Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Freddie Gorman RIP

Freddie on back cover of 1997 CD "It's All About Love" Rene

One of the most memorable nights in my soul music life was seeing Freddie onstage in Manchester with the Originals back in 2002 for UK DJ Richard Searling's 50th birthday. That night the guys and Hank Dixon's daughter rolled back the years to give a splendid performance of their classic Motown songs.

Two years later in LA, I got to meet the man at the first US Soul Trip and we briefly chatted about that wet Summer night in Manchester where they brought the house down. Freddie was quiet and a softly spoken man who seemed to have a beautiful soul which has now been sadly taken away from us. Once again we are left with only the music and this afternoon I returned to his only solo album from 1997 "It's All About Love" and dwelt over the beautiful tunes and Freddie's delicate voice.

I am sure that over the next few days that there will many tributes to a man who was part of a Motown group which is deeply revered in the UK - at least some of us got to a chance to see them before it was too late!

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:29 PM

    John:
    My family and myself can't thank you enough for those beautiful words that you've expressed about my dad. We've worked really hard on Dad's CD. I tried to bring out different styles of his singing ability. As a matter of fact, I will be playing a quiet storm version of the song "The Joy (Because of Him" at pop's funeral.

    Keep Dad's legacy alive my brother.
    Dillon Frederick Gorman

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  2. Anonymous3:05 AM

    Memorial services for Freddie Gorman, who died, June 11, 2006, will held in the Liberty Building at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood, California at ll:00 a.m., July 9, 2006.

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  3. Anonymous3:08 AM

    Correction:

    Memorial services for Freddie Gorman, who died, June 11, 2006, will be held in the Liberty Building at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood, California at ll:00 a.m., Saturday, July 8, 2006.

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  4. Anonymous7:07 AM

    To know Freddie Gorman, was to Love him! It's just that simple, he brought Sunshine on a cloudy day! We truly miss Freddie G, but not for long, the Bible promises we will see our Loved ones again, so with that being said we know we can't go wrong with scriptual based promise. Until then, we eagerly await for that day to come. Rev21:4

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  5. I knew him in the early 90s. We'd both attended the same church (Friendship Baptist in Pasadena, CA) and he would sing "God is Good" while the choir backed him...

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