Music
Brenda Holloway
born 1946 · singer, songwriter
Los Angeles singer signed by Motown in 1964 who recorded "When I'm Gone" in Detroit and co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy".
- Born
Atascadero, California
age 80- Detroit years
- 1964–1968
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Raised in Watts, Holloway was discovered by Berry Gordy at a Los Angeles DJ party in late 1963 and was among the first artists of Motown's West Coast office. Offered the choice of moving to Detroit to record at Hitsville or staying in California, she at first stayed and cut "Every Little Bit Hurts" (1964) in Los Angeles. As Motown groomed her to replace the departed Mary Wells, she traveled to Detroit to record Smokey Robinson's "When I'm Gone" (1965), a Top 30 hit, and opened for the Beatles on their 1965 US tour. She was one of the few artists who skipped Motown's artist-development school, and some Detroit staff saw her as difficult. In 1967 she co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy" with her sister Patrice, later a No. 2 hit for Blood, Sweat & Tears. In 1968 she walked out of a Detroit session with Robinson and returned to Los Angeles, ending her Motown career.
Highlights
- "Every Little Bit Hurts" (1964)
- "When I'm Gone" (1965), recorded in Detroit
- Co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (1967)
- Opened for the Beatles, including at Shea Stadium (1965)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Recorded here · 1965–1968
Motown Museum
She recorded "When I'm Gone" and later sessions with Smokey Robinson in Detroit.