The Glass House (group)

Last updated

The Glass House was an American R&B/soul group from Detroit, Michigan, United States.

Contents

The Glass House was an assembly of house musicians put together by Holland-Dozier-Holland for their Invictus Records label in 1969. [1] The group was led by Ty Hunter, and included Scherrie Payne, sister of singer Freda Payne. [2]

They released two albums, "Inside the Glass House" and "Thanks I Needed That", and had a string of chart hits through 1972, although the biggest success came with their debut single, 1969's "Crumbs Off The Table."

In June 1971, the Blossoms sued "Invictus Records, Stage Coach Productions, Edward J. Holland, Jr., and Capitol Records," claiming "the defendants released an Invictus single record, 'Touch Me Jesus,' and credited the performers as being 'The Glass House,' when, in fact, the Blossoms actually recorded the single." [3]

Within a year, as chart success continued to wane, Invictus dissolved the group. [2]

Shortly thereafter, Hunter and Payne signed on with Motown. Ty became part of The Originals (group), while Scherrie joined the Supremes. [2]

Members

Discography

Singles

YearTitleChart Positions
U.S. Pop Singles U.S. R&B
1969"Crumbs off the Table"597
1970"I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)"9033
1970"Stealing Moments from Another Woman's Life"12142
1971"If It ain't Love, It Don't Matter"-42
1971"Touch Me Jesus"--
1971"Look What We've Done to Love"10131
1972"Playing Games"--
1972"Giving Up the Ring"--
1972"VIP"--
1972"Thanks, I Needed That"-47

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Supremes</span> American Motown female singing group

The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. It is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African-American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freda Payne</span> American singer and actress (born 1942)

Freda Charcilia Payne is an American singer and actress. Payne is best known for her career in music during the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. Her most notable record is her 1970 hit single "Band of Gold". Payne was also an actress in musicals and film as well as the host of a TV talk show. Payne is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, a former singer with the American vocal group the Supremes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scherrie Payne</span> American singer (born 1944)

Scherrie Ann Payne is an American singer. Payne is best known as a member and co-lead singer of the R&B/Soul vocal group the Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Because of her powerful voice and petite stature (5'2"), Payne is sometimes referred to as "the little lady with the big voice". Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne. Payne continues to perform, both as a solo act and as a part of the "Former Ladies of the Supremes" (FLOS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamont Dozier</span> American singer-songwriter (1941–2022)

Lamont Herbert Dozier was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit. He co-wrote and produced 14 US Billboard number-one hits and four number ones in the UK.

Invictus Records was an American record label based in Detroit, Michigan. It was created by former top Motown producers Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr.. It was the sister label to the Buddah-distributed Hot Wax Records, which was also owned by Holland-Dozier-Holland.

The Originals, often called "Motown's best-kept secret", were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the late 1960s and the 1970s, most notable for the hits "Baby I'm for Real", "The Bells", and the disco classic "Down to Love Town." Formed in 1966, the group originally consisted of baritone singer Freddie Gorman, tenor/falsetto Walter Gaines, and tenors C. P. Spencer and Hank Dixon. Ty Hunter replaced Spencer when he left to go solo in the early 1970s. They had all previously sung in other Detroit groups, Spencer having been an original member of the (Detroit) Spinners and Hunter having sung with the Supremes member Scherrie Payne in the group Glass House. Spencer, Gaines, Hunter, and Dixon were also members of the Voice Masters. As a member of the Holland–Dozier–Gorman writing-production team, Gorman was one of the co-writers of Motown's first number 1 pop hit "Please Mr. Postman", recorded by the Marvelettes. In 1964 the Beatles released their version and in 1975 the Carpenters took it to number 1 again. This was the second time in pop history that a song had reached number 1 twice as "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, reached number 1 in both 1960 and 1961. In 2006, "Please Mr. Postman" was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chairmen of the Board</span> American-Canadian soul band

Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian, Detroit, Michigan-based soul music group, who saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Still Waiting (Diana Ross song)</span> 1971 single by Diana Ross

"I'm Still Waiting" is a popular song, written and produced by Deke Richards and recorded by Diana Ross; it first appeared on Ross's 1970 album Everything Is Everything. The song reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1971. It also reached number one in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band of Gold (Freda Payne song)</span> 1970 single by Freda Payne

"Band of Gold" is a song written and composed by former Motown producers Holland–Dozier–Holland and Ron Dunbar. It was a major hit when first recorded by Freda Payne in 1970 for the Invictus label, owned by H-D-H. The song has been recorded by numerous artists, notably competing 1986 versions by contrasting pop singers Belinda Carlisle and Bonnie Tyler, and a 2007 version by Kimberley Locke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Want Ads</span> 1971 single by Honey Cone

"Want Ads" is a song that was a million-selling No.1 pop and R&B hit recorded by female group, Honey Cone for their second album Sweet Replies and also appears on their third album Soulful Tapestry. The song, recorded on the Detroit-based Hot Wax label, was written by Greg Perry, General Norman Johnson and Barney Perkins. It was produced by staff producer, Greg Perry, and features a young Ray Parker Jr. ("Ghostbusters") on rhythm guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joyce Vincent Wilson</span> American singer

Joyce Vincent Wilson is an American singer, best known as part of the group Tony Orlando and Dawn.

8th Day was an American R&B group from Detroit, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking</span> 1976 single by The Supremes

"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" is a disco-styled soul single composed by the Holland brothers Eddie and Brian, members of the former Holland–Dozier–Holland team and was released as a single by Motown vocal group The Supremes in 1976 on the Motown label. It was the first single since "Your Heart Belongs to Me" in 1962 to feature four Supremes. It is also notable for being the last top forty single the group would score before they disbanded in 1977.

<i>Contact</i> (Freda Payne album) 1971 studio album by Freda Payne

Contact is Freda Payne's fourth American released album and her second for Invictus Records. The majority of the material on this album contains sad themes, with the exception of "You Brought the Joy." The album begins with a dramatic 11-minute medley of "I'm Not Getting Any Better" and "Suddenly It's Yesterday," both of which were written by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier. Some people thought that Holland and Dozier were trying to compete with Diana Ross's hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as both songs contain spoken segments and dramatic musical arrangements. The only cover song is "He's in My Life", which was an album track by The Glass House featuring Freda's sister Scherrie Payne. It was written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, jointly with Ron Dunbar.

"High Energy" is a dance/disco song by The Supremes. Released as the album's title-track single in 1976 from their penultimate album High Energy, this energic, sound-bursting tune featured lead vocals by Susaye Greene. Greene, new to the group, was brought in to dub her vocals although Scherrie Payne had already recorded lead vocals prior to Greene's entry into the trio. As such, this was the final single to feature former member Cindy Birdsong's vocals, and the sixth and final single of the group to feature four members. Written by Harold Beatty, Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr., the song peaked at position nine on the dance/disco charts later that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Yourself Go (The Supremes song)</span> 1977 single by The Supremes

"Let Yourself Go" is a disco song recorded by the Supremes. It was written by Harold Beatty, Eddie Holland and Brian Holland. The song was released on January 25, 1977 as the second single from The Supremes' Mary, Scherrie & Susaye album, and the last one by the group officially released in the US, ever. The song peaked at #83 on the US R&B charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelly Clark</span> American singer and dancer (born 1947)

Shelly Clark is an American singer, dancer and actress, best known as a founding member of the 1970s R&B girls group, Honey Cone who had the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit single, "Want Ads" released in March 1971.

Tyrone Hunter, better known as Ty Hunter,, best known for his work with the Originals and his solo work, was an American singer.

<i>Inside the Glass House</i> 1971 studio album by the Glass House

Inside the Glass House is the debut album by Detroit-based soul group the Glass House, released in 1971 on the Invictus label.

<i>Thanks I Needed That</i> 1972 studio album by the Glass House

Thanks I Needed That is the second and final album by Detroit-based group the Glass House, released in 1972 on the Invictus label.

References

  1. The Glass House at Allmusic
  2. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 981. ISBN   0-85112-939-0.
  3. "Cash Box". June 26, 1971. Retrieved March 3, 2024.