Photo: The Contours | The Contours are an American rhythm and blues vocal group.that recorded for Motown Records. They are known their 1962 smash hit single “Do You Love Me”, which sold over 1 million copies and became a major hit again in 1988.
Establishment and “Do You Love Me”
Joe Billingslea (born November 14, 1937) and Billy Gordon founded a singing group called the Blenders in their native Detroit, Michigan in 1959. They completed the group with Billy Hoggs and Billy Rollins, who had responded to an ad placed in the local newspaper by Billingslea. The group soon added Leroy Fair (in place of Billy Rollins), and bass singer Hubert Johnson, and changed the name to “The Contours”. In the fall of 1960, the group auditioned for Berry Gordy’s Motown Records. Gordy turned the act down, prompting the group to pay a visit to the home of Johnson’s cousin, R&B star and Gordy associate Jackie Wilson. Wilson in turn got the Contours a second audition with Gordy, at which they sang the same songs they had at the first audition, the same way, and were signed to a seven-year contract.
Each artist at Motown Records received its own guitarist. Huey Davis was the guitarist assigned to the Contours. The group’s first single, “Whole Lotta’ Woman,” was released in January 1961 and failed to chart. Within months of its release, Leroy Fair was replaced by Benny Reeves, brother of Martha Reeves. Shortly thereafter, Benny Reeves left to serve in the United States Navy and he was replaced by Sylvester Potts. In 1961 the group’s second single, “The Stretch”, was released and it also failed to chart. In early 1962, Gordy had the Contours record “Do You Love Me,” a composition allegedly originally meant for the Temptations. But, in a 2008 interview for MOJO Magazine, original Contour Joe Billingslea stated that this was not the case. In the article, Billingslea stated to author Phil Alexander that the song’s author, Motown founder Berry Gordy, offered the song to the Contours first, only intending to give The Temptations the song after he saw that the Contours were having trouble with it. However, after practicing the tune again, Gordy gave the nod—and the song—to the Contours.
The resulting record, with its shouted lead vocals from Billy Gordon, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and crossed over to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1962. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
> > > > > > > > >
In the early 1970s, Joe Billingslea resurrected the group with himself, Arthur Hinson, Martin Upshire, C. Autry Hatcher and former Motown Contour Council Gay as its members, and began performing at local clubs around Detroit. During the seventies and early eighties, the group’s popularity increased and they began playing dates throughout the US and even some international dates. In 1984, Charles Davis replaced Hinson and a week later Potts rejoined the group replacing Gay. In 1987, Hatcher left the group and Arthur Hinson returned. In 1988, Darell Nunlee was added when Martin Upshire left. The same year, “Do You Love Me” was prominently featured in the film Dirty Dancing. In 1988, a reissue of “Do You Love Me” sent the song back to the Billboard top 40 charts for eight weeks, peaking at number eleven. The movie and the record spawned a 1988 “Dirty Dancing Concert Tour” followed by a new recording contract for Ian Levine’s Motorcity Records where the group recorded 2 albums Flashback and Revenge although the latter was not released, though the songs would later be featured on the later compilation, The Best of the Contours.
In 1992, Hinson left the group, and it continued as a quartet until 1993 when Nunlee left. Al Chisholm (formerly with the Falcons) and Gary Grier were recruited in 1993. This configuration – Joe Billingslea, Chisholm, Davis, Grier and Potts – continued from 1993 until 2004.
> > > > > > > >
In 2005, Billy Hoggs, who left the Contours in 1964 to become a minister, made his first and only appearance since 1964, joining the Contours with Joe Billingslea for the taping of Motown: The Early Years for the Public Broadcasting System. This performance is occasionally rebroadcast on various PBS affiliates. In January 2007, Motown Records released the DVD of the performances. In 2006, the Contours with Joe Billingslea filled the vacant bass singing spot created by Potts’ departure with Odell Jones. In March 2010, the Contours were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America. The induction show featured a performance by the Contours with Joe Billingslea.
Hubert Johnson committed suicide in Detroit, on July 11, 1981, at age 40. Mid-1960s member, Joe Stubbs – brother of Levi Stubbs, died on February 5, 1998. Afterward, several original members died within a ten-year period. Billy Gordon died on May 10, 1999. Guitarist Huey Davis (who was pictured on the Do You Love Me album cover, but was not an official member of the Contours although he was pictured in virtually all of Motown’s publicity shots of the group) died on February 23, 2002, at his home in Detroit. Leroy Fair died in December 2004.
In 2014, Jones left the Contours with Joe Billingslea and was replaced by Lyall Hoggart. In late 2014, Potts’ group made its last performance. In 2015, Dwjuan Brock replaced Charles Davis. Also in 2015, the Contours were inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame. The induction show featured a performance by the Contours with Joe Billingslea. Later that year, after it became clear that Potts’ group had disbanded, Billingslea’s group reclaimed the name “The Contours”. In 2016, the Contours were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. In 2017, the service mark, “The Contours” was assigned solely to Joe Billingslea.
On November 4, 2022, before a sold-out crowd at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Joe Billingslea announced his retirement 10 days short of his 85th birthday, with that performance being his last, concluding a standing ovation. Davis, had the longest continuous tenure as a member of The Contours, from May 1984 until May 2015.
Gary Grier died on January 26, 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Contours
Photo by Paul Loeber: The Contours 2017. Front row Left to Right: Gary Grier, Al Chisholm, Back row Left to Right: Dwjuan Brock, Joe Billingslea, Lyall Hoggart
* * * * *
OTHER NOTABLE MUSICIANS’ DEATHS
14 Linked to Figure Skating Were on Crashed Airplane in D.C.
Fourteen members of the figure skating community were passengers on an American Airlines jet that collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, according to Skating Club of Boston executive director Doug Zeghibe.
Zeghibe said six members or associates of the Skating Club of Boston were killed in the crash, including teenage skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane and their mothers.
Also killed were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics. They were listed as coaching at the Boston club.
“Skating is a very close and tight-knit community. These kids and their parents, they’re here at our facility in Norwood, six, sometimes seven days a week. It’s a close, tight bond,” Zeghibe said. “This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community.”
Alexandr Kirsanov and two youth ice skaters that he coached were on board the flight from Wichita, Kirsanov’s wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News.
U.S. Figure Skating said the skaters were returning from a developmental camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships over the weekend in Wichita, Kansas.
> > > > > > > >
The flight carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while an Army official said three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. The airplane collided with the helicopter while attempting to land, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River.
> > > > > > > >
Shishkova and Naumov had been coaching at the Boston club since 2017. Their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S. who finished fourth at the U.S. championships. He had flown home Monday with Zeghibe.
> > > > > > > >
Read more on this tragic story here:
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/43621460/figure-skaters-onboard-plane-crash-washington-dc
# # # # #
Warning Signs of Suicide – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or if you want to discuss, call the old numbers at 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255 for English and 888-628-9454 for Spanish. Learn the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide.
If you want to know more about any of the musicians we lost, please check them out at http://www.wikipedia.com
January 2025
30: 14 people from the Figure Skating Community killed in an helicopter-plane collision in Wash., D.C.
Breaking story: Marianne Faithful dies – more next week
27: Emilia Contessa, 67, Indonesian singer, actress (Calon Sarjana), and politician, MP (2014–2019), heart attack.
26: Kazuyoshi Akiyama, 84, Japanese conductor (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra), complications from a fall; Gary Grier, American singer (The Contours).
25: Edweena Banger, British musician (The Nosebleeds, Slaughter & The Dogs)
24: Iulian Caranfil, 80, Moldovan singer (“Melancolie”); Gianfranco Manfredi, 76, Italian singer and cartoonist; Jane McGarrigle, 83, Canadian songwriter and musician; Unk, 42, American rapper (“Walk It Out”, “2 Step”, “Show Out”), heart attack.
22: Paddy Cole, 85, Irish saxophonist, lung cancer; Boris Ćiro Gašparac, 79, Croatian musician and singer; Barry Goldberg, 83, American blues musician (The Electric Flag); Johan Slager, 78, Dutch guitarist (Kayak); Gabriel Yacoub, 72, French singer (Malicorne).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2025
Photo: The Contours 2017. Front row Left to Right: Gary Grier, Al Chisholm, Back row Left to Right: Dwjuan Brock, Joe Billingslea, Lyall Hoggart | Photo by Paul Loeber