Founding member of The Temptations Paul Williams was born on this date in 1939. He died apparently by his own hand at just 34 years of age. Tunes du Jour honors his memory on today’s playlist with a smattering of the group’s many great tracks.
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Learning that Jeff Beck was a fan of his, Stevie Wonder invited the guitarist to the studio to jam with him. Beck played on Stevie’s composition “Lookin’ For Another Pure Love,” recorded for what was to be Wonder’s next album, Talking Book. As a thank you, Wonder wrote a song for Beck to record: “Superstition.” Wonder told Beck he can release his version prior to Wonder’s version, which would appear on Talking Book.
Motown heard Stevie’s recording and knew it would be a hit single. Stevie wanted his song “Big Brother” to be the album’s first single, but he hadn’t finished recording it by the time Motown needed a 45 to release in advance of the full-length record. Stevie begged Motown to not put out a “Superstition” single, as he promised it to Beck, whose album release was delayed. Motown ignored their superstar’s pleas. The label released the single, and scored Stevie a number one single on the US pop and r&b charts.
Beck wasn’t too happy about that turn of events, though the two men eventually sorted things out, playing the song together at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th-anniversary ceremony.
Stevie Wonder turns 73 today. He is well-represented on today’s playlist.
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Today’s playlist celebrates Hanukkah; the December 19 birthdays of Earth Wind & Fire’s Maurice White, The KLF’s Jimmy Cauty, Edith Piaf, Phil Ochs, KajaGooGoo’s Limahl, Ten Years After’s Alvin Lee, Lady Sovereign, Walter Murphy, and Lenny White; and the December 20 birthdays of Anita Ward, Billy Bragg, Kiss’s Peter Criss, Minutemen’s Mike Watt, The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson, The Easybeats/Flash and the Pan’s Stevie Wright, Heatwave’s Keith Wilder, Alan Parsons, Kim Weston, Nao, and Judy Henske.
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