By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 10:17 am:

Exactly who was Herman Griffin? All I've ever
heard was that he was married to Mary Wells and
was responsible for her leaving the label.

By Scratcher (63.188.33.131) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 11:10 am:

Herman Griffin was a recording artist on HoB, Anna, Tamla and other labels. Never saw him live but he was suppose to have been an exciting performer who did back flips on stage.

By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 12:57 pm:

Do you know how he became involved with Mary Wells?

By Scratcher (63.188.33.131) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 01:11 pm:

Naw, that's personal stuff, Wonderin', I wouldn't know anything about that.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 02:53 pm:

Wondering,

Herman Griffin has made an early mark in the Motown history. He was the first artist to release a song from the music publishing company Jobete Music. It was released 1958.



Except his early recordings for Anna, Tamla and Motown he also recorded this song on Double-L:



� I don�t know if he sings about Mary Wells here�

My favorite Herman Griffin single was recorded on the Magic Touch label:



It sounds like it is recorded in the late sixties. I don't know the exact year.

Lars

By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 02:58 pm:

Did any of these hit? I saw something on an
answer record on Mercury by Bobby Wells called
"I'm Your Guy". Would this be Bobby Womack?

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:15 pm:

Herman Griffin was said to have conducted for
Mary. Film footage of the Motortown Revue in
late 62 or early 63 at the Apollo does not
show him conducting.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:15 pm:

None of the above records were hits. Actually, Herrman Griffin was never on the Billboard Hot 100 chart or the R&B chart.

Lars

By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:35 pm:

Again, does anyone know of this answer record on
Mercury by Bobby Wells called "I'm Your Guy"?
I saw a copy of the label and Smokey was credited
as a writer.
Who was Bobby Wells?

By MEL&THEN SOME9 (212.159.51.95) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:41 pm:

lars,
this is what I have on Herman,
corrections where/if necessary appreciated.
with Rayber Voices
I need you-Hob(no.112).
with Mello-Dees
hurry up and marry me on Anna(no.1115&Steppno.237)
on his own
Its you-Columbia(no.41951).
Dream Girl-Mercury(no.72401).
Its you-Tamla(no.54032).
Sleep little one-Motown(no.1028).
Never trust your girlfriend-Double L(NO.718).
The right direction-Stone Blue(no.101).
mel.

By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:44 pm:

Wow! He was on Mercury! Could Herman have been
Bobby Wells?

By Dave Fleming (62.253.128.5) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:22 am:

Here`s a scan of the "H.Griffin" 45 that Lars sent in,but this one has a different label layout to that one for some reason,also i think that "Bobby Wells" was infact "Robert Murphy".

Dave f..........

By Wondering (169.139.180.100) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:31 am:

And who was Robert Murphy? Has anyone heard "I'm
Your Guy", the answer to "My Guy"? Does anyone
have the record? I saw it a while back in a
DISCoveries auction. The seller said the lyrics
were hysterical.

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:34 am:

What year was the Double L single released? I
notice Robt. Bateman produced and cowrote with
Mickey Stevenson. What is the background info.
on the Double L label?

By Scratcher (65.132.76.227) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:40 am:

Bateman produced other records that Double L released on Wilson Pickett. He shopped them to Berry first but was turned down. The Double L single came out in 1963.

Btw, it was Mickey Stevenson who said in somebody's book that Herman Griffin acted as Mary Wells musical director and would do inappropriate backflips while she was singing ballads.

By LG Nilsson (212.247.9.242) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 11:08 am:

Dave F,

The reason the labels are different is because my scan is from a DJ copy sent to radio stations. Often DJ copies at this time were white with simplier or different graphics. This goes for almost all labels.

Lars

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 02:33 pm:

Somewhere in the archives is a Herman Griffin discography I compiled about nine months ago.