WILMINGTON — With too many hits to fit in one show, The Spinners are in an enviable position.
“People say to us all of the time, ‘I didn’t know that you guys did those songs.’ We hear it all the time. Even when (lead singer) C.J. Jefferson came in the group, he didn’t realize all of the songs they did,” said co-lead singer Ronnie Moss by phone from his home in Atlanta this week.
“Unless we do a medley in the front end and back of the show, we can’t possibly do all of them.”
The legendary group, along with its many popular tunes, comes to Wilmington’s Grand Opera House on April 15 for a benefit concert, raising funds for the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce.
They will be joined by Sonny Bivins’ Manhattans and The Intruders for the 7 p.m. show.
From the suburbs of Detroit, The Spinners were just nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the fourth time.
First formed in 1954 as The Domingoes in Ferndale, Michigan, The Spinners' first hit single was “That’s What Girls Are Made For.” They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown label but had limited success through that decade.
In 1972, they switched to Atlantic Records and began a collaboration with Philadelphia-based songwriter-producer Thom Bell, resulting in a string of singles on the pop and R&B charts through the ‘70s. They dominated the ratings with 11 top-20 pop singles, including seven top-five pop hits and 14 top-five R&B hits, including six No. 1s.
Songs include “It’s a Shame,” “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “One of a Kind (Love Affair),” “Then Came You,” “Games People Play,” “Rubberband Man” and “Working My Way Back to You.”
Mr. Moss joined the group in 2013 and said he’s still excited about being a part of The Spinners’ legacy.
“It’s been great, man. It’s been really, really rewarding. It’s just been an honor to be in this group,” he said. “It still gives me chills, and the good thing is we’ve recorded with Henry (Fambrough), so it made us more authentic, as far as not being the originals. But we recorded a couple albums with him.”
Mr. Fambrough is the last surviving original member of The Spinners. At 84, he no longer performs with the group, which now has four members on stage instead of five.
“His legs just kind of wore out. But he’s basically just staying healthy, and we stay in touch with him quite a bit,” Mr. Moss said. “We always went to dinner on the road, and I always tried to pick his brain, and he liked me a lot. He taught me so much, and I just kind of stayed close to him. I know I couldn’t take the place of his original guys, but I became a real good person for him to talk to.”
Mr. Moss, who has had a long music career in his own right in Detroit and Atlanta, joined the group when its first lead singer, Bobby Smith, passed away.
“I live in Georgia, but I’m from Michigan, from Flint, and I did a lot of work in the Flint area, and when I left, I left a good impression on everybody, I guess. And so, when I moved here and after Bobby died, it was nothing that I was looking forward to doing. They just happened to call me, and I did audition for the group. And it was great because it was Henry who was the one who put me in the group,” Mr. Moss said.
Even today, the foursome appeals to a wide range of audiences, he added.
“We play to all ages, and I’m not even exaggerating. Some of our audiences start from age 12. Now, the reason I’m saying that is because ... grandparents are bringing their grandkids, and when we meet them, they are in awe because they hear The Spinners songs in some of the games they play, movies, commercials,” Mr. Moss said.
“And they’ve heard their grandparents playing the music in their homes and stuff. We have college kids all the way up to 90 years old.”
And there’s a reason for the enduring success.
“The sound the producers that The Spinners worked with back in the day — they just had that touch. That Philly sound came from The Stylistics all the way up. The sound, the orchestration — all of it — it just doesn’t get old once you put it on. It’s like a new song every time,” Mr. Moss said.
In February, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its list of nominations for this year’s class.
Along with Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Warren Zevon and George Michael were The Spinners yet again. Voting can be done by the public until April 28 at vote.rockhall.com.
Mr. Moss said he can’t believe an induction hasn’t happened already.
“We have a great support group that is working with us, and they are reminding people to vote. It’s really sad that you have to be voted in. But we make sure that we keep count of where we are. It’s a fight. The Spinners should have been in the Hall of Fame years ago,” he said.
Also on the April 15 bill in Wilmington, Sonny Bivins’ Manhattans got their start in Jersey City, New Jersey, high schools in 1962. Mr. Bivins was the leader of the band and wrote most of its songs, including “I Wanna Be Your Everything,” “One Life To Live” and “There’s No Me Without You.”
Their signature hit, “Kiss and Say Goodbye,” written by Blue Lovett, was No. 1 on both the pop and R&B charts, and was only the second single in pop history to go platinum.
Opening the show will be The Intruders, who began in Philadelphia with hits in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.
As one of the first groups to record songs under the direction of legendary producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, it was a pioneer in creating “The Sound of Philadelphia.”
The Intruders had 24 hits on the R&B charts, including six in the top 10, and 14 hits on the Billboard Pop 100 charts. Their signature million-selling hit was “Cowboys to Girls.”
The vision of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce is to serve the needs of Black-owned businesses and provide economic opportunity and support to them, as well as to the communities they serve.
Tickets can be obtained at the box office, 818 N. Market St., or by calling 302-652-5577 or visiting thegrandwilmington.org.
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