Spinners Still Performing ‘Everlasting’ Music

Most of us guys were seriously into cars back in the 1950s and 60s.
Some of the cool cars were the ’57 Chevy, any two-seater T-bird, all Corvettes, the 61 Avanti, and anything with a Ford Interceptor engine.
And the really cool cars had spinners — those chrome hubcaps with three-bladed propellers that gave the impression you were doing 70 when you were actually within the speed limit.
So why wouldn’t one of the coolest groups to evolve during that era choose one of the coolest emblems for their name?
The Spinners — the Motown group; not the hubcaps — had some of the most memorable hits of the 60s-70s, including “That’s What Girls Are Made For,” “I’ll Always Love You,” “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” and “One of a Kind (Love Affair).”
When the Spinners appear Saturday, May 14 at Wildwood’s Sensational 60s Concert, two original surviving members will be present: Henry Fambrough and Bobbie Smith.
“The Spinners have continued to perform throughout the years,” said Smith in a telephone interview last week. Smith sang lead on many of the Spinners’ hits.
“We used to be on the road for three weeks or a month at a time,” he explained. “But we’ve cut down. Now we’re on the road weekends and home during the week.”
Though touted as music for the Boomer Generation, the Spinners’ Motown sound is a listenable now as it was 40 years ago.
“We performed for all ages back then,” Smith acknowledged. “We were fortunate enough to make music that went across all age groups.
“Today,” he continued with a laugh, “young kids will come up and ask us for autographs — for their mom and dad!”
The Spinners will do all their hits at the Wildwood Concert, with little deviation from what made them popular.
“We used to open with a great rendition of Fascinatin’ Rhythm,” Smith explained, “but it just didn’t work. You’ve got to stick to what the people want. They want to hear the Spinners; we give them the Spinners.”
Nor will they be doing any contemporary genre.
“I don’t care much for some of today’s music,” he admitted. “To the kids, it’s great, but even people in their 40s don’t call it music. Some of it may be good, but I’m not happy with some of the language.
“Today’s music is missing positive lyrics. Our music was happy. Both kids and adults could listen to it. I guess it’s a sign of the times, but I stick to what I like.
He does praise present-day R&B performer R. Kelly.
“I like his album, Happy People, (2004)” he said. “Now there’s an album I can listen to. He sort of does a take-off on Marvin Gaye.
Smith believes that good music from an era is worth listening to.
“Good music is everlasting,” he said.
The Spinners have a new album in the planning stages: Spinners Then; Spinners Now.
“The A-side will be all new Spinners’ stuff,” he said. “The B-side will be our old stuff.”
The photo for the old side is already chosen — an old picture of the original group all sitting on Pervis Jackson’s (a deceased original member) 1941 Cadillac.
“I don’t know where we go next,” Smith said. “My wife handles all the personal business. I never know where we’re headed, but I’m looking forward to appearing in Wildwood. I lived in Morris Plains for 10 years, and I really liked Jersey. A lot of people don’t understand how beautiful the state is with all its small towns. It is the Garden State.”
Wildwood’s 60s-era concert, 7 p.m. in the Oceanfront Arena at the Wildwoods Convention Center, will feature the Spinners, the Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley, and the Contours with Sylvester Potts.