BRENDA HOLLOWAY

In 1964, Brenda Holloway became the first non-Detoiter to record a hit single for Motown.

She was born on June 21, 1946, in Atascadero, California. In 1962, Bob Keane signed her to his Donna label and released Holloway's debut single, "Hey Fool." Later that year, her second release appeared on Keane's Del-Fi imprint--the first of two versions Holloway would record of the ballad, "Every Little Bit Hurts."

In late 1963, songwriter/producer Hal Davis invited Holloway to a disc jockey's party that Motown's Berry Gordy, Jr. was attending. Gordy was impressed enough to sign the 17-year-old to his Tamla division. She recorded at Motown's fledgling L.A. studios.

Her first waxing for the label was a re-do of "Every Little Bit Hurts." Released on Tamla in April 1964, it reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 R&B. The single's success earned Holloway a spot on the Motortown Revue tour. Her second Tamla single, "I'll Always Love You," reached a modest #60 in Billboard, but her third release fared better. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson and recorded at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studios in Detroit, "When I'm Gone" reached #25 pop and #12 R&B in 1965.

At around this time, Holloway started to have issues with Motown. As one of the few acts not at attend the label's grooming school, she was chastised for dressing and performing "too much like Tina Turner." Some of Motown's Detroit staff considered Holloway a troublemaker and shunned her for the label's more successful acts (like the Supremes). Despite that, she gained a spot on the Beatles' U.S. tour and opened for them at Shea Stadium.

In 1967, Tamla issued "You've Made Me So Very Happy," which Holloway had written with her sister Patrice. It reached #39 pop and #40 R&B. Two years later, a remake by Blood Sweat & Tears got all the way to #2. Because Berry Gordy and producer Frank Wilson had added their names to the composer's credits, thus depriving Holloway of royalties, she sued the label in 1969 and won her case.

A disillusioned Holloway left Motown in 1968. She next recorded for Invictus--founded by the production trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who had also quit Motown in disgust. In 1969, Holloway married a preacher named Albert Davis, with whom she had four children. (They divorced in the '80s.) She and her sister Patrice did session work in the '70s, most notably with Joe Cocker. But for the most part, Brenda Holloway had left the music business.

She returned to performing after the 1992 death of her friend and fellow Motown diva, Mary Wells. Holloway made appearances in L.A. and England, whose Northern Soul scene had embraced her as a musical goddess. In 1999, she received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award. 

Now in her 70s, Brenda Holloway sporadically performs and records. Her most recent single was "Same Page," a 2018 duet with Rags Moody III.

Rock critic Dave Marsh included both "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "When I'm Gone" in his 1989 book, The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.

Charted singles:

"Every Little Bit Hurts" (1964) R&B #3, Pop #13
"I'll Always Love You" (1964) Pop #60
"When I'm Gone" (1965) R&B #12, Pop #25
"Operator" (1965) R&B #36, Pop #78
"Just Look What You've Done" (1967) R&B #21, Pop #69
"You've Made Me So Very Happy" (1967) R&B #40, Pop #39