Brenda Holloway (born June 21, 1946) – Just Look What You've Done (1967)
This phenomenal jam by singer/songwriter Holloway was co-written and produced by the legendary Motown songwriter and producer Frank Wilson.
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Singer/songwriter Brenda Holloway rose to fame as a Motown recording artist during the 1960s. She signed to Motown at age 17 but left the label five years later, disillusioned with how hard it was to get songs she wrote herself recorded.
Born in Atascadero, California, Holloway’s family moved to the Watts section of Los Angeles when she was two years old. She learned to play the flute, violin and piano, and began singing in her church’s choir. When she was 14 she started singing backup for local R&B acts. Two years later in 1962, at age 16, she released her first single on the Hollywood-based label Donna Records. Its A-side was the doo-wop ballad “Echo” (which she co-wrote) b/w the superb “Hey Fool,” which was written by West Coast songwriter/producer Jesse James.
She met Berry Gordy when he saw her lip sync to a Mary Wells song at a Los Angeles DJ party in late 1963. Holloway was the first West Coast artist signed to Motown. Her presence on its roster played a role in the label’s eventual move from Detroit to Los Angeles, after she chose to stay in L.A. and work with the West Coast staffers Motown was in the process of hiring. Her first Motown singles were produced by Hal Davis, who she had previously worked with, and who would spend three decades as a Motown songwriter and producer.
In early 1967, Motown released her phenomenal “Just Look What You've Done” which was co-written and produced by legendary Motown songwriter and producer Frank Wilson. It was later included on her second album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway (1968). The single hit #21 R&B and peaked at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Later in 1967, her best-known song was released, “You've Made Me So Very Happy” which she co-wrote with her younger sister Patrice and Frank Wilson. It only went to #40 R&B and #39 on the Hot 100, but two years later was covered by Blood, Sweat & Tears and became a #2 hit on the pop charts for them. Her original was a far superior song.
She and Gordy argued over the track’s arrangement during its recording. She lost, and he changed a few of its notes, which allowed him to share the songwriting credit. When Blood, Sweat & Tears hit big with their version, she successfully sued Gordy for a larger share of its royalties.
After the release of her long-awaited second album The Artistry of Brenda Holloway in 1968, Holloway left Motown. The label released a statement saying she had chosen to “sing for God,” but the truth was that she was sick of not getting her own songs recorded and tired of what she perceived as the label’s neglect of her career.
Holloway married preacher Albert Davis in 1969 and they had four children together. She recorded one single for Holland-Dozier-Holland’s label Music Merchant in 1972, the superb gospel-flavored message song “Let Love Grow” b/w “Some Quiet Place (To Rest My Mind).” It was her final record for the next eight years, before releasing a full-length gospel LP titled Brand New! in 1980 which was co-produced by Gil Askey.
She resumed her secular music career in the late 80s. Her most recent studio album was the double CD My Love Is Your Love, released in 2003. In 2018, Holloway released a single which showed her voice was as beautiful as ever, the slow jam duet “Same Page” which she sang with Rags Moody III. It was produced by the great unsung songwriter/producer Preston Glass.
#soul #Motown #FrankWilson #BrendaHolloway