Frederick Earl "Shorty" Long(May 20, 1940 – June 29, 1969) was an Americansoulsinger, songwriter, musician, and record producer forMotown's Soul Records imprint. He was inducted into theAlabama Jazz Hall of Famein 1980.[1]
Shorty Long | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Frederick Earl Long |
| Born | May 20, 1940 Birmingham, Alabama,U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 1969(aged 29) Detroit, Michigan,U.S. |
| Genres | R&B,soul |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano, organ, drums, harmonica, and trumpet |
| Labels | Tri-Phi/Harvey,King,Soul/Motown |
Career
editLong was born inBirmingham, Alabama,and came to Motown in 1963 from the Tri-Phi/Harvey label, owned byBerry Gordy's sister, Gwen, and her husband,Harvey Fuqua.[2]His first release, "Devil with the Blue Dress On"(1964), written withWilliam "Mickey" Stevenson,was the first recording issued on Motown's Soul label, a subsidiary designed for more blues-based artists such as Long.[2]While this song never charted nationally, the song was covered and made a hit in 1966 byMitch Ryderandthe Detroit Wheels.[2]Long's 1966 single "Function at the Junction" was his first popular hit, reaching No. 42 on the USBillboardR&Bchart.Other single releases included "It's a Crying Shame" (1964), "Chantilly Lace"(1967), and" Night Fo' Last "(1968).[3]
Long's biggest hit was "Here Comes the Judge"which in July 1968 reached No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 8 on theBillboardHot 100.[4]The song was inspired by a comic act onRowan and Martin's Laugh-Inabout a judge byPigmeat Markham,whose own "Here Comes the Judge"– a similar song with different lyrics – charted three weeks after Long's, also in July 1968, and reached No. 19 onBillboard.Long's 1969 singles included "I Had a Dream" and "A Whiter Shade of Pale".He released one album during his lifetime,Here Comes the Judge(1968).[5]
Long played many instruments, including piano, organ, drums, harmonica, and trumpet. He acted as an MC for many of theMotortown Revueshows and tours, and co-wrote several of his tunes ( "Devil with the Blue Dress On", "Function at the Junction", and "Here Comes the Judge"). Long was the only Motown artist besidesSmokey Robinsonwho was allowed to produce his own recordings in the 1960s.[3]Marvin Gaye,inDavid Ritz's biographyDivided Soul: The Life & Times of Marvin Gaye,described Shorty Long as "this beautiful cat who had two hits, and then got ignored by Motown."[6]Gaye claimed he "fought for guys like Shorty" while at Motown, since no one ever pushed for these artists. WhenHolland-Dozier-Hollandcame to Gaye with a tune, he stated, "Why are you going to produce me? Why don't you produce Shorty Long?"[6]
Death
editOn June 29, 1969, Long and a friend drowned when their boat crashed on theDetroit RiverinMichigan.[7]Stevie Wonderplayed the harmonica at his burial, and placed it on his casket afterwards. Writer Roger Green's epitaph stated: "So there endeth the career of a man who sang what he wanted to sing – everything from the blues to romantic ballads, from wild and crazy numbers to a utopian vision of Heaven on Earth. Short in stature but big in talent, he entertained and amazed us, and finally he inspired us."[8]
Motown released Long's final album,The Prime of Shorty Long,in November 1969, five months after his death.[5][9]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- 1968:Here Comes the Judge(LP, SS/SM 709)
- 1969:The Prime of Shorty Long(LP, SS-719)
Singles
edit- 1964: "Devil with the Blue Dress On"/" Wind It Up "(Soul 35001)
- 1965: "It's a Crying Shame" / "Out to Get You" (Soul 35005)
- 1966: "Function at the Junction" / "Call on Me" (Soul 35021)
- 1967: "Chantilly Lace"/" Your Love is Amazing "(Soul 350031)
- 1968: "Night Fo' Last" (Vocal) / "Night Fo' Last" (Instrumental) (Soul 35040)
- 1968: "Here Comes the Judge"/" Sing What You Wanna "(Soul 35044)
- 1969: "I Had a Dream" / "Ain't No Justice" (Soul 35054)
- 1969: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"/" When You Are Available "(Soul 35064)[10]
References
edit- ^"Inductees | Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame".www.jazzhall.com.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^abcColin Larkin,ed. (1997).The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music(Concise ed.).Virgin Books.p. 768.ISBN1-85227-745-9.
- ^ab"Shorty Long | Biography & History | AllMusic".AllMusic.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^"Shorty Long".Billboard.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^ab"Shorty Long (2)".Discogs.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^abRitz, David (2003).Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye.Basic Books. p. 99.ISBN0-306-81191-X.
- ^"'Shorty' Long, Pal, Drown; He's Buried in Alabama ".Jet.36(15). Johnson Publishing Company: 57. July 17, 1969.ISSN0021-5996.
- ^accompanying booklet to "The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9, 1968", (2007), Motown Records, p. 82)]
- ^"Don't Forget the Motor City".Dftmc.info.RetrievedDecember 20,2022.
- ^"Shorty Long (2)".Discogs.com.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.