By bpastoria (65.104.146.210 - 65.104.146.210) on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 03:06 pm:

Musical Director Mr. King and choreographer Cholly "Pops" Atkins are 2 more individuals who need to be remembered as major contributors to Detroit music.
There contribution to artist development is vastly underrated. I have some incredible memorabilia from both of them from there days at Motown. God Bless them both

By Millie (64.152.155.225 - 64.152.155.225) on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 05:45 pm:

Hey Brian!
Welcome to the best website in the whole musical world! I do remember meeting Cholly Atkins when you were shooting the DC Drive video several years ago. Another person who should be mentioned is Ms. Maxine Powell...she did a phenominal job teaching the female artists how to behave..., how to walk, how to stand, which fork to use...etc! Boy, those were the days! Sure hope to see a lot of you on the forum!

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 06:10 pm:

And I had the pleasure of meeting Maurice King while I was in the Sunliners and he heard us play our version of Green Dolphin Street andtold us we omitted the bridge. He was right.

By Eli (64.12.106.29 - 64.12.106.29) on Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 02:39 am:

I must remind you all once again of Gil Askey one of the most unheralded albeit talented and musical of the arrangers. And oh how he jazzed it up!!

By Jerry Atrick (64.12.106.29 - 64.12.106.29) on Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 02:42 am:

No matter how old I get I don't want anyone to call me pops!!
Believe it or not Leon Huff's 22 year old son is called pop!!

By Bob Olhsson (68.32.101.228 - 68.32.101.228) on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 12:55 am:

Cholly Atkins contributed to a LOT more than just Detroit! He was considered one of the top dancers and choreographers in the world long BEFORE Motown when he was in New York. Hiring him for all of the artists was pure genius.

By Eli (205.188.197.158 - 205.188.197.158) on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 12:51 pm:

He was half of the famous Vaudeville dance duo, Coles and Atkins.(Honi Coles)
During their time, Black hoofes were all the rage and a hit with white society folk. Unfortunately during that time in Amerikka, blacks were not allowed in the very clubs where the black acts performed!!!!! As in the imfamous Cotton Club, and the help(being the acts themselves) had to enter through the kitchen!!!!
I never could understand such blatant racism and I was always oblivious to it when I was growing up, thank God!!
Otherwise I would be producing Frankie Avalon records.

There was a deciple of Charlie Atkins named Lon Fontaine who we hired to choreograph the group Impact when I had them. Lon also worked with the Tempts. The rehearsals were truly a sight to behold and we even had a remote controled mike stand that rolled out (sometimes) onto the stage!!!!!

By Bob Olhsson (68.32.101.228 - 68.32.101.228) on Saturday, June 15, 2002 - 01:09 am:

Check out:

http://www.okcu.edu/dance_amgt/chollyatkins.html

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, June 15, 2002 - 01:14 am:

Thanks Bob. Great stuff. I never had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman.

By RJ Spangler (64.12.103.157 - 64.12.103.157) on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 08:14 pm:

Maurice King had a great band called the Wolverines. He had Russel Green on trumpet (& I think violin). Russell was a helluva trumeter from the big band era...he had played with Lunceford, Basie, et al. Kings great band also featured Lou Barnet on sax. Lou is well known for playing with Todd Rhodes and Paul 'Huckelbuck" Williams. He also toured a lot with Aretha. A young Beans Bowles played Alto/Bari! Beans and Lou both told me about Bird sitting in with the Maurice King band after he did a Bird with Strings concert here in Detroit.
The Wolverines had a long stand at (I beleive), the Flame Showbar. The also worked other Paradise Valley clubs like the Three Sixes (Club 666!), and the Club Sudan. Have any of you folks read the Bjorn/Gallert book?
RJ Spangler

By John Smith (194.42.250.98 - 194.42.250.98) on Friday, July 05, 2002 - 11:54 am:

Cholly Atkins lives in Las Vegas now and a friend of his (& mine) is singer Lou Ragland. After Motown, Cholly taught the steps to many Philly Int artists, etc. Today he still devises steps for the O'Jays and Temptations. Through Lou Ragland, I visited with Cholly about 18 months ago. The man is a true star and related many stories from the 60's / 70's to me. He has lots of memorabelia, including numerous gold discs that acts he helped gave him as gifts. He also has many tour back stage passes, one of which (for the Temptations)he gave to me as a gift. His biography was published last year.