The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million. TV Mini-Series documentary writer - 1 episode, writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", writer: "Just my imagination running away with me" - as Norman I. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "I Wanna Get Next to You", writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", as N. Whitfield, "Holler If Ya Hear Me" / writer: "Holler If Ya Hear Me" - as N. Whitfield, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today", Madonna: The Girlie Show - Live Down Under, TV Movie documentary writer: "Rain" - as N. Whitfield, TV Movie writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Raisins Sold Out: The California Raisins II, TV Movie writer: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", producer: "War" / writer: "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka", "War", writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", TV Movie writer: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" - uncredited, Documentary "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" / producer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Wherever I Lay My Hat That's My Home", TV Special documentary writer: "That's the way Love is", producer: "The Last Dragon", "Stand Your Ground", "The Final Test" / writer: "The Last Dragon", "Stand Your Ground", "The Final Test", TV Series writer - 1 episode, 1985 lyrics - 1 episode, 1982 music - 1 episode, 1982, Video writer: "Friendship Train", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", writer: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", TV Movie documentary writer: "Needle in a Haystack", Documentary "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", lyrics: "WAR" - as N. Whitfield / music: "WAR" - as N. Whitfield, Bassie en Adriaan en het geheim van de sleutel, lyrics: "Which Way Is Up?" Over 25 years Whitfield co-wrote and produced many Motown hits including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "Cloud Nine", "War", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Whitfield worked extensively with the Temptations as a producer and songwriter, producing eight of their albums between 1969 and 1973. Whitfield joined Motown's in-house songwriting staff, co-writing the Marvin Gaye hit "Pride & Joy", the Marvelettes's "Too Many Fish in the Sea" and the Velvelettes's "Needle in a Haystack". Gordy refused to release versions of I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the Miracles, the Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye. Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. Norman passed away in 2008. He was known especially for his work with the Temptations; he produced many of their recordings for Motown, including the album Cloud Nine, whose title track earned the group a Grammy in 1969. He had been with Motown for several years without scoring a major hit, but in 1970 he enjoyed the biggest single of his career with "War," co-written by Whitfield and Holland. Whitfield's big success with his own label, however, and his last big commercial hit, came in 1976 with the group Rose Royce, which he had discovered during their time as Edwin Starr's backup band (known then as Magic Wand). Access is free so discover Norman Whitfield's story today. ", Video Game writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - uncredited, TV Special writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", writer: "Just My Imagination Running Away With Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", music: "Richard Pryor Dialogue" / producer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "I'm Going Down", "Sunrise", "Righteous Rhythm", "Water", "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "Keep On Keepin' On" / writer: "Car Wash", "6 O'Clock DJ Let's Rock", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "Daddy Rich", "Richard Pryor Dialogue", "I'm Going Do, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Documentary writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Documentary writer: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", writer: "Just My Immagination Running Away With Me" - as Whitfield, Norman, writer: "I Wish It Would Rain" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video Game writer: "Smiling Faces Sometimes", writer: "Eye of the Tiger / Holler If Ya Hear Me", writer: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: "I Heard it Through the Grapevyne" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Documentary writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J Whitfield, writer: "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE" by nm1100552, writer: "Ball of Confusion That's What the World Is Today" - as Norman J. Whitfield, Video documentary writer: "Cloud 9", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes, TV Series documentary writer - 5 episodes, writer: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - as Norman J. Whitfield, writer: " I Know I'm Losing You" - as Norman J. Whitfield. 04:13. He was born in Harlem in 1943. Doubtlessly, all these ventures made positive impact on Whitfields net worth. - Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Lynn Whitfield (ne Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated for life? She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown Time before earning international acclaim touring the United States, Australia and London's West End in the 1977 production of the landmark play "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" alongside Alfre Woodard.[2]. A native of Harlem, Whitfield spent his early teen years hanging out in local pool halls. Many, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine, memorably recorded both by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, were written with his frequent collaborator Barrett Strong. A native of Harlem, New York, Whitfield spent most of his teen years in local pool halls. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York, and spent much of his teen years in local pool halls. [9][10] At the time of filming, Lawrence was 12 years younger than Whitfield, who was then 42. After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. He was 68. War was recorded by the Temptations before Edwin Starr, and Papa Was a Rollin' Stone was tried out on Whitfield's pet group the Undisputed Truth prior to the Temptations. Read Full Biography Overview Biography Songs Credits Awards Related Share on facebook twitter tumblr Related Artists Associated with Barrett Strong Associated with The Temptations Followed by Terence Trent D'Arby Influenced by The Coasters She also starred as Dorothea Garibaldi in the Disney Channel films The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2. But success corrupted the once-shy outsider. Gordy wasn't always tolerant of the young man's presence at Motown's studios, and occasionally chased him off the premises, but not so often that Whitfield didn't pick up what he needed to know: watching recordings being made and songs being fine-tuned. "Even as his body began to fail him, his mind was so strong," she said. Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (ne Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer who wrote the musicals, The Supper and The Wake. Levi and Shirley Whitfield enjoyed more than 66 years together until death parted them when Levi passed away on June 4, 2021. All these accomplishments provided a significant boost to Norman Whitfields wealth. It was written as a Vietnam war protest song. She was a 1993 graduate of Hubbard High School and obtained a Bachelors Degree from Ohio State University and a Masters Degree from UCLA. I'll be doing something similar tonight. Their separation was brief, however, as Shirley passed away on August 14, 2021. Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Cloud Nine - The Temptations. 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for. 2023 L.E. [26] In 2022, she set to appear opposite Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman in the action comedy film, The Retirement Plan. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Strong eventually went behind the scenes as a songwriter, teaming with producer Norman Whitfield in the mid-1960s to cowrite smashes for Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Edwin Starr and the . Home; Trees; . Songs written by Norman Whitfield. Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. Whitfield was born in Harlem, where his main achievement was to become a skilled pool player. Gordy finally came to appreciate Whitfield's persistence as an attribute they shared, and put him in charge of "quality control" -- he would listen to blank label copies of the company's latest finished sides and critique them without knowing who was on or behind them, boil his observations down to a numerical score, and give the results to Gordy to think about. [12] In 1998, Whitfield had supporting role of an oncologist in the comedy-drama film Stepmom.[13][14]. Robert Dwayne Womack was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the third of five brothers. Whitfield was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Whitfield is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Norman Whitfield, a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and arranger for Motown Records whose many hits, including the signature song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," helped solidify the. Norman Whitfield. Her mother is an African-American while her father is Creole making her half Native American. His genres are R&B,soul,pop,psychedelic soul,funk,disco. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. Besides his daughter, Irasha, of Los Angeles, Mr. Whitfield is survived by four sons, Norman, of Los Angeles; Michael, of Toluca Lake; Johnnie, of Atlanta; and Roland, of Murrieta, Calif.; a brother, Bill, of Los Angeles; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Age, Height, Husband, Net Wor What is Jo Anne Worley doing now? The song was first sung by the Temptations and then reproduced for Motown featuring Edwin Starr as the vocalist. Among Mr. Whitfields other hits were Papa Was a Rollin Stone, written with Mr. Strong. Whitfield later was cast in a leading role in Greenleaf's planned spinoff. A NORMAN WHITFIELD SONGBOOK 2,527 views Aug 29, 2019 One of the great composer of MOTOWN. Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 - September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy 's Motown labels during the 1960s. When it comes to his personal life, Norman Whitfield managed to keep it private he had five children but details of their mother(s) is lacking. She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. Wynk Music brings to you Ooh Boy MP3 song from the movie/album 100 Greatest Soul. Either way, he changed the landscape of soul. [17], In 2015, Whitfield was cast as the main villain in Greenleaf, the Oprah Winfrey Network original scripted drama series about the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Norman Whitfield. Norman Whitfield passed away on September 16, 2008 at 68 years old. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! NEW YORK (AP) Barrett Strong, one of Motown's founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company's breakthrough single "Money (That's What I Want)" and later collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "War" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," has died . The trio never hit again as big as they did with that song, as Whitfield concentrated most of his efforts on the Temptations, but he used the Undisputed Truth to try out funk and psychedelic experiments, both with his own songs (including the first version of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone") and covers of other writers' songs. Norman Whitfield. [18][19] The series also starred Keith David, Merle Dandridge, Kim Hawthorne, and Oprah Winfrey. [1], During his 25-year career, Whitfield co-wrote and produced many enduring hits for Motown artists, including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg",[2] "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "War", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". his father's car broke down there. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. Norman Whitfield was born in Harlem on May 12, 1940. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! The song itself may have said more than it meant to about the time in which it was written, recorded, and released, with a slow tempo and an ominous mood. In late 1962, Whitfield became part of the early boom era at Motown Records, joining the ranks of Harvey Fuqua, Mickey Stevenson, and the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information. Twitter. She was preceded in death by her father; grandparents, Julius and Annie Graham, William and Gertrude Whitfield; and 3 aunts. In 1975, Whitfield left Motown, following its move from Detroit, to form his own label, Whitfield Records. When a notification about first-round voting in the 2021 Grammys slipped into my digital letterbox the other day, the initial thought which came to mind was of Motown's first such honour - for 1968's "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations - and the man behind it, Norman Whitfield.. Norman Whitfield, who died on Tuesday aged 67, was a songwriter and producer and one of the principal architects of the Motown sound; he was responsible for many of the label's greatest hits . Structural Info Facts Pictures Filmography Awards Known for movies Even when one of his songs was a hit, he would try the song in a different way, placing it with an artist who would take it in a distinctly different direction. He co-wrote "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", "Ball of Confusion", "War", "Smilin' Faces", and "Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away with Me)". Whitfield wrote or co-wrote more than 60 hits on the UK charts and 90 on the US charts. Additionally, the 1968 single "Cloud Nine" became the first Motown record to win a Grammy Award, for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group. Norman Whitfield was one of the architects of the Motown sound, from its early peak as a national label through its waning days of major chart success. Whitfield's rise was down to a cocktail of talent, ego, luck and, most of all, persistence. The family eventually relocated there, and Whitfield hustled pool and performed other marginal pursuits to survive, and also began watching and learning what was needed to work in music. Whitfield kept moving with the times, his songs taking on an edge of gritty social realism in their lyrics that were far removed from the romantic ballads on which much of the "Motown Sound" had been built across the company's first decade. He was to see sides and potential in that group's sound that would enhance both of their careers in the decade to follow. DC Young Fly Daughter's Nova Whitfield: Age, Mom, Bio, Parents, Net Worth! [6] He added contemporary song topics, moving from love songs to the social issues of the time, such as war, poverty and politics. Though largely invisible professionally in his later years, he did re-emerge in the news in 2005 when he pleaded guilty to settle a tax evasion case from the late '90s. Even amid all of this activity with the Temptations, he found other important outlets for his compositions, most notably in the person of Edwin Starr. He is credited as being one of the creators of the "Motown Sound," and instrumental in the development of psychedelic soul. 1 - 49 of 49 Total. Mrs. Estelle Whitfield, age 98, passed away November 23, 2020. His songwriting career began in the early 1960s when he was included in co-writing The Marvelettes hit single Too Many Fish in the Sea, Marvin Gayes Pride & Joy and later Needle in a Haystack written for The Velvelettes.