She sang rock, jazz, country, gospel, blues and classical. Soon, however, they emerged from the shadows with “Come and Get These Memories” followed by an enviable string of hits: “Heat Wave,” “Quicksand,” “In My Lonely Room,” “Nowhere to Run,” “Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things,” “I’m Ready for Love,” “Jimmy Mack” and of course the Motown anthem “Dancing in the Street.”Īfter leaving Motown in 1972, Martha continued to expand her musical horizons, establishing herself as a singer-songwriter with few limitations. While waiting for her first hit, Martha, along with Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard, backed Marvin Gaye on his first three releases and sang with him on stage. The song was rather forgettable but Reeves’ sound wasn’t. With her group, the Del Phi’s, she recorded “I’ll Have to Let Him Go,” and Martha and the Vandellas was born. When Mary Wells couldn’t make a session, Martha was called to the mic. She watched, learned, and took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself. She saw that musicians showed up on time and got paid. Though the audition never happened, within a year, Martha had taken the reigns of the company’s A&R department. Stevenson invited her to audition at the new Motown Records headquarters, “Hitsville USA.” It was 1962 when Motown’s Artist and Repertoire Director William “Mickey” Stevenson first heard the voice that would become synonymous with “the sound of young America.” A young jazz and blues singer with the unlikely name of Martha Lavaille was bringing audiences to their feet at Detroit’s famed 20 Grand Nightclub performing cover songs made popular by singers such as Gloria Lyne and Delta Reese. “ Martha Reeves is the ultimate Motown diva with soul flowing from the tips of her toes to the last hair on her head.