Johnny Bristol--Hang On In There Baby (1974)

     Johnny Bristol made his first successes as a producer for Motown. Among the many he produced hits for included, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. He left Motown in 1973 and briefly joined CBS/Columbia to produce, but was wanting to get back to writing and recording as he did in his very early career. CBS didn't show interest and he signed in 1974 with MGM on a recording contract.
     He reached the R&B charts about a half dozen times during the rest of the 70's, but his only top 20 song, "Hang On In There Baby" was his first release in 1974.

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Stevie Wonder--Fingertips Pt. 2 (1963)

     He really was a product of the 60's and 70's, but Stevie Wonder has continued to record and tour long after his major popularity has waned. 

     Born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, Stevland Judkins was born blind due to being 6 weeks premature. At the age of four his parents divorced, which prompted a move to Detroit and led to him being discovered by Ronnie White of the Mircales (actually it was his brother who kept nagging Ronnie to go to a friends house to check Stevie out). By this time he could play the harmonica, piano, drums, and bass. White took Stevie and his mother to Motown Records, and Berry Gordy signed him to a contract with Tamla Records under the name, "Little Stevie Wonder"

     Wonder cut several singles and a couple of albums in 62 without much success. In 1963, on a Motown Revue Concert with a very young Marvin Gaye on the drums, Stevie cut "Fingertips Pt. 2". It was his first hit and his first #1...

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