Mike Terry

Andrew Alexander "Mike" Terry (July 18, 1940 – October 30, 2008) was an American saxophonist, songwriter, arranger, producer and musical director. His baritone sax solos feature on the breakthrough hits of Martha and the Vandellas ("Heat Wave", 1963), and The Supremes ("Where Did Our Love Go", 1964). As a member of the Funk Brothers he performed on thousands of Motown recordings from 1960 to 1967, including at least seven US #1 hits. As was Motown's policy at the time, none of the studio musicians were credited by name. Terry was the musical arranger of the 1966 hit "Cool Jerk" by The Capitols, and later became a record producer, with partners including George Clinton, Sidney Barnes, and Jack Ashford.

Early life Terry was born in Hempstead, Texas, a suburb of Houston, where his father ran a music store. His mother also played piano, and when he was 8 the family moved to Detroit, Michigan. At Cass Technical High School he took up the baritone saxophone, and also met future Motown trombonist/arranger Paul Riser. Terry's early musical influences included saxophonists Charlie Parker, Illinois Jacquet, King Curtis, and Bill Doggett.

Career By the late 1950s, as a teenager, Terry joined the group Popcorn and the Mohawks, which included future Motown staff musicians and producers Popcorn Wylie, Eddie Willis, James Jamerson, Lamont Dozier, and Norman Whitfield. The group recorded for Motown Records founder Berry Gordy with their first single, 1959's "Custer's Last Man/Shimmy Gully".

By 1960, Terry was a member of the Joe Hunter Band with Benny Benjamin, James Jamerson, Larry Veeder, and Hank Cosby, forming the basis of the ever-growing group of studio musicians contracted to Motown. Terry played in the horn section on Motown's first million-selling single, 1960's "Shop Around" by The Miracles. In 1961 he toured in Jackie Wilson's backing band, and in 1962 toured in Motown's first Motortown Revue, performing on the album Motor Town Revue Vol. 1: Recorded Live At The Apollo.

In 1963, his baritone saxophone solos and instrumental interludes were featured on hit Motown productions by Holland-Dozier-Holland, including Martha and the Vandellas' breakthrough hit "Heat Wave" and Mary Wells' "You Lost the Sweetest Boy". In 1964, he soloed on the Supremes' breakthrough hit "Where Did Our Love Go", and their follow-up "Baby Love". As a member of the group of studio musicians known as the Funk Brothers, he made thousands of recordings, usually in the horn section, with tenor saxophonist Hank Cosby. Motown's practice at the time was to not credit the names of the studio musicians.

Jason Ankeny of Allmusic.com wrote: Blockquote [Terry's baritone sax] remains an indelible component of the famed Motown sound - his grunting, gutbucket solos electrified dozens of the most memorable hits... What Terry lacked in technical finesse he made up for in sheer rhythmic propulsion, maximizing the brief windows of opportunity afforded him by the Motown assembly-line production process.

Frustrated with a lack of opportunities to arrange or produce records at Motown, by the mid-1960s, Terry enrolled at the Detroit Institute of Performing Arts to develop his musical skills. In 1966, he was the credited arranger and conductor of US#7 hit "Cool Jerk" by The Capitols, secretly recorded with the Funk Brothers for the Karen Records label.

By 1966, he and fellow Funk Brother Jack Ashford were planning a future collaboration as songwriters and producers, after playing sessions together for Ed Wingate at Golden World Records. In the mid-60s, Terry worked with Wingate at Ric-Tic Records recording Edwin Starr, J. J. Barnes, Rose Battiste, and other artists. In 1966, Terry joined with George Clinton and Sidney Barnes to form the Geo-Si-Mik production team. Geo-Si-Mik produced records by acts including Clinton's group The Parliaments, Laura Lee, and The Adorables.

Also in 1966, Terry and Ashford formed Pied Piper Productions, writing, arranging, and producing records by acts including September Jones, Nancy Wilcox, Lorraine Chandler, Mikki Farrow, and Willie Kendrick.

In 1967, Terry left Motown and played on soul recordings in Philadelphia and Chicago. In December 1967, he became a staff arranger and producer for Epic Records, and the Okeh Records imprint, where he worked on records by artists including Johnny Robinson, Sandra Phillips, The Little Foxes, and Maxine Brown.

From the late 1960s to the late 1970s, he arranged or produced or worked as a musical director in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. He was the arranger and orchestrator for the 1969 Broadway musical Buck White, featuring Muhammad Ali, and for Bill Cosby in Las Vegas. He also worked closely with Jo Armstead at both Giant Records, and Bill Cosby's label Tetragrammaton Records.

In 1975, he was a member of the Atlanta Disco Band with Dave Crawford, Earl Young, Robert Popwell and others. They released three dance singles that charted, plus one album on Ariola Records.

Terry worked on two blaxploitation films directed by Fred Williamson. He orchestrated music for Boss Nigger (1975), and wrote and produced music for No Way Back (1976), including songs by The Dells.

In the late 1970s, he moved out of the music industry. Terry did not perform in the Funk Brothers reunion which led to the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, (though he is listed under Honorable Mentions on a two disc DVD edition of the film).

Private life At one time Terry was married to singer and songwriter Mikki Farrow. Farrow co-wrote songs for Jerry Butler and others. Terry later married Liz, who predeceased him. He died in Detroit in 2008. In 2014 Mike Terry was inducted into the Northern Soul Hall of Fame. In 2007 the Funk Brothers were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, in Nashville. In 2013 the Funk Brothers were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2014 the Funk Brothers were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, in Cleveland.

Selective discography Singles Year Title Artist Chart Mike Terry's role 1960 "Shop Around" The Miracles US#2 Baritone sax UK#16 Baritone sax Baritone sax solo 1963 "Quicksand" Martha & the Vandellas US#8 Baritone sax solo 1964 "Come See About Me" The Supremes US#1, CAN#1 Baritone sax 1964 "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet" The Reflections US#6 Baritone sax solo 1964 "In My Lonely Room" Martha & the Vandellas US#6 Baritone sax solo 1965 "Stop! In the Name of Love" The Supremes US#1, CAN#3, UK#7 Baritone sax 1965 "Back in My Arms Again" The Supremes US#1, CAN#1 Baritone sax feature 1965 "I Hear a Symphony" The Supremes US#1 Baritone sax solo 1966 "Cool Jerk" The Capitols US#7, CAN#9 Arranger 1966 "Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)" Edwin Starr US#48, UK#11 Baritone sax feature 1966 "Headline News" Edwin Starr US#84, UK#39 Arranger 1966 "Open the Door to Your Heart"/ "Our Love (Is in the Pocket)" Darrell Banks US#27 A-side: Baritone saxB-side: Arranger & sax solo Baritone sax UK#12 Baritone sax feature 1967 "Ain't Nothin' But A House Party" The Show Stoppers US#118, UK#11 Baritone sax 1967 "Baby Please Come Back Home" J. J. Barnes US#61 Arranger 1968 "The Horse" Cliff Nobles & Co US#2 Baritone sax 1969 "Jealous Kind of Fella" Garland Green US#20 Arranger

Albums Year Title Artist Chart Mike Terry's role 1963 Motor-Town Revue Vol. 1: Recorded Live At The Apollo Various Artists US#47 Baritone saxophone 1965 More Hits by The Supremes The Supremes US#6 Baritone saxophone 1965 Four Tops Second Album The Four Tops US#20 Baritone saxophone 1966 I Hear a Symphony The Supremes US#8 Baritone saxophone 1966 The Supremes A' Go-Go The Supremes US#1, UK#15 Baritone saxophone 1968 Out of Sight Maxine Brown Producer, Arranger 1968 Workin' On A Groovy Thing Barbara Lewis Arranger 1969 The Many Grooves of Barbara Lewis Barbara Lewis Arranger 1969 Jealous Kind Of Fella Garland Green Arranger 1969 Re-Light My Fire Rhetta Hughes Co-Producer, arranger 1973 Loleatta Loleatta Holloway Arranger 1975 Loneliness & Temptation Clarence Carter Arranger 1975 Kickin''' The Mighty Clouds of Joy Arranger 1975 Bad Luck| Atlanta Disco Band Writer, Arranger, Musician 1976 No Way Back| The Dells US R&B#47 Writer, Arranger, Producer 1977 Here Am I| Dave Crawford Arranger