THE CONTOURS BIOGRAPHY
The road to a Motown recording contract wasn’t an easy one
for The Contours. Berry Gordy wasn’t very impressed
following a 3-song audition in 1959 and sent them packing.
Hubert Johnson, one of the original members of The
Contours thought his cousin, the legendary Jackie Wilson
might be able to help the group with some much-needed
advice. Wilson asked the group to perform some of their
material for him. Once he was satisfied, Wilson called his old
friend Berry Gordy back at the Motown offices. The very next
day, The Contours had a seven-year contract with the Gordy
Label.
The road to a Motown recording contract wasn’t an easy one
for The Contours. Berry Gordy wasn’t very impressed
following a 3-song audition in 1959 and sent them packing.
Hubert Johnson, one of the original members of The
Contours thought his cousin, the legendary Jackie Wilson
might be able to help the group with some much-needed
advice. Wilson asked the group to perform some of their
material for him. Once he was satisfied, Wilson called his old
friend Berry Gordy back at the Motown offices. The very next
day, The Contours had a seven-year contract with the Gordy
Label.
In the summer of 1962, The Contours hit the jackpot when Gordy himself penned the classic “Do You Love Me” for
them. “Do You Love Me” became the group’s biggest hit as well as Motown’s fastest climbing hit of all time. Within
two weeks of release, “Do You Love Me” became the #2 record in the nation as well as the group’s first gold
record. The ensuing years brought forth such Contours hits as “Shake Sherrie”, ”Can You Do It”, “Can You Jerk
Like Me”, “Just A Little Misunderstanding”, and “First I look At The Purse”.
The Contours have proudly worn the label “Motown’s #1 party group” for more than 40 years. Today under the
leadership of original member Sylvester Potts, The Contours are center stage once again. Much of the resurgence
in The Contours popularity has to do with the Academy Award winning film, “Dirty Dancing”. Their hit “Do You Love
Me “ was featured in the film and became so popular that it gave birth to an international tour entitled “The Dirty
Dancing Tour” starring The Contours, Bill Medley, Merry Clayton and Eric Carmen. That tour lasted 10 months,
played to over 2 million people in 8 countries and sold over 10 million copies of “More Dirty Dancing” before it
ceased production. During this time, Motown Records was quick to capitalize on The Contours popularity by
reissuing their original version of “Do You Love Me” in single and album form. That move paid great dividends for
everyone as “Do You Love Me” climbed to #11 on the national charts, making it one of the few recordings in
history to hit the top 20 in two different decades.
A Contours show is jam-packed with dazzling choreography, impeccable harmonies and those timeless Motown
grooves that everyone knows and loves. You can choose to dance, sing along, or just sit back (if you can) and
watch the show as they perform all of their greatest hits together with many of the greatest hits of the 60’s and 70’s
era, as well as a selection of classic songs from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack.
Several CDs are currently available featuring Contour hits; “The Very Best Of The Contours”, “The Contours - The
Millennium Collection”, and the multi-million selling 4 CD box set “Hitsville USA 1959-1972”.
In recent developments, The Contours were featured on the PBS special “Rock, Rhythm & Doo-Wop” performing
“Do You Love Me” and “First I Look At The Purse” much to the delight of their legion of fans.
The Contours are in their 5th decade in show business, and are not content to rest on past laurels. They can still
“shake ‘em down” and stand ready to entertain fans old and new alike.
them. “Do You Love Me” became the group’s biggest hit as well as Motown’s fastest climbing hit of all time. Within
two weeks of release, “Do You Love Me” became the #2 record in the nation as well as the group’s first gold
record. The ensuing years brought forth such Contours hits as “Shake Sherrie”, ”Can You Do It”, “Can You Jerk
Like Me”, “Just A Little Misunderstanding”, and “First I look At The Purse”.
The Contours have proudly worn the label “Motown’s #1 party group” for more than 40 years. Today under the
leadership of original member Sylvester Potts, The Contours are center stage once again. Much of the resurgence
in The Contours popularity has to do with the Academy Award winning film, “Dirty Dancing”. Their hit “Do You Love
Me “ was featured in the film and became so popular that it gave birth to an international tour entitled “The Dirty
Dancing Tour” starring The Contours, Bill Medley, Merry Clayton and Eric Carmen. That tour lasted 10 months,
played to over 2 million people in 8 countries and sold over 10 million copies of “More Dirty Dancing” before it
ceased production. During this time, Motown Records was quick to capitalize on The Contours popularity by
reissuing their original version of “Do You Love Me” in single and album form. That move paid great dividends for
everyone as “Do You Love Me” climbed to #11 on the national charts, making it one of the few recordings in
history to hit the top 20 in two different decades.
A Contours show is jam-packed with dazzling choreography, impeccable harmonies and those timeless Motown
grooves that everyone knows and loves. You can choose to dance, sing along, or just sit back (if you can) and
watch the show as they perform all of their greatest hits together with many of the greatest hits of the 60’s and 70’s
era, as well as a selection of classic songs from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack.
Several CDs are currently available featuring Contour hits; “The Very Best Of The Contours”, “The Contours - The
Millennium Collection”, and the multi-million selling 4 CD box set “Hitsville USA 1959-1972”.
In recent developments, The Contours were featured on the PBS special “Rock, Rhythm & Doo-Wop” performing
“Do You Love Me” and “First I Look At The Purse” much to the delight of their legion of fans.
The Contours are in their 5th decade in show business, and are not content to rest on past laurels. They can still
“shake ‘em down” and stand ready to entertain fans old and new alike.
