Artists associated with Motown and its various labels produced 110 Top 10 hits from 1961 to 1971. On October 26, 1965 at Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown got a full helping of those hits as eventual Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Temptations, Four Tops, Martha and the Vandellas and Stevie Wonder strutted into town around the peak of Motown’s hit-making powers.
The Four Tops entered the concert coming off the No. 5 Billboard hit “It’s the Same Old Song”. Earlier in the year, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” was a No. 1 hit. The Temptations hit No. 1 with “My Girl” at the end of 1964 and released a bevy of well-received R&B hit singles throughout the rest of 1965. Martha and the Vandellas were coming off the Top 10 hits “Dancing in the Street” and “Nowhere to Run”. Fifteen year-old Stevie Wonder, who had a No. 1 hit in 1963 with “Fignertips”, was coming into his own and would release the Top 10 hit “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” in November of 1965.
Junior Walker and his All-Stars hit No. 4 on the Billboard charts with “Shotgun” earlier in 1965. Jimi Hendrix played guitar in live performances of the song early in 1965, but he was well on his way to solo stardom by the time October came around. The Marvelettes started off their career with the No. 1 smash “Please Mr. Postman” in 1961, but were in the midst of a bit of a chart slump by the time 1965 rolled around.
Steel Strings 