Tammi Terrell

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Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, 1945-March 16, 1970) was an American recording artist best known as a motown rock star during the 1960s, most notably for a string of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.

Terrell's career began as an infant, first recording for Scepter/Wand Records, before moving to James Brown's Revue for Brown's Try Me label.

Terrell played briefly for Checker Records before joining Motown in 1965.

Terrell and Gaye had seven top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "You're the Only One";

Terrell's career was halted when she collapsed into Gaye's arms while the two students were performing at a concert at Hampden-Sydney College on October 14, 1967, with Terrell later being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

She had eight failed surgeries before succumbing to the disease at the age of 24 on March 16, 1970.

Early life

Terrell was born in Philadelphia as Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, to Jennie (née Graham) and Thomas Montgomery. Jennie, an actress, and Thomas was a barbershop owner and local politician. Their mother was "mentally ill," according to her sister.

Terrell was the older of two siblings. Terrell's parents expected him to be a boy, and thus she would be named after her father, according to her Unsung film. However, the parents settled on Thomasina, nicknaming her "Tommie" when she was born. After seeing the film "Tammy" and hearing its theme song, "Tammy," at the age of 12, she changed it to "Tammy."

Terrell was assaulted by three boys at the age of 11. According to Ludie's book My Sister Tommie – The Real Tammi Terrell. She began having migraine headaches around this time. Though it wasn't expected to be of concern at the time, family members would then claim that these headaches may have been connected to her later diagnosis of brain cancer.

Terrell attended Germantown High School in Philadelphia.

Personal life

Terrell, a 17-year-old Terrell, was involved in an intimate affair with James Brown, who was 12 years old at the time, in 1962. Terrell left Brown after he assaulted her for missing his entire appearance on the road in 1963. Former member of the Famous Flames Bobby Bennett was involved in the shooting. "He beat Tammi Terrell in a humiliating manner." She was bleeding and shed blood. "She didn't want her butt whipped," Tammi Bennett said.

Terrell embarked on a tumultuous friendship with The Temptations lead singer David Ruffin during the 1966 revival of Motortown Revue. Terrell accepted Ruffin's surprise marriage bid earlier this year. Terrell found out that she and her partner were already married after Terrell announced their engagement onstage during a joint appearance. In Detroit, Ruffin had three children and another woman. Ruffin's heroin use and his discovery of Ruffin's cocaine use sparked violent protests. Terrell wrote an article in Ebony magazine in 1969 that she believed her emotional condition during this relationship was a contributing factor in her headaches, which would come after quarries. Terrell and Ruffin broke her in the head with his motorcycle helmet in 1967, breaking their marriage. Ruffin was said to have struck Terrell in the head with a hammer, causing her to be confused. However, this rumors was disproved in Terrell's Unsung episode.

Terrell's wife, Ernest "Ernie" Garrett, was engaged at the time of Terrell's death. He worked at the hospital where she had been treated. He had been a doctor.

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Career

Terrell signed under the Scepter Records affiliate in 1960 after being discovered by Luther Dixon, recording the ballad "If You See Bill" under the name Tammy Montgomery and doing demos for The Shirelles. Terrell quit the label after another album and, after being introduced to James Brown, agreed to him and began performing backup for his Revue concert tours. Terrell formed the Sherrys in 1961. However, she was kicked out of the organization in late 1962 due to a series of events. They all went their separate ways when The Sherrys broke down without her. In 1963, she released the song "I Cried." It was Brown's first charting single, peaking at No. 89 on Brown's Try Me Records, winning her first charting single. Billboard Hot 100 is 99.

Terrell co-composed after his tenure ended, he signed with Checker Records and released the Bert Berns-produced "If I Would Marry You" a duet with Jimmy Radcliffe. Terrell announced a semi-retirement from the music industry and enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied pre-med for two years. Terrell was asked by Jerry Butler to perform with him in a string of shows in nightclubs. Butler began touring with Butler after Butler helped Terrell that she could continue her education. During a visit to Motown in April 1965, she was discovered by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, who promised to transfer her to Motown. Terrell, 20, agreed and signed with the brand on April 29, her 20th birthday.

Terrell's first R&B top 40 single, "I Can't Believe You Love Me," followed closely by "Come On and See Me." Terrell recorded two future hits, "All I Do (Is Think About You)" by Stevie Wonder and "This Old Heart of Mine by Tracy)" in 1966. Terrell appeared in the Motortown Revue opening for The Temptations following the debut of her first single on Motown.

Terrell was hired by Motown in early 1967 to perform duets with Marvin Gaye, who had enjoyed duet success with Mary Wells and Kim Weston, as well as recording duets with Oma Heard. Gaye would later recall that he didn't know how gifted Terrell was until they started singing together, as he later learned. The duets were first recorded separately. Both Gaye and Terrell recorded separate versions of their first recording "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Motown remixed the vocals and edited out the background vocals, leaving only Gaye and Terrell with vocal dominance. In 1967, the song became a crossover pop sensation, peaking at No. 57. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 87. Terrell is a celebrity on the R&B charts, and 3 on the R&B charts, making him a star. "Your Precious Love" the couple's sequel to "Your Precious Love" became a huge success, peaking at No. 2. On the pop chart, 5 is ranked 5 and No. 2 are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on the R&B chart. With "If I Could Create My Whole World Around You," the pair earned another top-ten hit this year, peaking at No. 2. The pop chart ranks 10 and No. 1 on the pop chart, with No. ten on the pop chart and No. 1. On the R&B chart, there are 2 places on the R&B chart. The song's B-side, as the Marvin Gaye composition "If This World Were Mine," became a modest success on both charts (No. 2). No. 68 pop, No. (27 R&B) Gaye would later call the album "one of Tammi's favorites" later on. Both four songs were included on Gaye and Terrell's first duet album, United, which was released in the late summer of 1967. Gaye and Terrell began performing together, and Terrell became a vocal and stage inspiration for the timid and laid-back Gaye, who feared live performances. To their fame, the two groups appeared together on television shows. They were voted the No. No. 1 in the nation's tymies. In 1970, 1 R&B duo in the Cash Box magazine's Annual Year-End Survey.

Although Terrell was finally established as a celebrity, the migraines and headaches she had suffered from childhood were getting more frequent. When she complained of pains, she reassured people close that she was well enough to do what she wanted. Terrell collapsed into Gaye's arms on stage on October 14, 1967, just outside of the town of Farmville, Virginia. Doctors discovered a malignant tumor on the right side of her brain just after recovering from Virginia. On January 13, 1968, she underwent brain surgery at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia.

Terrell returned to Hitsville studios in Detroit in Detroit after recovering from her first surgery, singing "You're All I Need to Get By." Both the song and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" performed well. 1 on the R&B charts. Despite Terrell's ebullition, her tumor enlarged, necessing more surgeries. Terrell had been barred from public appearances by 1969 after doctors had told her not to perform due to her tumors. In early 1969, Motown released Irresistible, Terrell's first and only solo album. Terrell was too ill to promote the albums. There was no new repertoire on the album: all tracks had been recorded earlier and then shelved for some time.

Both Marvin Gaye and Valerie Simpson shared varying accounts of how Terrell's and Gaye's third album, Easy, came out. Terrell became so sick as a result of her work that she could not remember, and Motown ordered Valerie Simpson subpoena for Terrell, a study that was repeated in the book Marvin Gaye: The Last Days of the Motown Sound. Gaye would later claim that the change was "another moneymaking effort on BG's [Berry Gordy's] section." On the other hand, Valerie Simpson said that Terrell was welcomed into the studio when she was strong enough to recognize Simpson's guide vocals, assuaging Terrell to record the song on the record. "Good Lovin' It's Easy to Come By," "What You Gave Me," "California Soul," and the UK top ten hit "The Onion Song" were produced by Easy. Terrell appeared in 1969 for the final public appearance at the Apollo Theater, where Marvin Gaye appeared. As soon as Gaye spotted Terrell, he rushed to her side and the pair began singing "You're All I Need to Get By" together. The public erupted them with a standing ovation.

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