Kenny Stover (August 21, 1948 – December, 2010) – I'm Back For More (1978)
The unsung Motown songwriter who collaborated with Marvin Gaye wrote this rare groove masterpiece for his own group Leo's Sunshipp.
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Kenneth “Kenny” Stover was a Motown songwriter who famously collaborated with Marvin Gaye in the early 1970s. Later that decade, he formed the extremely talented trio Leo’s Sunshipp whose unique sound might have taken the world by storm if tragedy hadn’t struck the group.
Born in Athens, Georgia and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Stover and his brother Elgie were cousins of Harvey Fuqua. In the late 50s Fuqua led Harvey and the Moonglows, the doo wop group that included a young Marvin Gaye. After leaving the group, Fuqua went to work at Anna Records in Detroit, co-owned by Berry Gordy’s sisters Anna and Gwen, then married Gwen.
Fuqua founded his own label Tri-Phi Records in 1961, at which point the Stover brothers moved to Detroit to work with him. They became friends with Gaye, who was first introduced to Berry Gordy by Fuqua. In the late 60s the brothers were hired as staff songwriters at Motown’s publishing arm Jobete Music.
They were housemates with Gaye around this same time period, and Kenny contributed backing vocals to Gaye’s iconic song “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” from What's Going On (1971), the landmark album that featured two songs co-written by Elgie.
Gaye and Kenny then co-wrote the powerful, prophetic political message song “You're The Man,” which was released as a single in 1972 and intended to be the title track to Gaye’s ultimately unreleased follow up LP to What's Going On. Subsequently, Kenny wrote the first draft of “Let’s Get It On,” which was also originally a political song until Gaye’s friend Ed Townsend suggested it would work better with a sexual and romantic focus.
See our earlier post on Marvin Gaye and “You’re The Man” for more of the back story behind this phenomenal track.
In the mid-seventies Stover joined forces with two other talented musicians who happened to be born under the sun sign of Leo, Johnny Simone and Alvin Few, and formed the soul/jazz/funk trio Leo's Sunshipp. Their sound could be compared to contemporaries like Roy Ayers and Leon Ware, but at the same time unique.
Leo's Sunshipp began recording an album, but only completed four tracks before Simone suddenly died of cancer in his early thirties. The album’s release was shelved until being issued in 1978 as We Need Each Other, the first release on Few’s own record label, Lyon’s Record Co., Inc. Four alternate takes and instrumentals were included to fill out the second side.
We Need Each Other became a rare groove classic, in no small part because of Kenny Stover’s multiple strengths as a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. If tragedy hadn’t struck the group, they might have taken the decade’s music scene by storm with who knows how many more incredible tracks like the album’s spooky jazz-funk masterpiece “Give Me The Sunshine.” It was written by Simone and co-produced by all three members of the group, as was everything on the LP.
It became the most well-known cut off the album after it was released as a single on the UK Northern Soul record label Grapevine in 1980. Another of We Need Each Other’s highlights was the stellar, laid back but funky jam “I'm Back For More,” which Stover wrote and co-produced.
Arrangements for the LP were done by Stover, Simone, and keyboardist Bill King, who played Fender Rhodes electric piano. Anthony Holmes and Harvey Brook were featured on bass, with Harvey “Waii” Whitehead on congas, Fostina Dixon on flute, and Clerance Bell on synthesizer. “I’m Back For More” was later covered by Marlena Shaw, Al Johnson (featuring Jean Carn), and Tavares.
The same year We Need Each Other finally saw the light of day, another group of Stover’s called Finished Touch released their only album, Need To Know You Better (1978). Finished Touch was made up entirely of Motown songwriters, with other members including Mike and Brenda Sutton, Harold Johnson, Lawrence Brown, Michael McGloiry, and Clay Drayton.
Its title track was the superb, laid back disco-funk anthem “Need to Know You (Better),” which was written and produced by Stover with him on lead vocals. Another gem featuring his vocals was the upbeat disco jam “I Love To See You Dance,” which he also produced, and co-wrote with songwriter Hazel Peterson.
Further info:
“Forgetten Treasure: Leo's Sunshipp - We Need Each Other (1978),” by Lexis, Music Is My Sanctuary, July 28, 2016.
“Leo's Sunshipp - We Need Each Other LP (1978),” SoulStrut.com
#soul #funk #MarvinGaye #LeosSunshipp #KennyStover