Given the fact that Motown had not been conducting “Live” sessions with the vocalists and instrumentalists recording at the same time since at least 1963, this “session” was clearly staged for the CBS News cameras that were doing a brief piece called “The Motown Sound”. Pictured in the studio are songwriters Lamont Dozier (Standing on the steps at the back of the studio), Brian Holland (The guy who cuts in on the band), Ivy Jo Hunter (Does the countdown), Russ Terrana (The engineer standing up), James Jamerson on Bass, Earl Van Dyke on piano, Bobbye Hall on congas, and from left to right on guitars Robert White, Joe Messina and Eddie Willis. The “arranger”, wearing headphones and conducting the band, is William Witherspoon. To the best of my knowledge this incredibly rare piece of film is the only one of two pieces of footage ever shot at a session inside the studio known as the “Snakepit”.
PS It’s not spelled Mowtown! Motown baby!
