Earl Van Dyke - Six By Six

Earl was "THE" main keyboard payer at Motown, and the founder member of the famous Funk Brothers. He played on literally thousands of recordings, and had two albums released of instrumentals on Motown. He came to England in 1965 with the Motown Revue and was filmed for posterity by Ready Steady Go. I was determined that he be a crucial part of Motorcity, and recorded loads of instrumental tracks on him, usually with The Andantes doiung backing vocals too. We released two singles on him, "Detroit City" and "Let The Music Take You Away". In 1989, he, and Kim Weston, and Beans Bowles, organised a musical extravaganza of Detroit's black youth, a talent showcase for the up and coming young singers in the Motor City, held in the park in the middle of July, in ninety degree heat, and we filmed Earl's band there, and this is our remake of his legendary Motown and Northern-Soul classic from 1966, entitled "Six By Six". Earl died several years after we recorded him, in plenty of time to have made lots of new records for Motorcity, but sadly not in time to make the film all about The Funk Brothers, called "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown", a film on which I, myself, was credited as a consultant.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Motown
• Northern-Soul
• Detroit
• Instrumental
• Funk-Brothers
• Motorcity
• Sixties
• Classic

[GrahamSimons]

I am sure somewhere I have heard this track with some vocals added.... 'my world is only six by six' etc sang by some females - I'm certain it's Earl and the Funk Brothers, but do you think I can find it! Anyone any ideas?

[IanLevine]

Yeah, we did a version in 1989 with The Andantes singing words over it, recorded in Detroit.

[camden63]

WOW how great to hear this music. I grew up with Earl Van Dyke, he was my brother. He was a great musician and from the time I was a baby I would listen to him practice and play. He was a great brother and I miss him terribly.

[IanLevine]

Wow. What's your name ???

[IanLevine]

Please try to find the video for The Andantes doing "Step Into My Shoes". There's a lot of Earl on that video too, including a whole solo section.

[theboyfromxtown]

Ian

Have you sampled the drum roll on the Isley's "This Old Heart Of Mine"? I like it. *smile*

[IanLevine]

No the drum rolls came from some non-Motown multi tracks from the 1960s and they were legally given to me to use. Obviously they were Benny Benjamin moonlighting in another studio though.

[bassplay56]

May you rest in peace chunk of funk you were the Man.

[tomvband]

Some guys just fit in everywhere.....touch a lot of people with tremendous influence.

[ThePablo101]

I remember dancing to this in 32in bell bottom and 3in heels in the 70s??? Northern Soul will live forever

[MotownJayJay123]

cute!!

[VanHoorelbeke]

Thanks, thats where I last saw him, glad to hear he is still playing.

[VanHoorelbeke]

Nice to hear Jack Brokensha is still with us, a monster player.

[GrahamSimons]

thank you - it's nice to know my memory is not playing tricks - now I gotta find a track of it!

[famousfather]

I saw Brokensha, if I remember correctly, at Bakers Keyboard Lounge in Detroit many decades ago. He was a legend around town with a well deserved reputation for musical innovation. A master.

[hotepkemi]

The Legendary Funk Brothers