| On Broadway | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1, 1967 | |||
| Studio | Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:24 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Producer | Frank Wilson | |||
| Four Tops chronology | ||||
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On Broadway is a 1967 studio album by American soul vocal group Four Tops, mostly covering Broadway show tunes and musical numbers.
Motown founder Berry Gordy had the idea for this album, encouraging his stable of artists to turn toward new audiences for their music, [1] particularly higher class listeners. [2] The band recorded On Broadway with musician Frank Wilson in Los Angeles, with the exception of their covers of "Make Someone Happy" (recorded in 1964) and "Nice 'n' Easy" (recorded in 1963). [3]
A brief review in Billboard suggests to retailers that this album will be a "sure-fire hit LP" with "smooth performances". [4] Editors at AllMusic Guide scored this album 2.5 out of five stars, with critic Andrew Hamilton considering this album a failed experiment that Motown should have stopped, but calling the cover of "Make Someone Happy" "an endearing rendition". [5] While many reviewers consider this a failed experiment, a 1995 review of pop stars covering musical show tunes notes that this was an innovative release. [6]
Four Tops
Additional personnel
Although initial sales of this album were strong, [7] On Broadway was not as successful as previous Four Tops albums, [8] reaching 79 on the Billboard 200 and fifteenth on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. [9]
"Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by American vocal quartet Four Tops from their fourth studio album, Reach Out (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most widely-known Motown hits of the 1960s and is today considered the Four Tops' signature song.
Ella Sings Broadway is a 1963 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with an orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. Shortly before the sessions for Ella Sings Broadway, Ella had recorded two singles with Marty Paich, the Antonio Carlos Jobim song 'Desafinado' and a Bossa Nova version of the jazz standard 'Stardust'. This prompted many Ella Fitzgerald fans and scholars to conclude that these sessions were also led by Paich. However, the original scores and parts exist in Ella Fitzgerald's library and it was determined that all the music was arranged by Frank DeVol. In fact, DeVol had previously worked with Ella Fitzgerald having written arrangements for Hello Love (1957), Get Happy (1957), Live Someone in Love (1957), Ella Sings Sweet Songs For Swingers (1958), and Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas (1960).
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1967 by Gordy Records. Composed primarily of pop standards such as "Ol' Man River" and "For Once in My Life", and similar songs written by Holland-Dozier-Holland and other Motown staff songwriters, the Mellow Mood album was part of Motown chief Berry Gordy's crossover plans for the group. Gordy wanted the Temptations, already the most popular male group among black audiences, to attract a large white fanbase and be able to secure playdates at supper clubs like the Copacabana, where the group had first performed in the summer of 1967.
Hello Broadway is the fourth studio album by soul singer Marvin Gaye, released in 1964. It is an album of standards and Broadway material.
"For Once in My Life" is a song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Stein & Van Stock publishing company, and first recorded in 1965.
No Strings is a musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. No Strings is the only Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of his long-time collaborator, Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical opened on Broadway in 1962 and ran for 580 performances. It received six Tony Award nominations, winning three, for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Choreography.
Mr. Broadway: Tony Bennett's Greatest Broadway Hits is a 1962 album by Tony Bennett.
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan. They were one of the most commercially successful American pop music groups of the 1960s and helped propel the Motown label to international fame. The group's repertoire has included aspects of soul, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes.
Broadway – My Way is a studio album by Nancy Wilson released in March 1963 on Capitol Records. The album reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley is a 1960 album by Mel Tormé, arranged by Marty Paich.
Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein is the second studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams and was orchestrated and conducted by Alvy West. It was released in February 1958 by Cadence Records and focuses upon songs composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
The Great Songs from "My Fair Lady" and Other Broadway Hits is the fifteenth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams and was released in September 1964 by Columbia Records, one month before the premiere of the film version of My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn.
The Rhythms and Ballads of Broadway is a double album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in September 1960 by Columbia Records. Despite the order of the words in the title, the ballads actually make up sides one and two while the uptempo numbers fill sides three and four.
Coleman Hawkins Plays Make Someone Happy from Do Re Mi is an album by saxophonist Coleman Hawkins which was recorded in 1962 and released on the Moodsville label., featuring tracks from the 1960 broadway musicals Do Re Mi.
Broadway, Bongos and Mr. B is a 1961 studio album by the American singer Billy Eckstine. It was arranged by Hal Mooney, and marked Eckstine's return to Roulette Records. The album features Latin tinged arrangements of popular Broadway show tunes, with a percussion section of xylophones, marimbas and bongos.
Broadway Basie's...Way is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra featuring performances of Broadway musical songs recorded in 1966 and released on the Command label.
The Stage Door Swings is an album by bandleader and pianist Stan Kenton featuring performances of Broadway musical tunes recorded in 1958 and released on the Capitol label.
Adventures in Standards is an album of Broadway show tunes by the Stan Kenton Mellophonium Orchestra recorded in 1961 for Capitol Records but not released until 1975 on Kenton's Creative World label.
Sands at the Sands is a 1960 live album by American singer Tommy Sands recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Four Tops Live! is the first live album by American rhythm and blues vocal band The Four Tops, released on Motown in 1966. The album was recorded as part of a series of concerts by the record label featuring their premier artists held in Detroit and had positive critical and commercial reception.
