Kim Weston
A Thrill A Moment...
Publicity Photo
Well, a thrill for an hour and a half actually, as Kim Weston delighted her audience in Cambridge recently. The girl with killer eyes from Detroit has been a favourite of many soul fans over the years, and forty years after making her own contribution to the Motown sound, she's still going strong.
Singing You're Just The Kind Of Guy
Click Photo For Music
Most famous for her top twenty hit with Marvin Gaye It Takes Two, Kim Weston (born, 1939 Agatha Natalie Weston), is of course highly regarded in Northern Soul circles for her solo recordings, among others Helpless, Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) and I'm Still Loving You.
Click the records to play music
Cool, calm and sophisticated, Kim Weston breezed through Just Loving You as her opening number which seemed appropriate as the crowd loved her and she clearly relished their enthusiastic welcome.
Charming and approachable she chatted with fans backstage before the show. As she started applying her nail varnish she asked "Do you mind if I do this while we talk? - we gave her permission.
Performing It Takes Two with the audience
Kim is known as one of the nicest people in the music industry and her years in the showbiz world have obviously made her wise and unpretentious. Positive and focused, she talked candidly about her early Motown experiences and relationship with Marvin Gaye. "Oh Marvin - he was a real gentleman when I knew him". Talking about Marvin's later life and trouble man era, Kim said "You know - bad experiences make some people stronger and some people bitter".
Weston : Power and Enthusiasm
Kim started singing at just three years old and was playing piano and directing the church choir in her early teens. Reflecting on the the time she lived in the dreary ghetto, she muses "Singing saved my life"
Likewise, Kim is philosophical about her marriage to Mickie Stevenson and the difficulties it caused at Motown. Two early songs written by Stevenson were both given to Martha Reeves My Baby Loves Me and Dancing In The Street. This was obviously difficult as Kim was married to Stevenson at that time. Dancing In The Street was originally written with Kim in mind, but Martha's success with My Baby Loves Me meant the song went to her instead. Kim says "Oh Martha - she really had me on that one".
1960's Autographed Publicity Shot
Briefs:
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First solo female artist to appear in the UK on that famous first Motown tour
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Once told Motown to shove their contract
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The only girl Marvin Gaye took home to meet his mother
Quotes:
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On her life in the ghettos of Detroit, Kim said "Singing Saved My Life"
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The British Press crowned her "The Queen Of Northern Soul"
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Duke Ellington described her as "A Beautiful Ebony Hued Satin Doll"
Facts:
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Founded The Festival For The Performing Arts - a programme designed to aid the disadvantaged youth of Detroit
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Awarded A Lifetime Achievement Award at the Los Angeles music awards
Further recommended reading about the career of Kim Weston:
- Women Of Motown by Susan Whitall - ISBN 0-380-79379-2
- Where Did Our Love Go by Nelson George - ISBN 0-7119-1068-5
- The Motown Album by Sarah Lazin - ISBN 1-85227-313-5
- Motown The History by Sharon Davis - ISBN 0-85112-894-7
Recommended listening:
On CD
- Kim Weston - Greatest Hits & Rare Classics on Spectrum - ISBN 7-31455-45132-0
- Kim Weston - The Best Of on Motown - ISBN 0-44006-49712-9
- Kim Weston & Marvin Gaye - Take Two on Motown - ISBN 0-44001-33092-6
- Kim Weston - Anthology on Motown Universal - ISBN 0-60249-831605-4
On Vinyl
Kim’s UK Tamla Motown releases are now extremely collectable and in particular, you might want to snap up the two Tamla Motown issued EP picture sleeves:
- TME2005 Kim Weston
- TME2015 Rock Me A Little While
if you see them in any yard or car boot sales. They are both valued at over £100 in excellent condition.
Also the Tamla Motown singles
- TMG 511 - I‘m Still Loving You
- TMG 538 - Take Me In Your Arms
- TMG 554 - Helpless
are all worth more than £50 nowadays
