Perhaps one of the most influential figures in Grown Folks Music, Norman Whitfield died on September 18th at age 67. His work in the 1960s and 1970s launched some of the biggest soul songs in Motown history — songs like Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”
Whitfield was truly a legend; he did not just make hits but provided a bedrock for soul music as a pioneer for the genre and the industry. He brought truth and depth to songs like “War.”
The Temptations – Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
