Motown Pianist Joe Hunter Dies
Joe Hunter-- pianist, Funk Brother, and Motown's first bandleader-- died Friday, February 2 at age 79, according to the Associated Press. The AP claims Hunter was diabetic, though the exact cause of his death was unknown when his son, Joe Hunter Jr., spoke to the Detroit News.
Hunter won three Grammys with the Funk Brothers, Motown's house band memorialized in the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. He was the label's first hire, and he played backup with Smokey Robinson in addition to contributing to songs such as Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy". He did not, however, make the move with the label from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972.
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[Photo by Karen Sas, Artisan Entertainment]
Funk Brother pianist Joe Hunter dead at 79
• Hunter was Motown founder Berry Gordy's first hire
• Hunter played on cuts by Supremes, Miracles, Marvin Gaye
DETROIT, Michigan (Reuters) -- Three-time Grammy-winning pianist Joe Hunter of the Funk Brothers, the studio band behind numerous Motown hits, has been found dead in his Detroit apartment, the Detroit Police said.
Hunter, 79, was a diabetic, but the cause of his death was not immediately known. His son told a local paper it appeared he was trying to take some medicine when he died. He was found dead Friday, police said.
Hunter's piano work was an integral part of such songs as Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy." He had just returned on Sunday from a European tour with fellow Funk Brother Jack Ashford.
"Joe Hunter's piano and stellar leadership helped birth the Motown Sound," Bruce Resnikoff, president of Universal Music Enterprises, which oversees the Motown catalog, said in a statement.
"You can't miss Joe's piano on those great early hits. The first of the Funk Brothers, his terrific riffs and easy-going musicianship will live forever."
The documentary film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," was released in 2002, cast a spotlight on the Funk Brothers' little-recognized contribution to the legendary Motown sound. The soundtrack album won two Grammys in 2003. Hunter and the Funks were awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2004.
Hunter was Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr.'s first hire. The Funk Brothers put the backbeat into several mainstream hits for artists and bands, including Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.
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Motown Legend Joe Hunter Diesby Daniel Zugna - February 5 2007
Joe Hunter, first bandleader of legendary Motown backing band The Funk Brothers, has been found dead in his Detroit apartment. He was 79.
The Funk Brothers played on most Motown Records recordings from the late '50s through to the early '70s, whilst the label was based in Detroit. Hunter led the band with his soulful, evocative piano, creating a sound which helped define the essence of Motown.
Whilst authorities are unsure how Hunter died, it is known that he was a diabetic, and his son claimed it appeared his father was attempting to take some medicine when he died.
The Funk Brothers won three Grammy awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. They provided the musical canvas for such artists as Marvin Gaye and Martha & The Vandellas.
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