Edwin Starr
Edwin one of the most loved live performers on the Northern scene
Edwin Starr passed away 02/04/03 at his UK home suspected heart attack....god bless, he was a great man, rest in peace
Born Charles Hatcher on January 21st, 1942 in
Nashville, Tennessee, Edwin was raised and educated in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1962,
after completing two years of military service in the USA and Germany he moved
to Detroit, the automobile city. By the middle of the decade he was a member of
the artistes on the up-and-coming RicTic label under Ed Wingate. Together they
released one immortal Northern Soul hymn after another. Songs like "Agent 00
Soul", S.O.S (Stop her On Sight)" and "Headline News" laid the foundations for
Edwins' continuing world-wide fame.
The name 'Starr' was suggested by Don Briggs, the manager of the Bill Doggett
Combo with whom Edwin used to sing. On hearing Edwin's voice he told him he
would be a star one day and said Edwin should use the name Star with an extra
'R'. Edwin is Edwin's real middle name.
In 1968 mogul Berry Gordy swallowed up the Ric Tic artistes and Edwin suddenly
found himself on the great Motown record label. He got off to a good start with
"I Am The Man For You Baby", but it was with "25 Miles" in 1969 that things
really took off.
One of the best soul-shouters to come from the Motown stable, Starr's style was closer to James Brown than to any of the other male Motown artists. Best known for his 1970 hit "War," he made a brief comeback during the disco craze,
In 1983, he relocated to England where he continued to be well received. Detroit vocalist Edwin Starr returned to the vocal wars in 1984 when he recorded a tribute album to Marvin Gaye for England's Streetwave label. Starr signed with Hippodrome and issued a pair of singles on that label in 1985 and 1986. He then recorded briefly for Virgin, being produced by the Stock/Aitken/Waterman trio, and then recorded for Motorcity in England and WEA in Germany. Starr also had some songs featured on the Walt Disney release Mousersize Two years later, "War" was resurrected by Bruce Springsteen, who included a cover of the song on his Live 1975-1985 box set, and released it as a single with accompanying video. Springsteen revisited the song last month, launching his Australian tour with a cover version in response to U.S. military action against Iraq.
Rick A. Bueche ..... AMG / Dave Barrett
RECORDINGS
| I HAVE FAITH IN YOU | STOP HER ON SIGHT | POLYDOR | BM56702 | 10/40 | UK |
| HEADLINE NEWS | HARLEM | POLYDOR | BM56717 | 12 | UK |
| GIRLS ARE GETTING PRETTIER | IT’S MY TURN NOW | POLYDOR | BM56726 | 15 | UK |
| STOP HER ON SIGHT | HEADLINE NEWS | POLYDOR | BM56753 | 5 | UK |
| WAY OVER THERE | IF MY HEART COULD TELL A STORY | GORDY | 7078 | 10 | USA |
| TWENTY FIVE MILES | LOVE IS MY DESTINATION | GORDY | 7083 | 10 | USA |
| TIME | RUNNING BACK AND FORTH | GORDY | 7097 | 15 | USA |
| LOVE(THE LONELY PEOPLES PRAYER) | MOTOWN | 1276 | 15 | USA | |
| AGENT 00 SOUL | INSTR | RIC TIC | 103 | 15 | USA |
| BACK STREET | INSTR | RIC TIC | 107 | 15 | USA |
| HEADLINE NEWS | HARLEM | RIC TIC | 114 | 10 | USA |
| GIRLS ARE GETTING PRETTIER | ITS MY TURN NOW | RIC TIC | 118 | 10 | USA |
| YOURE MY MELLOW | MY KIND OF WOMAN | RIC TIC | 120 | 100 | USA |
| THERE YOU GO | INSTR | SOUL | 35103 | 10 | USA |
| STEP INTO MY WORLD | ANOTHER TIME ANOTHER PLACE | END | 1219 | 100 | USA |
| I WANT MY BABY BACK | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 630 | UK | ||
| I AM THE MAN FOR YOU BABY | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 646 | UK | ||
| TWENTY FIVE MILES | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 672 | UK | ||
| WAY OVER THERE | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 692 | UK | ||
| TIME | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 725 | UK | ||
| WAR | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 754 | UK | ||
| STOP THE WAR NOW | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 764 | UK | ||
| AGENT DOUBLE O SOUL | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 790 | UK | ||
| FUNKY MUSIC SHO NUFF TURNS ME ON | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 810 | UK | ||
| YOU'VE GOT MY SOUL ON FIRE | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 875 | UK | ||
| STOP HER ON SIGHT | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 905 | UK | ||
| WHO'S RIGHT OR WHO'S WRONG | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 930 | UK | ||
| WAR | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 968 | UK | ||
| WAR | TAMLA MOTOWN | TMG 984 | UK ALBUM | ||
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | SOUL MASTER | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11094 | UK ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | 25 MILES | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11115 | UK ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | WAR AND PEACE | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11171 | UK AKBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | INVOLVED | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11199 | UK ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | THE HITS OF EDWIN STARR | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11209 | UK ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | HELL UP IN HARLEM | TAMLA MOTOWN | 11260 | UK ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | SOUL MASTER | GORDY | 931 | US ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | 25 MILES | GORDY | 940 | US ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | WAR AND PEACE | GORDY | 948 | US ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | INVOLVED | GORDY | 956 | US ALBUM | |
| TRACKS NOT YET AVAILABLE | HELL UP IN HARLEM | MOTOWN | 802 | US ALBUM |