, the Miracles, or the Isley Brothers. [3] He wrote or co-wrote 61 hits on the UK charts and 92 on the US charts.[4]. She leaves to cherish her memory, her mother, of Hubbard; 4 brothers; 1 uncle, Bill Whitfield of Calif.; many cousins and host of other family members and friends. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Norman Whitfield was among the architects from the Motown audio, from its early top being a country wide label through its waning times of major graph achievement. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown Time before earning international acclaim touring the United States, Australia and London's West End in the 1977 production of the landmark play "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" alongside Alfre Woodard.[2]. 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. "[6] The New York Times added that Whitfield "powerfully captures her [Baker's] passionate determination. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. writer: "Too Many Fish in the Sea" - as Norman Whitfield Jr. writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What The World Is Today" 1970 - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "Back Again" - as Norman Jesse Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me" - as W. Norman, writer: "I Can't Get Next To You" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" - as Norman J. Whitfield, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through The Grape Vine", Video Game writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Video Game as Norman J. Whitfield, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", Documentary writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me", "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "I heard it through the grapevine", "I heard it through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" 1964 - as Norman J. Whitfield, as Norman J. Whitfield, "CLOUD NINE", "I WISH IT WOULD RAIN", "TAKE A LOOK AROUND", "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE", "SMILING FACES SOMETIMES", TV Movie documentary writer: "Needle in a Haystack", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "I Can't Get Next to You" 1969 - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Wanna Get Next to You" - as Norman Jesse Whitfield, music: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "Just My Imagination Running Away with Me", Documentary writer: "Holler If Ya' Hear Me", writer: "Pride and Joy" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Party at the Palace: The Queen's Concerts, Buckingham Palace, TV Movie documentary writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Documentary as Norman J. Whitfield, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "Girl Why You Wanna Make Me Blue", "Ball Of Confusion That's What The World Is Today", "Pride And Joy", writer: "Anything For You Divine Mill Film Re-Mix" - as Norman J. Whitfield, TV Series 1 episode, 1977 writer - 3 episodes, 1977 - 2000, writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Superstar Remember How You Got Where You Are", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Car Wash The Pop Rox Car Jack Remix", TV Movie writer: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", "Smiling Faces Sometimes" - uncredited, writer: "Too Many Fish in the Sea" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: - as N. Whitfield / writer: "Luv Me, Luv Me", TV Movie writer: "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Car Wash" - uncredited, TV Series writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

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