Harvey Fuqua - Tri Phi Record Label

The Tri-Phi Record Label Story

Harvey and Marvin Gaye packed up and descended on the Motor City, hooking up with Gwen Gordy. It wasn't long before two new labels appeared on the scene, Tri-Phi, followed by Harvey. The city was a hot-bed of talent, and Harvey soon signed his first acts.

The debut Tri-Phi release gave the upstart new label an instant hit, and introduced a famous name to the world of R&B. That's What Girls Are Made For put the fabulous Spinners on the map, and created a masterpiece of Doo-Wop into the bargain.

The next single, Tri-Phi 1002 didn't exactly set the charts on fire but brought another new name into the Harvey Fuqua story. Carry Your Own Load by Johnny & Jackey featured two names with a future in Detroit R&B. 'Johnny' was none other than Johnny Bristol, while Jackey (Beavers) became a collectable name to devotees of Motor City R&B. The title of the duo's next release will be instantly familiar to any Motown fan - Someday We'll Be Together. Johnny & Jackey's second 45 was the original recording of the song later revived for Diana Ross' farewell single with the Supremes.

Harvey had a nose for talent, but one of his best-known acts literally introduced himself. "He just walked into the office one day with five guys," Harvey recalled. "He said 'hey, look! I want a record!' just like that. So I said, 'so show me what you can do.' So they just got out their music and their instruments on the spot and started playing - and I flipped." The musicians were Junior Walker and the All Stars, whose first single Twist Lackawanna appeared on Harvey's second label, modestly named Harvey!

By this time, Harvey's relationship with Gwen Gordy had progressed from a simple business partnership to something more intimate. She was now Mrs Gwen Fuqua, which meant that his rival Berry Gordy was also his brother-in-law! Despite some successes with his records, Harvey was finding the going tough as a label owner. He explains, "we got hurt on our first really big one and that was the Spinners. We must have done close on half a million and we really experienced problems getting our money. If you have a hit record then the guy's gonna pay you the money he owes you. If not... well, you're in trouble because you still have to pay your own bills." At this point, it was obvious that Gwen's husband competing against Gwen's brother was not the best plan for the future.

Berry was on one side of the city and I was on the other. But he hadn't had any really big hits at that point. That's What Girls Are Made For came before he had anything really that big. Then the following year he had two or three in a row. By then I was owing a lot of money - I'd sold two or three million records but couldn't get paid, which was a ridiculous situation... So Berry said, why don't we go in together? He'd pay all my debts for me and I'd come in to work for his company. It was a deal I couldn't resist. He had that machinery, and my machinery couldn't compare to his. It was all good for me.''

The Tri-Phi and Harvey labels quietly slipped into the pages of history, and Harvey himself quickly slipped into the Motown fold. Of course, Jr. Walker, The Spinners and Marvin Gaye came along too, both men still hopeful that the move might finally bring some success for the young Marvin.

Tri-Phi 1001a	Tri-Phi 1001b
Tri-Phi 1005	Tri-Phi 1010
Tri-Phi 1015

Artist	A Side / B Side	Label/Cat No.	Date
SPINNERS	THAT'S WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE FOR / HEEBIE JEEBIES	Tri-Phi 1001	05/61
JOHNNIE & JACKIE	CARRY YOUR OWN LOAD / SO DISAPPOINTING	Tri-Phi 1002
LORRI RUDOLPH	DON'T LET THEM TELL ME (TELL ME YOURSELF) / GRIEVING ABOUT A LOVE	Tri-Phi 1003
SPINNERS	I'M SO GLAD (LOVE I FOUND YOU) / PLAYMATES SUD DUSTER	Tri-Phi 1004
JOHNNY & JACKIE	SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER / SHO - DON'T PLAY	Tri-Phi 1005
SHORTY LONG	I'LL BE HERE / BAD WILLIE	Tri-Phi 1006	01/62
SPINNERS	WHAT DID SHE USE / ITCHIN' FOR MY BABY (BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SCRATCH	Tri-Phi 1007
DAVENPORT SISTERS	YOU'VE GOT ME CRYING AGAIN / HOY HOY	Tri-Phi 1008
JORDAN HARMONISERS	DO YOU KNOW HIM / I WON'T MIND	Tri-Phi 1009
HARVEY & THE SPINNERS	WHISTLING ABOUT YOU / SHE LOVES ME SO	Tri-Phi 1010
MERCED BLUE NOTES	MIDNITE SESSION (PART 1) / MIDNITE SESSION (PART 2)	Tri-Phi 1011
CHALLENGERS	HONEY HONEY HONEY / STAY WITH ME	Tri-Phi 1012
SPINNERS	I'VE BEEN HURT / I GOT YOUR WATER BOILING BABY	Tri-Phi 1013
ERVIN SISTERS	CHANGING BABY / DO IT RIGHT	Tri-Phi 1014
SHORTY LONG	I'LL BE HERE / TOO SMART	Tri-Phi 1015
JOHNNY & JACKEY	DO YOU SEE MY LOVE FOR YOU GROWING / CARRY YOUR OWN LOAD	Tri-Phi 1016
HARVEY & THE SPINNERS	SHE LOVES ME SO / ANY WAY YOU WANTA	Tri-Phi 1017
BOBBY SMITH & THE SPINNERS	SHE DON'T LOVE ME / TOO YOUNG, TOO MUCH, TOO SOON	Tri-Phi 1018	12/62
JOHNNY & JACKIE	BABY DON'T CHA WORRY / STOP WHAT YOU'RE SAYING	Tri-Phi 1019
CHALLENGERS 3 FEATURING ANN BOGAN & HARVEY FUQUA	EVERDAY / I HEAR AN ECHO	Tri-Phi 1020
SHORTY LONG	WHAT'S THE MATTER / GOING AWAY	Tri-Phi 1021
ERVIN SISTERS	WHY I LOVE HIM / EVERY DAY'S A HOLIDAY	Tri-Phi 1022
MERCED BLUE NOTES	WHOLE LOTTA NOTHING / FRAGILE	Tri-Phi 1023
HARVEY	COME ON AND ANSWER ME / MEMORIES OF YOU	Tri-Phi 1024	5/63

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