Pay attention that even Berry Gordy felt threaten, from his former associates writers, of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland Jr. because unlike some that departed the company called Motown, they prove they could survive. Least you found them venturing out to be businessmen , with a vision. Setting up Invictus and the Hotwax label they found success over failure that many probably thought would happen quickly.
One, of those acts assigned to Hotwax, was the trio of Edna Wright, Carolyn Willis,Shelly Clark one group that bought instant recognition to the competing label. The Supremes, was marketed solely to the white market during the sixties era. Only finding their soulfulness during the seventies years, with Jean Terrell bringing them that honor. But ,in comparison the Honey Cones was proven they was worth being notice.
Whether songs was written by the founders, of Invictus and Hotwax. Or Greg Perry, Norman Johnson or others they ruled the charts, with soulfulness pop style songs. Many seems to like to state they was borrowing off the Jackson Five, in terms of melodic hits. Which might have a small amount of truth to validate that claim.
But, honestly speaking, who doesn’t believe when listening to their musical arrangement that many Funk Brothers wasn’t the creator, of their sound. Similar to them supporting Jackie Wilson and a few supporting the Mighty Dramatics during the sixties. We shouldn’t be amazed or shocked or the least surprised.
Choregraphy wise, they could hold their own against their fellow fmale competitors, of the seventies. Take notes, the Three Degree and others wasn’t stationary singer. And , this goes double concerning these these fantasticfemales. Simlar to the success of the Supremes, you might say that male writers seems to write better songs concerning love, from a male perspective.
Whatever emotion men feel? Is the feeliings they sing and write about concerning the female perspective. We can’t deny that if the distributors hadn’t derail them, at Invictus Records that these three great singers would have became greater in the musicscope of music.
They had some of the greatest usicians, arrangers, and composers in their corner to get them over the hump. But, sometimes you get recognized for the songs you recorded, in a few years that’s great. Then , you do for the songs over years. Want Ads, a soul, pop classic that stands out great to this day because, of the honesty contained, within the song.
Notice, that Stick Up, also sung by Willis, Wright and Clark has melody elements that rivals high among many songs ever written , by Holland, Dozier, Holland when they was the stars behind many Motown Act. Honey Cones seems to tackle subject female, with a pop field without trying to reach a certain market. Songs was written and promoted according to the song selection to the public.
The message sold the song. The recording of “The Day I Found Myself” was the freedom to find your way when your lover has left says volume to their female fans. Even, when returning to produce, at their former company Brian Holland, Eddie Holland proved they was still a creative force. So just imagine if their record labels was able to survive through their financial crisis that the Honey Cones would have been the face of the company.
But, in some ways they hold that honor because they achieve more exposure nationally. Three talented females of soul. Other might have recorded later using their famous name. Except fans knows the true group.