Add/remove tags to this thread

Topic: Motown Museum

Post Info
Peter Rivera
Posts:
Date:
Motown Museum
Permalink   

To the Motown Museum (Hitsville)

 To Whom It May Concern:

This is not an easy letter to write but I feel compelled to send it.  On a recent visit to Detroit, I had the opportunity to see Hitsville on W. Grand Blvd. What made it special was that my son was with me. I was telling my family of the Museum for years. Hes enjoyed my 35 year musical career and has been proud of his father as my other children and relatives are. I walked in and paid the fee to tour the museum and met the staff. They were all very gracious to me and we were shaking hands and enjoying meeting each other. They knew all my songs and were happy to meet me in person. As we toured I was telling the kids how we would record and have fun with Marvin, Stevie, Gladys and other Motown greats. I watched my sons face as I told him of my history. There were lots of smiles.

 

As we toured Hitsville, I know he and I were looking forward to seeing an acknowledgement of my involvement with Motown. We soon realized that there was no such thing. No pictures, no album covers, absolutely no proof that I ever existed. I was stunned. I was embarrassed. I shrugged it off and explained that maybe it was an oversight. I hope he understood but Im pretty sure he was hurt. I know he felt bad about it. Worst of all he felt embarrassed for me. It was very uncomfortable.

 

I realize that Motown was a family company. Thats what the slogan was during the early years. I was very blessed to have had the experience of being (in my mind) part of the Motown Family, and to suddenly realize that we (Rare Earth) didnt matter enough to even be mentioned was very hurtful.

We sold millions of records and made millions of dollars for the company.

We were the white group that made it with Motown. I was the blue eyed soul brother that hung with David Ruffin, Marvin etc.

To this day I am giving autographs to fans who ask me why Im never included in any of the company celebrations. I dont know what to say to them. I want to know: HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ?

What would you say to your kids if you were me? My records are still in movies, major commercials and are still in rotation on radio.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY????????

 Life will go on and then someday it will be over. Family will continue and some of us will be fortunate enough to have carved out a legacy and left a mark in musical history. It would make me feel good to know that children and relatives of Rare Earth members (some of which are deceased) would be able to reminisce with pride about their fathers and have a good feeling that these fathers mattered enough to be mentioned and acknowledged as part of a tremendous time know as the Motown Era.

 

Sincerely

Peter Rivera  

Original Lead Singer/Drummer of RARE EARTH 69-75

www.peterivera.com          

 

 

 

 

 



__________________
RICH
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Im embarrased just readin it;Even BERRY has said.......u guys never get enough credit....it probably is a bit of reverse disc.,MOTOWN is seen as a black record co.,nothin was further from the truth.Actually its very DUMB.Im sure 1 hit wonders r recognized.RE was not even close to that.its shockin really;unreal.CELEBRATE has become a national anthem;A very few people made an idoitic decision,its what the majority think,like the people who greeted u.



__________________
AL FROM CANADA
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Wow! I would have thought RARE EARTH would have been a no brainer to be in any museum concerning ROCK N' ROLL music,especially MOTOWN,makes no sense to me,maybe some day they'll wake up and see this.

Way to tell 'em Peter.



__________________
Johnnie Sue Bridges
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   


Gil and I just saw this letter, and I really want to add how we feel about this situation. First of all, I think it was a down right shame that Pete had to pay to get into the museum. Secondly, I am sorry Pete had to experience, the same thing Gil and I felt long ago when we took our family members there and there was no sign of Rare Earth in the museum.

 

Even so, Gil went down to the museum on the 50th anniversary and signed autographs all day long with Abdul "Duke" Fakirof The Four Tops, Funk Brothers Dennis Coffey and Uriel Jones and many other Motown alumni members, but even after that...... still, nothing about Rare Earth there....Not to mention the very extensive, pictorial piece that took six months to do that I added into "Motown Girl Sister Golden Hair," .....very sad indeed that this is the issue at Motown. I don't understand, because the folks that I know at the museum are good people.

 

No matter what, Rare Earth holds massive history there, and you'd think they would be proud of the fact that during such bad times of racial tension in Detroit that Motown broke through those barriers. That, to me, is an astounding story. What a shame Rare Earth has not been given their just due. These are the words that Berry Gordy spoke to Gil on the lawn right in front of the Motown Museum during the 50th Anniversary. His quote was, We were just talking about how you guys were not given your just due.  Guess what? The historical facts are..... Rare Earth is a part of Motown just as much as anyone that ever graced their way through the doors and into recording Studio A.... Plain and simple..nothing can change that. 

Johnnie Sue



__________________
RICH
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Apparently they took it down;My friend has  visited the museum,they had stuff recognizin RE;Last year the website had RE on its front page,go figure.Probably some moron actin unilaterally,whom has no sense of history,took it down.Terrible that PETER had to go through this;It really is a no brainer.Many young kids r discoverin RE via the net.RE far from over;



__________________
Stuart -- Chicago
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Such a glaring omission by Motown.  This treatment goes back to Motown 25, when Rare Earth was not mentioned.  Glad they had Adam Ant as one of the hosts though doh!  Just want to give my love to the whole Rare Earth family.  The best revenge is living well.  Seeing Gil, Ray and Pete, still out there after all these years making new music and stll doing great live perfromances has brought great joy to me and countless Rare Earth fans.  You will get your just due gentlemen.  I know you will.  Time takes time.

Stuart



__________________
Mike
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Peter,

Indeed it is a glaring omission that the band is not recognized at the Hitsville museum. You guys (Pete, Gil, John, Kenny, Rod, Eddie, Ray, Mark, Mike, etc. al.) deserve recognition. Rare Earth is much more than just a footnote in rock history. They must not be tood bad of a group because I recently saw two different commericals which used re-recordings of "I Just wat To Celebrate". One of them wa s Hershey's commerical.

And it's even sadder that the band's catalog is not properly reprersented on compact disc. The "Fill Your Head" 3 disc set was a very good attempt to display the glory days of 1969-1974 on cd. However, it was not complete. There should've been a fourth disc if they wanted to include EVERYTHING that was officially released during that time. And after all these years, we've still not seen unreleased treasures from the vaults. This is coming from a dedicated fan.

But ya know what? You guys have made your mark though. You've made your mark with THE FANS. And I'll always be one.  smile



__________________
RICH
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

some mystery;If u go to motown historical museum.com,RE is right there;A friend visited a few years ago,they had something on RE.The only thing i can think of is time.Lack of longevity @ the top,still 2 years of gold,platinum records;Even though the singles started failin.............WR,MA went gold.Then they broke up;Its easy to get caught up w/ what may have been,yet look what they had,more important.GORDY genius that hes been ,bares some responsibility,in his book he only mentions them once,via HARRY BALK;Time.Maybe some1 thinks that RE was so long ago,no 1 remembers them;Nope.Would love to c any response to PETES letter.



__________________
John
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

If it was a time factor then no Motown act would feature in the Museum.

This is nothing less than ridiculous to not include information on any artist that has sold MILLIONS!

A museum is about the past and any historical fact just can't be erased.

Someone, somewhere has a massive problem with the facts.

 

 

 

 



__________________
RICH
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

theres an illusion that MOTOWN was an exclusively black record company;Not even close;Ironically,MOTOWN has prided itself in bringin blacks & whites together w/ its music;This is exactly what RE did;Irony...................and hypocrisy.



__________________
Anonymous
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

I just went to motownmusem.com to search Rare Earth and the site is undergoing maintenance.

There is no excuse for this omission!



__________________
M.J. Calhoun
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   

Its kind of the equivalent of going to the Wikipedia page and seeing the current lineup listed as the band members.  It's a farce.



__________________
Mike D.
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
M.J. Calhoun wrote:

Its kind of the equivalent of going to the Wikipedia page and seeing the current lineup listed as the band members.  It's a farce.


Forgive me, but I'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying the current band/lineup of Rare Earth is a farce? Well, I'm sure you know the old saying about opinions, right? smile

 



__________________
 Add/remove tags to this thread
Page 1 of 1  sorted by


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard