The Contours
Wikimp3 information about the music of The Contours. On our website we have 70 albums and 70 collections of artist The Contours. You can find useful information and download songs of this artist. We also know that The Contours represents Hip Hop/R&B genres.
Biography
[Edit]The Contours are widely remembered for their 1962 smash "Do You Love Me?," one of the early hits that helped put Motown on the map. Yet they aren't always associated with their contribution to the label; they were one of the roughest, hardest R&B groups Berry Gordy ever signed, and their sound simply didn't resemble the smooth, sophisticated blueprint that later became Motown's trademark. Nor did their stage presence; in contrast to the slick choreography and wardrobe of Motown's signature artists, the Contours were all wild, irrepressible energy, leaping and sliding all over the stage and even doing the splits. As a result, they fell out of favor once Motown got its crossover-friendly hit factory up and running, and never duplicated the success of their first hit.
Formed in Detroit in 1958, the Contours originally began life as a quartet called the Blenders. Lead singer Billy Gordon, Billy Hogg, Sylvester Potts, and Joe Billingslea were soon joined by Hubert Johnson, a cousin of the legendary Jackie Wilson, as well as guitarist Huey Davis. Changing their name to the Contours, the group landed an audition with Berry Gordy's fledgling Motown label. Gordy was not impressed and told them to try again in a year, and they enlisted Jackie Wilson's aid in honing their act. Wilson personally recommended the group to Gordy, who finally relented and signed them up in 1961. The Contours' first single "Whole Lotta Woman" sank without a trace, and Gordy nearly dropped them until Wilson once again interceded on their behalf. The move paid off handsomely when Gordy offered them a chance to cut "Do You Love Me?," a song originally intended for the Temptations, who couldn't quite nail down the rough and rowdy feel Gordy wanted. Released in 1962, "Do You Love Me?" zoomed straight to the top of the R&B charts in just a few short weeks, peaking at number three on the pop side.
Although the Contours were riding high thanks to their hit and their exciting live act, they found the momentum difficult to maintain. They were able to score a follow-up hit, "Shake Sherrie," in 1963, and ran off a string of R&B Top 40 singles over 1965-1966: "Can You Jerk Like Me?," the Top Ten "The Day When She Needed Me," the Smokey Robinson-penned "First I Look at the Purse," and "Just a Little Misunderstanding." Despite the often high quality of those singles, the Contours simply weren't getting the attention — either from the label or the public — that Motown's top stars were, and their sound was more of an anomaly at Hitsville than ever. By this time, the original quintet was no longer intact; new members included Joe Stubbs, brother of the Four Tops' Levi Stubbs, and Dennis Edwards, who went on to replace David Ruffin in the Temptations.
The Contours had their last charting single in 1967 with "It's So Hard Being a Loser"; Billingslea and Potts subsequently led versions of the group on the oldies circuit during the '70s and '80s. Sadly, Johnson committed suicide in 1981, and wasn't around to witness the 1988 revival of "Do You Love Me?" thanks to the wildly popular film Dirty Dancing. Billingslea, Potts, and their new cohorts hit the oldies circuit with renewed vigor, and also cut the album Running in Circles for U.K. Motown revivalist Ian Levine's Motorcity label in 1990. Stubbs passed away in 1998, and guitarist Davis did likewise in 2002.
Title: Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) (Expanded Edition)
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock & Roll
Title: Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) [Bonus Track Version]
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop, Alternative
Title: The Contours - In Concert At Little Darlin's Rock 'n' Roll Palace (Live)
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Funk
Title: Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) (Remastered) - Single
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop, Alternative
Title: The Sounds of the Contours
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Pop, Alternative
Title: Just A Little Misunderstanding: Rare And Unissued Motown 1965-68
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Best of the Contours
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Pop, Alternative
Title: The Very Best of the Contours
Artist: The Contours
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Pop, Alternative
Title: Detroit Harmonisers: Early 60s Vocal Groups In The Motor City
Artist: The Contours, Valadiers, The, The Satinones
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Pop
Collections
Title: Total Motown (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Total Motown (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: 100 Hits Girls Night (CD1)
Title: Road Trip: A New Journey Soundtrack (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Reggae, Dancehall, Psychedelic
Title: 100 Greatest Hits Of The 50s & 60s (CD2)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Try A Little Tenderness
Title: 100 Hits: Movies
Genre: Pop
Title: FabricLive 33: Spank Rock
Genre: Breakbeat , Electronica, House, Techno
Title: R&B And Classic Soul Vol. 1
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: The Best Of '60's (CD1)
Genre: Pop Rock
Title: Stars Of 60s: Party 60 Swinging Party Hits Box Set (CD1)
Genre: Soul, Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Disco, Pop
Title: Best Of Motown
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Alle 40 Goed (Motown) (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: Move On Up - The Very Best Of Northern Soul (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: Feel Good Friday (54 Mood Boosters Box Set) (CD1)
Genre: Breakbeat , Acid House, Country
Title: Groove Nights 2015
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Office Party, Work Hard Party Harder (CD3)
Genre: Industrial, Electro, Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Disco, Pop, EBM
Title: Sweet Soul Music 63
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Gospel, Funk
Title: Rock'n'Roll Drive-In
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll
Title: Motor City: The Motown Vocal Group Sound (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Motor City: The Motown Vocal Group Sound (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: The Best Of 60'S (CD1)
Title: A Soul Awakening From Sacred To Secular (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B
Title: Motown 1960 1963
Genre: Tech House, Hip Hop/R&B
Title: Throwback! 90s Soul
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: 100 Best Of Rock And Roll Love Songs (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Rock
Title: Shapes: In Space (Compiled By Robert Luis)
Genre: Downtempo, Electronica, Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz, Drum & Bass, Dub, World Music, Funk
Title: The Ultimate Collection Motown (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Disco, Pop, Funk
Title: 80s Blockbusters - Ministry Of Sound (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Gospel, New Wave, Country, Synth Pop, Funk
Title: Solid Gold Rock N Roll 3CD (CD1)
Genre: Blues, Rock & Roll, Country, Pop, Pop Rock
Title: The Early Motown EPs Vol. 2
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz, Funk
Title: Classic 60s Pop 3CD (CD1)
Genre: Rock & Roll, World Music, Country, Pop, Folk
Title: You Send Me 3CD (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Gospel, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Pop, Funk
Title: A Little Taste Of Soul
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Compilation For Dominica 2018
Genre: Downtempo, House, Hip Hop/R&B, Funk
Title: Dream Lovers 3CD Box Set (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock, Rock & Roll, World Music, Country, Rockabilly, Disco, Pop, Folk
Title: American Heartbeat The 60s (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: Soul Vibration 75 Original All-Time Classics (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: The Best Of Soul Album 2 1958-1963
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: 101 Hits Northern Soul 2018 (CD2)
Genre: Soul
Title: 101 Hits Northern Soul 2018 (CD1)
Genre: Soul
Title: The Essential Motown Northern Soul (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Soul Jazz, Funk
Title: The Essential Motown Northern Soul (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: Shall Not Fade - 3 Years Of Dancing (CD1)
Genre: Electronica, House, Deep House
Title: Shall Not Fade - 3 Years Of Dancing (CD2)
Genre: Electronica, House, Deep House
Title: 145 Paradigm Tracks DJ Loaded (CD3)
Genre: House, Reggaeton, World Music, Latin
Title: The 100 Collection 60s 70s Soul And Motown (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Disco, Funk
Title: Diplo Le Dino Decouvre Le Rock
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll, Punk Rock, Pop
Title: The History Of Rhythm And Blues 1957-1962 (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Jazz
Featuring albums
Title: The Wanderers (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Artist: The Wanderers
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Hitsville USA - The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Motown: The Musical - The Classic Songs That Inspired The Broadway Show!
Artist: Various Artists
Genre:
Title: Sleepwalkers
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Drum & Bass, Dancefloor, Dance Pop, Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Recorded Live At the Apollo: The Motortown Revue, Vol. 1
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Saw You For The First Time
Artist: Laurence Guy
Genre: Ambient, House, Deep House, Dancefloor, Dance Pop
Title: The Ultimate Collection (CD01)
Artist: Girls Night Out
Genre: Hard NRG, Post Disco, Electropop, Soul, Gospel, Dancefloor, Disco, Dance Pop, Funk
Title: Ultimate Collection 5CD (CD1)
Artist: Northern Soul
Title: Ultimate Collection 5CD (CD3)
Artist: Northern Soul
Title: American Heartbeat - The '60s (CD2)
Artist: American Heartbeat
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Gospel, Rock & Roll, Country, Rockabilly, Pop
Title: Motown The Musical – 100 Originals / Motown The Musical - 100 Originals
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Northern Soul (CD2)
Artist: Essential Motown
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz, Rock, Rock & Roll, Country, Disco
Title: Shall Not Fade - Celebrating 3 Years of Dancing
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Electronica, Dancefloor, Dance Pop
Title: Don't Quit Music: Motown Workout (Deluxe Edition)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul