By TRI-PHI (68.5.143.49) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 12:38 am:

I THINK ITS A TOTAL DISCRACE THAT MOTOWN 45 HAS SHUN ARTISTS LIKE BRENDA HOLLOWAY, KIM WESTON AND THE VELVELETTES AND GLADYS HORTON WAS TOLD HER SERVICES WERENT NEEDED, HOW THE HELL CAN MOTOWN 45 NOT INVITE GLADYS HORTON WHO'S VOICE ON PLEASE MR. POSTMAN GAVE MOTOWN ITS FIRST DOUBLE #1 SINGLE SHAME ON MOTOWN AND DEPASSE PRODUCTIONS WHO PROBABBLY PUT THIS WHOLE SHINDIG TOGETHER, THE ELGINS , THE MONITORS, THE MARVELETTES, THE ORIGINALS, THE MIRACLES,CHRIS CLARK, BLINKY,JIMMY RUFFIN OR EVEN BARRETT STRONG WHO GAVE TAMLA ONE OF ITS FIRST BIG HITS WITH "MONEY" NONE OF THESE PEOPLE WERE INVITED TO COME BACK, LIKE I SAID SHAME ON MOTOWN AND WHO EVER PRODUCED THIS SPECIAL

By TRI-PHI (68.5.143.49) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 12:44 am:

AND ONE OTHER THING, IF THE ISLEY BROS. AND THE SPINNERS WERE EVER INVITED IM SURE THEY WOULD HAVE LAUGHED IN MOTOWNS FACE

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 01:50 am:

Facts: Though we miss many classic Motown artists on a tribute show like this, neither MOTOWN Productions or Records nor dePASSE Productions conceived or produced "Motown 45". It was done by the same people who delightfully and soulfully produced "A Very Motown Christmas" t.v. special years ago (1987, starring many Motown artists), and Michael Jackson's "One Night Only" t.v. special -- plus several editions of the Academy Awards (at the same place, The Shrine Auditorium) and ten years of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, among many other big, big productions. The point is that they more than know what they are doing. They have the awards to prove it. As Michael declared recently: Let's wait to see the Motown 45 production before prejudging it.

P.S. No, I don't work for them any more than they have as an employee Spookey or Juice-free!

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:22 am:

And one other thing, how can U fairly say that they shunned KIM WESTON when she was sitting right up front in the V.I.P. section of the audeience? If Miss KIM was furious at them -- like U are -- then Ms. Weston wouldn't have been there, would she?

By medusa (68.79.85.166) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 09:50 am:

I'm not surprised, although it's very unfortunate that any of the Motown Artists would be left out of the sound they helped build.
Look at what was done to the Movie (Temptations), it could've been easier to film it right here in Detroit in the same area, which still exists with the Funeral Homes next store to Hitsville USA. Seems like it could've saved them $$$...It was rumored that someone made a statement that the area is torn down, but why would that same (torn down) area be replicated in the movie? (Philidelphia, I believe it was). I'm quite sure there were a "lot" of alterations made, to make it look like the original place... when less time and $$$ could've been put into the same original place.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 01:55 pm:

Medusa:
The Temptations movie was filmed in Pittsburgh, which puzzled my aunts & uncles who live in the Steel City.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By MagyarEd (209.163.98.5) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:59 pm:

The hype I heard back then was that the streets of Pittsburgh more represented the Motown streets than Detroit did.

Beats me; but that's the take that I remember hearing and reading. I'm only guessing, Medussa, that the cost of the production (and perhaps incentives as well) was more advantageous in Pittsburgh than in the Motor City....just a thought.

GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 02:57 am:

Also in the "M-45" audience, prominetly placed, besides Miss KIM WESTON were: the King of Motown BERRY GORDY, Jr., wonderful BRENDA HOLLOWAY, Miss SCHERRIE PAYNE of THE SUPREMES, her singing sister FREDA PAYNE, Mr. FREDDIE GORMAN of THE ORIGINALS, Miss BETTY KELLEY formerly of MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS, and many "more", yeah, like PETE MOORE of THE MIRACLES and FLORENCE BALLARD's daughter MICHELLE. So, I don't want anyone to think that none of these people were considered nor invited there and get yourselves depressed.

It clearly was a "Motown Who's Who". And all of the above mentioned plus all of the Motown stars and performers were feted at a huge "After M-45 Show Party". The thing to do is look forward to a historic, very exciting Monday eve, May 17th.