"Please Mr. Postman" was one of the many Motown and/or girl group songs that the Beatles covered on their early records. Outstanding version, with John on the vocals. But the original was outstanding, as well.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 5:56 AM, Tom Hansen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
The postman will not be making any more deliveries to the Marvelettes'<br>
Gladys Horton.<br>
<br>
Courtesy of The Rolling Stone at:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gladys-horton-of-the-marvelettes-dies-at-66-20110127" target="_blank">http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gladys-horton-of-the-marvelettes-dies-at-66-20110127</a><br>
<br>
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<br>
Horton sang lead on 'Please Mr. Postman' and 'Too Many Fish In The Sea'<br>
<br>
Gladys Horton, a founding member of the pioneering Motown girl group The<br>
Marvelettes who sang lead on their 1961 classic "Please Mr. Postman," died<br>
January 26th in Sherman Oaks, California from complications related a<br>
stroke. She was 66.<br>
<br>
Horton formed The Marvelettes (then known as the Casinyets) at Michigan's<br>
Inskter High School with members of her Glee Club when she was just 15. A<br>
1961 talent show caught the attention of one of their teachers, who<br>
arranged an audition at Motown with Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. The<br>
two-year old label had no experience with girl groups, but they signed the<br>
group — largely based on the powerful vocals of Horton and her group-mate<br>
Wanda Young.<br>
<br>
Motown's Lost Heroes Emerge<br>
<br>
In the summer of 1961 Motown released their debut single "Dear Mr.<br>
Postman," which featured Marvin Gaye on drums. (Watch Horton perform the<br>
song at a 2005 concert below.) It eventually shot to Number One and the<br>
Marvelettes were put on the road. "We went through hell on those tours,"<br>
Marvelette Wanda Young recalled in J. Randy Taraborrelli's 1986 book<br>
Motown. "It was so bad — the traveling, the food, the accommodations —<br>
that Juanita [Coward] went right into a nervous breakdown. We had to put<br>
her under medical care and she left the group in 1963." Despite the<br>
difficulties, the group's success helped transform Motown into a major<br>
record label and paved the way for The Ronettes, The Supremes and all girl<br>
groups that followed.<br>
<br>
Horton sang lead on many of the group's other early 1960s hits, including<br>
"Beechwood 4-5789," "Playboy" and "Too Many Fish In The Sea." By the<br>
mid-1960s Motown turned their attention towards The Supremes and Martha &<br>
The Vandellas, and the Marvelettes' winning streak slowed down. In 1965<br>
Wanda Young began singing lead on many songs (including "Don't Mess With<br>
Bill") and in 1967 Horton left the group — in part to care for her<br>
handicapped son.<br>
<br>
When Horton returned to the stage in later years she had to tour as<br>
"Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes" because she didn't own the name rights,<br>
a very common situation for artists of that era. She continued to<br>
regularly perform until she suffered a stroke last year.<br>
<br>
-----------------------<br>
<br>
The Marvelettes in 1963. Clockwise from top left: Gladys Horton, Katherine<br>
Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, and Wanda Young.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/Marvelettes" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/Marvelettes</a><br>
<br>
---------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
"Please Mr, Postman"<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nuEY6fQgzk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nuEY6fQgzk</a><br>
<br>
"Beechwood 4-5789"<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri1PINN6MXQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri1PINN6MXQ</a><br>
<br>
Rest well, Gladys.<br>
<br>
Tom Hansen<br>
Moscow, Idaho<br>
<br>
"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<br>
and the Realist adjusts his sails."<br>
<br>
- Unknown<br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br>