TV One's 'Unsung' Tammi Terrell Feature Both Bittersweet and Informative
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell Duets Featured on TV One Documentary
According to the documentary, Tammi Terrell had a mother who was clinically depressed. She also had a vein under her eye and splitting headaches as a child. Her sister, Ludie Montgomery, brushed it off with the belief that headaches run in the family. For that time period, I can understand why. Medicine and medical treatment wasn't as sophisticated, and people didn't go running to the doctor every chance they got. But what I didn't understand was why Tommie Montgomery's (Tammi Terrell's birth name before it was later changed) rape by three older boys was brushed under the rug. That rape seemed to be the start of a frustrating and sad future.
At 17 years old, Tammi Terrell was on a seven-month tour with James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, who apparently wanted to be a boxing expert. According to witnesses like publicist and friend Elaine Jesmer, "She had told me that James used to hit her in the head, among other places."
Tammi Terrell's cousin, Grace Wood, agreed. "I remember her telling me, but I didn't want to hear it."
The one person who did seem to listen to her was Gene "Duke of Earl" Chandler, who witnessed her being beaten because Tammi Terrell didn't watch James Brown's entire performance onstage one night. "When he finished his show, he marched right off the stage, and he started beating her. And he beat her down to the basement, down to his room."
Chandler said that she asked him to give her a ride to the bus stop, and he called her mother to come get her. I was hoping that would be the last of the torture, but nope. After two years of studying premed at the University of Pennsylvania, she went back on the road. On her 20th birthday (August 29, 1965), she was signed to Motown and drama increased again. This time it came in the form of The Temptations singer David Ruffin. The two would physically fight each other and that relationship didn't sour until he hit her in the side of the head with a motorcycle helmet.
While I can certainly understand that a woman has to want to leave an abusive relationship, what bothered me was another comment from Ludie Montgomery.
She said the rumors about Tammi Terrell being hit with a hammer or a hatchet are "almost laughable." For someone like me who despises movies like "This Christmas" because of the shower scene, "Waiting to Exhale" because of the burning clothes scene and fast forwards through all the beating scenes of "What's Love Got to Do With It?" there's absolutely nothing "laughable" about physical abuse. I felt bad for Tammi Terrell while watching this documentary. If this was the type of social circle she had around her, who the hell could possibly be her friend?
When the documentary turned to Marvin Gaye, all I kept thinking was, "Please don't tell me he beat her up, too." Finally some relief. Judging from the testimonies of other guests, the two were only friends but when it came to singing, they could play the role as a couple. Marvin Gaye was married, and she was still fooling around with David Ruffin. But the first time Tammi Terrell collapsed while singing "Your Precious Love" and ended up in surgery for six hours to remove a tumor, I wondered what would come of them.
Although Tammi Terrell ended up having eight major brain surgeries in three years and even her doctor, Dr. Richard Harner, knew she was going to die, she must have been one helluva charmer to get them to keep doing operations on her. I was certainly thrilled to find out that she did find (hopefully unabusive) real love with Dr. Ernest Garrett who was with her in her last days. The two were engaged while she was trying to fight cancer. Berry Gordy, another person who seemed to care about Tammi Terrell, was covering all of the medical bills. And Marvin Gaye, although taking it very hard that Tammi Terrell was dying a slow death, continued to celebrate his time with her through song.
The two recorded several hit songs together like "You're All I Need to Get By," "Your Precious Love" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Featured artists like The Temptations' Otis Williams, The Supremes' Mary Wilson, songwriters Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford and promoter Weldon Arthur McDougal talked about the power of Tammi Terrell's voice. However, it wasn't until TV One went to a studio to play Tammi Terrell singing a capella that I realized how much I was missing out on. I remember her singing with Marvin Gaye on "The Real Thing" DVD, but her naked voice that was played in the documentary was beautiful.
Today's R&B artists couldn't touch her, and quite frankly, I think there are some oldies singers I enjoy that would've considered her a threat to their careers. She was that kind of good and rare. There are very few singers that I hear sing a capella that I want to hear over and over again without the beat behind them. Marvin Gaye is one of those few artists, and he certainly had an equal partner.
Although I do wish her life wasn't so turbulent and wanted her 24 years to be more positive, the one great thing that I can say I took from TV One's documentary was I learned that she wasn't just "that lady who sang songs with Marvin Gaye." I thought she was an all right singer before. But after that documentary, I think she's a star in her own right. TV One taught me a thing or two and so did Tammi Terrell.
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Published by Shamontiel
Shamontiel is the author of Round Trip and Change for a Twenty, and in mid-October became the Chicago Tribune s Digital News Editor. She works on National Travel, Health and occasionally Breaking News, and w... View profile
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33 Comments
Post a Comment@ Shamontiel L Vaughan. I think Usher might be able to pull the role of playing Marvin Gaye. Of course, Usher is not the best actor in the world, but he;s not bad. With the right director, he could probably do a good job. Plus he has similar features as Marvin Gaye.
I finally watched the episode last night and found it to be rather disturbing. What I don't understand is why people would allow a 17 year old girl get beat on. He was stupid for even reporting something like that on camera. She was a minor at the time. Her sisters comment about the rumors being laughable were disturbing as well. It seems to me from the outside looking in her family and friends really let her down. Don't know if I'll read her sisters book. She was not around when she was with Motown. From what I've heard, they were never really close. It would be nice to see her life come alive on the big screen. Very interesting and talented young lady.
(cont.) The only person I can talk about the "why" of is myself, and I've known people who were abused or raped. My reaction was the exact opposite, but everybody's different. Some people would rather stay out of other folks' relationships. I'm not saying it's right, and clearly I don't agree with it. The only downside is watching people know they're in a violent relationship and go running right back. I've seen this happen with men and women. Then what do you do? All you can do is wait for that person to snap out of it and leave on his/her own and hope that that person doesn't end up on the news.
BB, I looked again and apparently the Full Episode is not on there. I thought the six videos made up the entire episode, but I noticed the beginning is missing. I'd recorded it when it first came on so I didn't watch it online, but I believe the Full Episode used to be here. I know the O'Jays Full Episode is playing now (http://www.tvoneonline.com/shows/show.asp?sid=1195&id=3115). As far as her mother, at the beginning of the episode, it was reported that her mother was clinically depressed. I'm definitely not making excuses for family, but getting out of an abusive relationship also is the responsibility of the person involved. In the video, it was stated that she told her "friend" about the abuse, but once again, no one seemed to help her out of the relationship. Why? I don't know. Only her "friends" and family could answer that.
Yes, thank you very much. I did view the short segments that were available. Any idea where I can view the full episode on line?
I have not watched the episode but have heard from others her sisters comment on it being laughable was cold and heartless. Maybe she should have considered another word to describe the rumors. Ive also heard that her mother lashed out during the funeral stating no one protected her daughter from the abuse she endured from david ruffin. Don't know if this really happened or if it's another rumor. If it did, just curious as to why her mom didn't protect her when she was abused as a child? She told people of the abuse between her and james brown. I would think her mother was aware of it. Wasn't she a minor at the time? Not trying to be judgemental but who would allow their minor daughter to be with a man who has the reputation of abusing women? Didn't she do any research before she shipped her off? So very sad to think that her cousins, family, and friends were aware but did nothing to protect this girl. Her mother obviously had a lot of displaced anger. I'm sure
BB, I just clicked that link. Then, I clicked "Video" in the left-hand panel, and it has six videos there, which break down the show. As far as why the guys wouldn't intervene, have you ever seen a man and a woman fight before? The woman is just as likely to attack you for attacking her boyfriend. I don't know what Tammi Terrell would've done in this situation, but women who have been abused tend to really be brainwashed into believing that their men love them, the abuse is their fault, etc. When you see the episode, you'll see that she stayed with David Ruffin through plenty of abuse. From observation of other couples, nobody can make a person leave a relationship outside of that person. If she wasn't ready to leave, a bystander would be wasting his/her time. Although I was relieved that she did leave James Brown, she went right into another abusive relationship, so *shrug*
The link does not provide a way to view the full episode. It only shows short 3 minute segments. Where would you be able to view the entire show? Also curious as to why people especially men sat around and watched her being abused? Sure he said he took her to the bus stop or whatever but why would he stand there and not intervene?
Mathias, on the right-hand side under "Resources," I link directly to the video. It's the only link that has tvoneonline.com in it. Enjoy!
Can anybody give me a link to watch the full Episode of Unsung: Tammi Terrell???
I'm a new fan of Tammie Terrell after hearing "Ain't No Mountain High" I always used to wonder who was that woman that was singing with Marvin Gaye. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.