The Boomer REport - Music Fun Facts

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

10 Fun Facts

  1. They started as secretaries and backup singers at Motown – Martha Reeves was originally hired as a secretary for A&R head Mickey Stevenson. She was eventually called in to sing background and that moment launched the group.
  2. They were originally named The Del-Phis – Before becoming Martha and the Vandellas, the group was known as The Del-Phis and then briefly as The Vels.
  3. Their name blends two icons – “Vandellas” is a tribute to Della Reese and Van Dyke Street, a Detroit location near where Martha grew up.
  4. “Heat Wave” was their breakout hit (1963) – It was one of Motown’s first major dance hits and earned them a Grammy nomination, the first for a Motown group.
  5. They helped invent the Motown party sound – With songs like Nowhere to Run and Dancing in the Street, they introduced gritty energy and real-world urgency to the girl group formula.
  6. “Dancing in the Street” became an anthem – Co-written by Marvin Gaye, this 1964 hit was interpreted as both a dance jam and a civil rights rallying cry, especially after the 1967 Detroit riots.
  7. They performed for troops in Vietnam – In the late '60s, they toured military bases overseas, including combat zones, bringing Motown to U.S. soldiers.
  8. They recorded socially conscious songs before it was common – Wild One and I Should Be Proud tackled war, civil rights, and gender roles at a time when Motown generally avoided controversy.
  9. Martha Reeves battled Motown over royalty issues – She later spoke out about the lack of fair compensation for many early Motown artists.
  10. Martha Reeves became a city councilwoman in Detroit – She was elected in 2005 and served until 2009, continuing her legacy of activism and community work.