Martha and the Vandellas

Martha & the Vandellas were an American Motown group of the 1960s. Martha Reeves, Annette Beard, Gloria Williamson and Rosalind Ashford founded a group called The Del-Phis in 1960, later recording an unsuccessful single as The Vels. Reeves, then a secretary at Motown, was pulled in to record in 1962 after Mary Wells didn't show up for a recording session. "I'll Have to Let Him Go" became the first Martha & the Vandellas single.

The next single, "Come and Get These Memories", was a breakthrough success, which was followed by "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" and "Quicksand", also major hits. "Dancing in the Street" (1964) then became the band's biggest hit. 1963 also saw Beard departing the group to start a family; she was replaced by Betty Kelly, a former member of another girl group, the Velvelettes. In 1967, Kelly was fired from the group and was replaced by Sandra "Lois" Reeves, Martha's younger sister. Also in 1967, the group, now known as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, recorded "Honey Chile," their last original Top 40 hit, and subsequently, the hits began to dry up. In the beginning of 1969, Ashford was also fired from the group and was replaced by Sandra Tilley, another former member of the Velvelettes. The Vandellas left Motown, finally breaking up in 1972. Martha Reeves continued to work as a solo artist, but neither the band nor any member managed to regain widespread success. Lois went to work with Al Green shortly after the Vandellas' disbanding. Tilley died of a brain aneurysm in 1981.

In the nineties, Martha began performing live with the Vandellas again. She has two units of Vandellas who take turns touring with her — the original members (Ashford and Beard), and her two sisters Lois and Delphine.

Discography

Albums

• Come and Get These Memories (1963)
• Heat Wave (1963) US: #125
• Martha & the Vandellas Greatest Hits (1964) US: #50
• Dance Party (1964) US: #139
• Watchout! (1966) US: #116
• Martha & the Vandellas Live! (1967) US: #140
• Ridin' High (1967) US: #167
• Sugar 'n' Spice (1969)
• Natural Resources]] (1970)
• Black Magic (1972) US: #146
• Live Wire!' (1993) hits compilation
• The Ultimate Collection (1998) hits compilation

Singles

As The Del-Phis:

• "I'll Let You Know" (1961, Checkmate)

As The Vels:

• "There He Is at My Door" (1962, Mel-O-Dy)

As The Vandellas:

• "Camel Walk" (1962, Tamla)

From Come and Get These Memories:

• "I'll Have to Let Him Go" (1962)
• "Come and Get These Memories" (1963) R&B: #6 Pop: #29

From Heat Wave:

• "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave" (1963) R&B: #1 Pop: #4
• "Quicksand" (1963) Pop: #8

From Martha & the Vandellas Greatest Hits:

• "Live Wire" (1964) Pop: #42
• "In My Lonely Room" (1964) Pop: #44
• "Wild One" (1964) Pop: #34
• "Nowhere to Run" (1965) R&B: #5 Pop: #8 UK: #26
• "You've Been in Love Too Long" (1965) R&B: #25 Pop #36
• "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)" (1965) R&B: #22 Pop: #70
• "My Baby Loves Me" (1966) R&B: #3 Pop: #22
• "What Am I Gonna Do Without Your Love" (1966) Pop: #71

From Dance Party:

• "Dancing in the Street" (1964) Pop: #2 UK: #4

From Watchout!:

• "I'm Ready for Love" (1966) R&B: #2 Pop: #9 UK: #29
• "Jimmy Mack" (1967) R&B: #1 Pop: #10 UK: #21

From Ridin' High:

• "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" (1967) R&B: #14 Pop: #25
• "Honey Chile" (1967) R&B: #5 Pop: #11 UK: #30
• "I Promise to Wait, My Love" (1968) R&B: #36 Pop: #62
• "Forget Me Not" (1968) Pop: #93 UK: #11

From Sugar 'n' Spice:

• "Sweet Darlin'" (1968) Pop: #80
• "(We've Got) Honey Love" (1969) Pop: #56
• "Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)" (1969)

From Natural Resources:

• "I Should Be Proud" (1970)
• "I Gotta Let You Go" (1970) Pop: #93

From Black Magic:

• "Bless You" (1971) R&B: #29 Pop: #53 UK: #33
• "In and Out of My Life" (1972)
• "Tear It On Down" (1972) R&B: #37 Pop: #103
• "Baby Don't Leave Me" (1973)

Non-Album Singles:

• "I Can't Dance to that Music You're Playin'" (1969) R&B: #24 Pop: #42

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