Artist
Martha and the Vandellas
High-energy vocal group whose recordings like "Dancing in the Streets" and "Heat Wave" captured the urgency and excitement of Motown's early sound. Martha Reeves' powerful vocals and the group's driving arrangements—crafted with Holland-Dozier-Holland—made them consistent hitmakers between 1962 and 1972. They recorded in Studio A with the Funk Brothers, including house pianist Bob Neloms, who can be heard on "Dancing in the Streets" and "Heat Wave." The tambourine on the backbeat, the stacked harmonies, the call-and-response structure—all the elements that defined the Motown sound were present in Martha and the Vandellas' records.