Harvey Fuqua

Harvey Fuqua ( ; July 27, 1929 – July 6, 2010) was an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.

Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of the key figures in the development of the Motown label in Detroit, Michigan. His group gave Marvin Gaye a start in his music career. Fuqua and his wife at the time, Gwen Gordy, distributed the first Motown hit single, Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)", on their record label, Anna Records. Fuqua later sold Anna Records to Gwen's brother Berry Gordy and became a songwriter and executive at Motown.

Biography Fuqua was born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. He was the nephew of Charlie Fuqua of the Ink Spots. In 1951, with Bobby Lester, Alexander Graves and Prentiss Barnes, he formed a vocal group, the Crazy Sounds, in Louisville, later moving with other members of the group to Cleveland, Ohio.

When recording for Chess Records, Fuqua initially shared lead vocals with Lester, but eventually asserted himself as the leader of the group. In 1957 he dismissed the other members and recruited a new group, previously known as the Marquees, which included Marvin Gaye. This reconstituted lineup, billed as Harvey and the Moonglows, had immediate success with "Ten Commandments of Love" (number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100). Fuqua left the group in 1958. In 1959, he appeared under the name Harvey in the Alan Freed movie Go, Johnny, Go! singing "Don't Be Afraid To Love".

The Moonglows reunited temporarily in 1972. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

While on the Chess label, Fuqua also sang duets with Etta James, having hits with "If I Can't Have You" (number 6 R&B, number 52 pop, 1960) and "Spoonful" (number 12 R&B, number 78 pop, 1961).

Fuqua left the Moonglows when Leonard Chess suggested that he join Anna Records in Detroit. In 1961, he started his own labels, Tri-Phi Records and Harvey Records, whose acts included the Spinners, Junior Walker and Shorty Long.

Solo singles discography Year A-side B-side Label and number Notes 1959 "I Want Somebody" "Da Da Goo Goo" Chess 1713 1959 "Twelve Months of the Year" "Don't Be Afraid of Love" Chess 1725 1960 "Blue Skies" "Ooh, Ouch, Stop" Chess 1748 1960 "If I Can't Have You" "My Heart Cries" Chess 1760 Duet with Etta James 1960 "Spoonful" "It's a Cryin' Shame" Chess 1771 Duet with Etta James 1961 "The First Time" "Mama" Chess 1781 1962 "What Can You Do Now" "Will I Do" Harvey 121 Duet with Ann Bogan 1962 "Any Way You Wanta" "She Loves Me So" Tri-Phi 1017 1963 "Memories of You" "Come On and Answer Me" Tri-Phi 1024

Charitable work In March 1995, Fuqua and with his wife, Carolyne, incorporated the Foundation for the S.T.A.R.S., a nonprofit organization that reaches out to address some of the difficulties to underprivileged youth in the inner cities of America, with the belief that every dream should have the opportunity to be realized.

Lawsuits

In November 1982, disco star Sylvester filed a lawsuit against Fuqua and Fantasy Records, which led to a judgment that the company had been withholding money from him, in the amount of $218,112.50. Fuqua was unable to pay more than $20,000, and thus Sylvester never received most of the money that was legally owed to him.