The Velvelettes member Bertha Barbee McNeal died Thursday at a Kalamazoo, Michigan hospice at the age of 82 after a battle with colon cancer.
McNeal and her group – which the late Amy Winehouse said was influential to her – had hit tracks such as Needle in a Haystack and (He Was) Really Saying Something, the latter of which was covered by Bananarama.
The Velvelettes’ lead singer Cal Gill Street described McNeal to The Detroit News as ‘the group historian, and the glue that kept us together.’
Details: The Velvelettes member Bertha Barbee McNeal died Thursday at a Kalamazoo, Michigan hospice at the age of 82 after a battle with colon cancer. She was pictured in 2013 in NYC
She added, ‘She was an angel. I’ve lost my dearest friend. Bertie was a precious lady. I never heard any profanity, I never heard her speak ill of anybody, even if she was upset. She would get beyond that, like an angel here on earth. In the group, she was the glue that kept us from choking.’
The Motown Historical Museum issued a statement that ‘Bertha’s passion was to inspire young girls, particularly the next generation of female talent.
‘She was a faithful supporter of the Motown Museum and participated in many museum events including Hitsville Honors in 2019 and the grand opening of Rocket Plaza this past August.
‘Her kind and sweet presence was always a delight and she was loved by the museum staff and alumni alike.’
McNeal, Norma Barbee Fairhurst and Cal Gill Street were pictured on the red carpet of the event, Motown: The Musical at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
The group – which the late Amy Winehouse said was influential to her – had hit tracks such as Needle in a Haystack and (He Was) Really Saying Something
The museum called the late musical artist ‘a community leader and educator.’
McNeal had performed as recently as July with The Velvelettes at Arcadia Creek in Kalamazoo, according to Deadline.
McNeal, who grew up in Flint, Michigan, was joined by her cousin Norma in a family singing group called The Barbees. The ensemble in 1957 recorded a Mickey Stevenson-produced single titled Que Pasa (backed with The Wind).
She had another group with her friends while a student at Western Michigan University that won a singing contest that was noticed by another student at the college, legendary producer Berry Gordy’s nephew Robert Bullock. He told the group they should audition for Gordy, who was not present when they arrived in Detroit for an audition on a Saturday.
Thankfully for the group, Stevenson, at that time Motown’s A&R chief, recognized McNeal and her cousin from their past collaboration, and doors opened professionally for the talented singers moving forward.
‘I was in awe of the other Motown groups,’ McNeal previously told The Detroit News. ‘These people like Stevie Wonder would walk through the studio, and we were happy to be there. I don’t know if it’s because we were from out of town, but we put them up on a pedestal. We were definitely in awe of Marvin Gaye.’
The Motown musical group was seen in a 1965 studio portrait
The Velvelettes had defeated the Supremes on multiple occasions at Gordy’s Battle of the Stars event at Detroit’s Graystone Ballroom. They were pictured in NYC in 1965
The Velvelettes had defeated the Supremes on multiple occasions at Gordy’s Battle of the Stars event at Detroit’s Graystone Ballroom.
Stevenson signed the group to Motown and co-wrote the track Needle in a Haystack, which was produced by Norman Whitfield. In 1964, the track went on to hit the 45th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.
They also had songs including 1963’s There He Goes and That’s the Reason Why with Stevie Wonder; and 1965’s (He Was) Really Saying Something.
The group parted ways after they graduated from college until a 1984 reunion McNeal orchestrated, and had been a presence at a number of Motown historical events.
McNeal had a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in music, and had been a teacher for 26 years in Kalamazoo public schools.
In 2019, they had taken part in a Hitsville Honors event held at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall honoring Motown’s 60th anniversary.
McNeal is survived by son Marty McNeal, daughter Melva Payton, granddaughter Cydni Payton and grandson Spencer Payton.