The Contours
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Biography
Detroit, Michigan-based R&B vocal group The Contours was formed in 1959. Founded by Joe Billingslea and Billy Gordon, the group â originally calling themselves The Blenders â also featured Billy Hoggs, Leroy Fair, and Hubert Johnson. Once the line-up was complete, they changed their name to The Contours and auditioned for Motown Records in 1960. After failing that initial audition, they contacted Johnsonâs cousin Jackie Wilson, who was able to get them a second audition, and they signed a seven year contract with Motown. After the release of two unsuccessful singles in 1961 â âWhole Lotta Womanâ and âThe Stretchâ â The Contours scored a massive hit with âDo You Love Me,â a song that was given to them by Motown founder Berry Gordy himself. The single reached number 1 on Billboardâs R&B /Soul Singles chart and number 3 on the Hot 100. While the group had seven more Top 100 hits â including âShake Sherryâ (1962), âCan You Jerk Like Meâ (1964), and âItâs Hard Being a Loserâ (1967) â they never reached the Top 40 again. Line-up changes continued over the years and The Contoursâ album output was minimal, with one album from 1964 remaining unreleased. The group split up in 1968 but in 1971, they got back together, and several different versions of the bandâs line-up has remained active ever since. Thanks to being featured in the hit movie Dirty Dancing, âDo You Love Meâ became a hit yet again in 1988, climbing to number 11 on the Hot 100. Joe Billingslea, the longest-standing member of the original line-up, retired in November 2022.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Do You Love Me by Barrett Strong
- Determination
- It's So Hard Being A Loser
- Funny
- Mighty Good Lovin'
- The Stretch
- Come to Me
- So Grateful
- Shake Sherry
- Jealousy Is Creeping Up On Me
- You've Got to Love Me
- Quarkabeb
- Why Don't You Stop
- Loose Wood
- Trust in Me
- Hands & Feet Dancing
- Move Mr. Man
- Nobody Fine As Dinah
- Need Your Lovin' (Want You Back) by The Contours
- I Can't Help Loving You Baby
- Sometimes I Have To Cry
- Our Last Rendevous
- It's Growing
- A Weak Spot in My Heart by The Contours
