ABOUT
The Contours are a highly acclaimed and veteran R&B/soul vocal group that became famous during the early 1960s and were among Motown's earliest acts. They are best known for the Berry Gordy-penned dance smash, "Do You Love Me" (1962), which topped the R&B charts and made the Pop/Rock Top 5. This oldies classic, which features a spoken introduction and screaming lead vocals by Billy Gordon, made a return to the charts in 1988 after it was included in the soundtrack to the 1987 movie blockbuster, "Dirty Dancing," co-starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.
Formed in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan by Joe Billingslea (baritone), the original hitmaking lineup also consisted of lead singers Billy Gordon (d. May 10, 1999) and Billy Hoggs with guitarist Huey Davis (August 17, 1938 - February 23, 2002), bass singer Hubert Johnson (January 14, 1941 - July 11, 1981), and tenor/baritone Sylvester Potts (January 22, 1938 - January 6, 2017). The Contours hits continued through 1967 on both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts and the group disbanded the following year. They reunited in 1971 and have continued to perform and record to the present day, with many personnel changes over the years. Joe Billingslea is the only remaining original member.
LINKS
- For more info about The Contours, both past and present, visit thecontours.com.
- Soul Tracks remembers original Contours member Sylvester Potts.
MERCHANDISE
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- The Contours - CDs, vinyl, & more - Amazon.com
- The Contours - CDs, vinyl, & more - CDUniverse.com
- The Contours - Digital music - Amazon.com
- The Contours - Rare vinyl, CDs, & more - MusicStack.com
- The Contours - Sheet Music - SheetMusicPlus.com
SONGS
To listen to a song clip, click any song title that has a speaker icon. This will take you to a list of links to CD and/or MP3 product pages from one or more online merchants that have sound samples.
The Contours
- Do You Love Me 1962
(This song later also became a hit for the Dave Clark Five (1964) and Andy Fraser (1984) and also recharted for the Contours (1988).) - First I Look At The Purse 1965
(This song was written by Smokey Robinson and Robert Rogers.)
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