ABOUT
Spyder Turner (b. February 4, 1947) is an R&B/soul singer and songwriter with a flair for sung vocal impersonations who became famous during the late 1960s. Born Dwight David Turner in Beckley, West Virginia and raised in Detroit, he sang with several local doo-wop groups while in his teens that included The Fabulous Counts (a.k.a. The Counts) before going solo. In 1966, record producer Clay McMurray submitted a demo to MGM Records and Turner was soon after signed to the label.
Turner debuted in late 1966 on both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts with his unique rendition of the Ben E. King oldies classic, "Stand By Me," in which he imitates a who's who of R&B greats: Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, Billy Stewart, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, and Chuck Jackson. This smash, which became a Top 5 R&B hit and made the Pop/Rock Top 20, was followed by his upbeat and soulful R&B cover of the Gordon Lightfoot-penned "I Can't Make It Anymore" (1967), which is a longtime Northern Soul favorite.
Since his commercial peak in the late 1960s, Spyder Turner has continued to perform worldwide to the present day, and over the years, he has amassed a loyal following in the U.K. and beyond. In the late 1970s, he began working with songwriter/producer Norman Whitfield with whom he co-wrote the Rose Royce 1977 hit, "Do Your Dance." He recorded (as Dwight David) "The Last Dragon," the title song to the 1985 movie and Berry Gordy album of the same name. More recent works include the 2006 album, "Spyder Turner," and several singles, "What Goes Around Comes Around" (2007), "Tell Me (Crying Over You)" (2009), "I'm Gonna Miss You" (2010), and "Glory Fleeting" (2012).
LINKS
- Spyder Turner discusses his early career, the making of "Stand By Me," the enduring popularity of "I Can't Make It Anymore" in the U.K., and other topics in an interview with Ady Crampton on shinyl.co.uk (August 12, 2018).
MERCHANDISE
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- Spyder Turner - CDs, vinyl, & more - Amazon.com
- Spyder Turner - Digital music - Amazon.com
- Spyder Turner - Rare vinyl, CDs, & more - MusicStack.com
SONGS
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Spyder Turner
- Stand By Me 1966
(This song also became a hit for Ben E. King (1961, 1986), Earl Grant (1965), David & Jimmy Ruffin (1970), John Lennon (1975), Mickey Gilley (1980), Maurice White (1985), and 4 The Cause (1998). In Spyder Turner's version, many famous singers are imitated.)
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