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Rayber 1001 (A), January-April (?) 1959
b/w Insane
(Written by Wade Jones)
Before we begin our journey through the Hitsville catalogue – a journey which starts, officially, with Marv Johnson’s Come To Me, which is where you should start if you’ve just clicked the first entry in the list, hoping to see “the first Motown record” – well, here’s a weird little curio which may or may not be the real first Motown record.
Confusingly, this single – which has gone down in history as Berry Gordy’s “test run” before starting Motown proper, a limited-pressing local release intended to showcase the Gordys’ new “Rayber Music” as an arranging, recording and production concern rather than to crack the charts – was probably released some time after Marv Johnson’s record, even if it seems likely to have been recorded before that first-ever Tamla 45. Still, there’s been so much interest from visitors to Motown Junkies in this historical artefact that it seemed fair to give it its own little moment in the sun.
So, I’m breaking my own rules here. According to the party line, this isn’t a Motown record. This despite compelling evidence (much of it compiled here, among other places, by top researcher and erstwhile, much-missed Motown Junkies commenter Robb Klein – are you still out there, Robb?) that for all intents and purposes, there’s no reason to arbitrarily leave this out of a purported study of “every Motown single ever released”. To recap what Robb and many other researchers have established: it was probably recorded at the same studios Motown were using at the time, it was probably produced by Berry Gordy, it was definitely published by Gordy’s Jobete publishing house, it features the “Rayber Voices” (the fluid backing vocal ensemble put together by Berry Gordy and featuring, at various times, his then-wife Raynoma Liles Gordy (“Miss Ray”), future songwriting legend Brian Holland, and sundry assorted Satintones, among others), and it was pressed up at the same plant and at the same time as Tamla 102 (Eddie Holland’s Merry Go Round).
This is, in every sense of the word, a Motown record. Except that officially it isn’t.
This seems to have been marginalised from day one. At the time, Berry Gordy wasn’t just looking to start a record label; he and his wife were also looking to make money from budding singers and songwriters by recording their songs for them, doing the arrangements, backing vocals and production, and giving them an acetate to hawk around “proper” labels and publishing companies.
This one seems to have had more care and attention lavished on it than that story would suggest – it was actually pressed up on stock vinyl (albeit in small quantities), the song was copyrighted to Jobete, and the record seems to have been distributed by Robert West’s B&H operation (a lot of the relatively few surviving copies have “B&H DISTRIBUTION” stamped all over the labels, meaning those were probably what we’d now consider to be promos). As far as anyone can make out, this was the only thing ever released on “Rayber Records”, which may have been invented purely for this record as a way of publicising Berry’s “Genius For Hire” activities in the “Your Song On Record!” field.
(The story I keep reading is that this ceased to be grouped in with Motown’s other releases of the time when Berry and Raynoma divorced, Miss Ray somehow receiving the “rights” to this record as part of a settlement. I don’t think it’s as cut and dried as that; I don’t deny she may well have received an interest in the songs, although what “rights” she was granted and what value existed in them is anyone’s guess, but it just seems far more likely that this was never considered to be a Motown release to sit alongside the Tamla records of the time, and that Rayber was never seriously considered to be a quasi-independent sister label in the way that Motown Records, established a few months later that year, was intended to be.)
But I digress. The purpose of the site is to discuss what these records are actually like. This one’s a bit like Sam Cooke.
(Indeed, it actually sounds very much like an attempt to do something in the Cooke vein, specifically Wonderful World, except that that didn’t exist yet.)
It’s quite nice, an upbeat, pleasing little R&B dancer; very much of its time, a late-Fifties artefact, a less interesting but perhaps more “instant” tune than Marv Johnson’s Come To Me. Certainly it gets stuck in my head a lot faster than that record ever managed, even if it never really takes off. The band don’t get much to do, but there is some nice sax work; the best notices are reserved for the female-led backing vocals by the Rayber Voices, almost certainly featuring Miss Ray. And while Wade Jones’ voice isn’t particularly strong or engaging, he shows some promise as a songwriter (assuming, of course, that the Gordy’s “arrangement” on the record didn’t amount to a flat-out rewrite job), so it’s a little surprising to see his career doesn’t seem to have ever gone anywhere after this.
Rather nice in its way, like Come To Me its rarity and value as a historical curio far outweighs its merits as a record, but it’s enjoyable and surprisingly commercially viable, which perhaps explains why Rayber Records was set up around it. I’m guessing Jones turned up to do his song, the Gordys started to work on it, and everyone involved realised that with a little luck, they might actually be able to make something happen with it – a local hit, some radio play, who knows?
Berry Gordy didn’t get the lucky break he needed on this occasion, but it’s not inconceivable this could have shifted a few copies had the deck cut a little differently – and, of course, there wouldn’t be long to wait before the Gordys’ toast began landing buttered side up.
(If you want to hear it for yourself, it’s available on YouTube at the time of writing. Public service blogging at its finest.)
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)
You’re reading Motown Junkies, an attempt to review every Motown A- and B-side ever released. Click on the “previous” and “next” buttons below to go back and forth through the catalogue, or visit the Master Index for a full list of reviews so far.
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Motown Junkies 
Hello again,
I was entranced by your writing on this record and was intrigued by its history. I emailed Louvian Demps, of the Andantes, thinking that she might know something about it. Louvain has an excellent memory and has a myriad of stories to tell about Motown’s history. Here’s what she wrote:
Hi David, Happy New Year !
At the time this recording was done, I was there….we went to Bristol Bryant’s studio and it was recorded there, at the same time that i cut my recording( for 100 dollars )
I often wondered what ever happened to Wade..he was a very soft spoken guy ( if i recall )
that session include the Rayber voices…..Miss Ray (as we called her then ) Brian Holland,Sonny Sanders,and Robert Bateman.
louvain
Hope this is of interest to you.
David.
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Wow, that’s remarkable – thank you very much (both Louvain and David!)
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Interesting to hear that Louvain recorded a demo as early as late 1958, or the beginning of 1959. I didn’t know that. Gordy bought Bristoe Bryant’s two-track recorder, piano and microphones (plus the rest of his studio equipment not long after that. And, that was placed in Motown’s first studio.
Berry and Miss Ray had formed Ray-Ber Music Co. in late 1958. They were located at the same Gladstone Ave. address where Tamla Records was first located. That company was formed so they could reap the rewards of getting a bigger share of the records’ sales back than just the writer’s share (which was most often never paid unless an artist had two monster hits in a row. Gordy’s last production, “I Need You” by Herman Griffin had been leased to Carmen Murphy’s House of Beauty Records. Although the songs were both published by Gordy’s Jobete Music, he wanted a bigger slice of the pie. Ray-Ber Music was formed for Gordy to charge fees to independent songwriters and singers, to publish their songs, and to produce and record records for those artists, and get them placed with record companies and distributors. Berry Gordy and his sister Gwen and their friend, Billy “Roquel” Davis had a few customers near the end of 1958 and in early 1959, in addition to Wade Jones (Bryan Brent & The Cut-Ups (Caucasian Neo Doo-Wop group), placed with Penny Records, Penny & The Ekos(Debbie Dean) placed with Argo Records, Ken Masters, placed with Decca Records, and Frances Burnett, placed with Coral Records (connected to that trio’s production deal with Brunswick Records for Jackie Wilson). Ray-Ber Music was a vehicle for Berry and his new wife, Raynoma, to share in music . They had a few customers other than Wade Jones. They placed a record they produced and recorded on local DJ, Tom Clay, with Chant Records, and a rock instrumental by a Caucasian guitar group (who later recorded for Tamla) with Detroit’s Ridge Records. Unfortunately, they were unable to place a “Schmaltzy” pop record by Canadian Mike Power with any record company, so they pressed it up themselves. But, rather than put their own Ray-Ber imprint on it, they chose to call their label “Zelman” Records, because it sounded “Jewish”. Many Jews owned many of the independent R&B labels, and Caucasian Powers pop sound was more like a weak “show tune” than an R&B song. I have heard that Berry and Raynoma put out Wade Jones’ record on their own label because they couldn’t place it with an existing label. It may be a combination of that fact, and the thought that they might be able to get some sales (they wouldn’t have to split with a label-owner.
Ray-Ber Music was owned by Berry and Raynoma, together. Tamla was owned by Berry, and his parents and brothers and sisters (who had loaned him the original $800 to start that company). Berry likely had a better, more expensive lawyer than Raynoma during their divorce settlement. He was able to get her to sign away her rights to her shares in Motown records Corp., but she traded that for some cash, and others of their formerly shared assets, and in the settlement, she retained ALL the assets and rights of the former Ray-Ber Music Co (including Ray-Ber Records).
The fact that Neither Berry, nor Motown Records owned the rights to Ray-Ber Music assets (because Raynoma does), is the reason that Motown cannot produce the original Ray-Ber tapes and does not have the rights to re-issue those recordings. That is according to cuurent employees of Universal-Motown, who are currently actively involved in Motown Vaults CD issues.
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Cripes. There is an entire “Birth of Motown” book that needs to be written setting this stuff out once and for all. In the meantime, Robb, your knowledge and research are invaluable – thank you so much for sharing!
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Your vast knowledge is A-MAZ-ING!
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Regarding the so-called, official dating of the release of this record to as late as April, 1959, I would disagree, strongly. I might reluctantly allow that it could have been released as late as February, 1959, when it was pressed up. That delay from the time it was recorded (perhaps November, 1958, to February, may have occurred, because it took that long to finally find a distributor (Robert West’s B&H Distributors). But, April is way too late.
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I learned a lot about this Motown record that isn’t really a Motown record lol. The female-led backing is the best thing about this song.
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For a trial run, this song is really excellent. Such a sweet song and the singers identity being unknown makes the song even more interesting to me. Does anybody know anymore information about Wade Jones? Anyway the verdict on this song is right on the money.
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Hi Ricky!
I don’t know much anything about Wade. I just wanted to say hi. I love reading your comments. Seems like your doing a lot of catching up like me on the blog. = )
Damecia
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Hi!! Happy Easter and yea I have been keeping up I’ve been trying to buy the collection while reading they are expensive but worth it!! Love reading your comments as well!! Thanks!
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Here’s what we know about Wade Jones: Louvain Demps of The Andantes said that she knew him and was present at Bristoe Bryant’s studio (in late 1958) when the two RayBer cuts were recorded. According to people who worked at Motown in 1959 (I don’t remember if this came from Robert Bateman, but it was related to me by Detroit record masterer and producer, Ron Murphy): Wade Jones was a promising young, local singer/songwriter, who wanted to get his first record released. He had been referred to Berry and Raynoma Gordys’ Ray-Ber Music Co. either from a friend’s advice, or seeing a print advert in a Detroit newspaper, or by Robert West, after rejecting Wade’s song for recording and release. He came to them to whip his song into professional shape, write a B-side song for him, produce a recording session and get his record placed with an existing record label, who could market and distribute it. Those were the services Ray-Ber Music Co. advertised.
He must have been in his early 20s in 1958. Most of the young musical talent in Detroit at that time knew each other, either through high school, singing groups in youth centres, or making the rounds at parties, youth centre musical events and activities, or running into each other at local record companies. Many of them sang and wrote music together.
Louvain Demps wasn’t clear in her answers to David Bell’s inquiry, whether or not she knew Jones before their recording sessions at Bryant’s studio. But I rather think they knew each other before, as most of Detroit’s young musical talent had run accross each other at various venues.
Jones apparently was one of many aspiring young musical talents that gave that career a try at a young age, and because of the sheer volume of talented people and the resulting relative lack of opportunities to succeed, failed to obtain early success, and so, moved on to a “day job” in a more traditional career, with a more reasonable chance to make a decent living.
No one I talked to knows what happened to him.
I suspect that The Rayber Voices singing on his 2 cuts were: Raynoma, Robert Bateman, Sonny Sanders and Brian Holland (as related by Louvain), with, perhaps Smokey also joining. He was likely at the session, as he had shared in the writing of both songs, and he was Berry’s “right hand man” at the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Eddie Holland was also there.
I doubt that Louvain Demps also sang with them, as she didn’t work for Berry Gordy at that time (and she probably would have mentioned it in her answer, if she had). She was probably there, coincidently, to get a demo recording of one her first self-penned songs, so she could shop it around to local record companies. I remember reading that The Andantes were formed in early 1960. So, this may have been a song she had planned to sing as a solo act.
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it seems that wade berry jones was born in south carolina (1933-1213) & he was still living in west bloomfield (2009). maybe someone will call him: [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED].
all the best & helluva thanx for the fantastic website !!
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Thanks Hilmar – good to know the information. We can’t publish someone’s phone number though!
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I doubt if Berry Gordy would have been too impressed if this had started off “The Complete Motown Singles” series.
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The hook here is the way the hook is sung by Wade Jones: darLING-I-CAAANT…CONcentrate. There is an excellent sort of swing, bounce and rhythm to the way these words are sung. And it just carries through the rest of the song. That is the first thing that caught my ear. Now it has become an earworm. An enjoyable one.
I like this a lot. Certainly, had it been an official Motown release it wouldn’t have been an embarrassment. I’d dare say it would have been a feather in Young Motown’s cap. I’d bump this up to 6/7. Even if to those who grew up in this era this sounds like what everyone was doing, it’s still well done and catchy.
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And yeah. It really does sound like Sam Cooke. Wish Wade would have stayed on the scene with Motown. Imagine what he could have accomplished with the fully-realized Motown Sound behind him.
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We now have evidence that this RayBer issue was treated like a Motown issue in every way, despite its bearing the trade name of The RayBer Music Company, which was a partnership of Berry Gordy and his wife Raynoma. Miss Ray, in her post 2000 written book, as well as an interview she gave in fairly recent years, stated that “We released the RayBer, Wade Jones record about a month after Marv Johnson’s “Come To Me” (The first Tamla release). She spoke of it as basically being handled by Motown staff, as a Motown operation, as being the product of a different company. Funds used to market and distribute it came out of the same pool. Motown employees handled their functions related to it just as they treated their tasks related to Marv Johnson’s and Eddie Holland’s Tamla releases. So, therefore, I repeat that Wade Jones’ RayBer release should have been treated like any other Motown product in Motown’s Year-By-Year CD collection, and by this website (regardless of the rights issued by the judge in Berry’s and Raynoma’s divorce settlement, and agreed upon by both parties.
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