Tragic Real-Life Stories Of Motown's Biggest Stars 

Which of these stories shocked you the most?

I still can’t believe Tammi died at 24!!! Every time I hear her story I want to cry

Tammie Terrell and Marvin Gaye was awesome singing together.

Tammi Terrell was also sexually abused when she was a young girl. She had a hard life in her short 24 years, so sad!

Tammi and Marvyn were so great together. They looked so happy in each other's presence.

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell was one of the best if not the best music duo in music history

Proves my point, when you think you have it bad, there is always someone out there who has it worst

Abusive men back then were basically overlooked & given a pass unfortunately. We've all had examples in our lives, to do & what not to do, you must choose your own path regardless because today, YOU will definitely be held accountable I assure.

This was a good one but wayyyyyy too short

Why was Florence Ballard not included? She was a founding member of the most successful Motown act after all! Also Michael Jackson...

Tammi Terrell was so beautiful. I could any man mistreat her. Kindness always wins.

Tammi was so beautiful! It’s a shame she always found herself in the arms of men who abused her 😔 Marvin Gaye was never the same after she died and his death is beyond tragic since it was at the hands of his own father

Tammi Terrell was a beautiful light during a dark time. She was a woman of color, who made white guys fall in love with her, and was one of the great voices that provided young America's "1960s Soundtrack". RIP

Oh wow Tammy Terrell I'm so sorry u went through all the abuse but the hands of no good men.

Tammy Terrell was My blood cousin on My mother side and she died before I could even meet her😢 but I love her and miss her music she was so Beautiful Yo, (RIP) Cuzo Ur deff missed!!!!😘💜Montgomery Family!!

Didn't realize Tammy Terrell was so young when she passed. Also I knew she dated David Ruffin but didn't know about James Brown. Her life was so short yet so sad behind the scenes..

Is it just me or does Taraji P. Henson favor Tammy ? The resemblance is uncanny

David ruffin got kicked out for questioning barry gordy about their money and they put his demons on front street smh

Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin strongest voices of Motown👌🏾 And Michael Jackson of course.

I heard "Ain't no mountain high enough" from the kitchen show, and when I started searching for more songs of this duet I was like "NOOOO TAMMI"🥺Hope Tammi and Marvin are together in heaven ❤️

R.I.P Tammy

Marvin dad was jealous of him. So sad

Actually, “My Guy” was the second number one hit for Motown! The first was the Marvelettes ‘s Please Mr. Postman!

Was Motown tha First DEATH ROW RECORDS wow so much talent an so many bad endings!

Motown produced beautiful music but the price was so high , tragic story .

Rick James and Tina Marie was with Motown too for awhile.

You could write an entire library of books about Motown artists and their tragic lives. May they ALL rest in peace. They may be gone, but their music will live on forever.

Absolutely love Motown, some of the greatest songs and performers ever.

Things seem so tragic due to the fact that not everyone lives a "cookie cutter" happy life and end up having to suffer just to see their greatness shine later on down the road of life.

I watched Tammie Terrell story on unsung .It was sad as hell

Very informative and very heartbreaking, all at the same time.

I heard Motown didn’t treat the artists very well. Most of their pay went into a trust & they didn’t get residual pay. They only got a small percentage of what was earned & the execs like Berry Gordy ran all the way to the bank. Too bad. Motown produced a lot of great talent

As a kid I loved Mary Wells. Still do.

Paul Williams is one of the most underrated mowtown artist

This video forgot to mention Florence Ballard and Marv Johnson ( a vocalist who started out with Motown in the early stages and was conveniently forgotten when they had their anniversary tribute in 1984).

Man,Paul's Story is just sad 😢😢

Rip Motown most dearest talents. May they now rest.♥️🌌😩😩

Wow oh Wow what a terrible life the beautiful Queen Tami Terrell had with men. Rest In Peace Tami Terrell

Shoutout to the Funk Brothers, the band who made all of that great Motown music!

How sad this happened to the most iconic people in soul music 🎶. I still love motown and always will. Thank you America 🇺🇸, much love from England 🇬🇧. X

Tammy was so beautiful and talented.😢

I wish they would of went deeper into david ruffin. He suffered sexual abuse and phyiscal abuse from his father. It was so bad he refused to speak fully on it to anyone. Doesnt make it right how he behave but it does help you understand more.

Man, thank you so much for this

Love some old school music...they all are/were great to me..#✔👌

They gave us some peace and joy with their performing, may they feel the same in the afterlife

Aww that's said about Tammi Terrel that breaks my heart she never got any happiness

I loved Tammy Terrell. I was born in Detroit and saw her in various ways.

Marvin Gaye seemed to have been a wonderful guy. His music often shared love, love making, and positivity. It is so unfortunate that he died by the hands of his father. Often, parents can be controlling, and entitled. I am sure Marvin is at peace.

Damn I had no idea about Tammi Tarrell's history re: being treated so badly by James Brown n David Ruffin. She was so lovely! 😢

1:32 is a scene of Marvin Gaye & his father on the porch of their rowhouse... My family lived & still lives a few houses down (behind them).

Finally a person who tells the truth about the life of Marvin Gaye❤🌷✔

Why did they treat young Tammy so bad? She was a baby and these old men beat her like that. Why did she even go for them? So sad.

Motown cursed 😱

I'm shocked at how old some of them looked back then. They were dying in their 30s, 40s and 50s but looking much older than that.

Tammi Terrell - During the last year of her life Tammi was engaged to Dr. Ernest Garrett who loved and adored her.Along with Tammi's family,friends and Ernie;s family,friends Tammi was surrounded with the love and care she required in her in final days.I have heard David would visit at times and Dr. Garrett showed no animosity but realized Tammi enjoyed seeing him.With Tammi's sense of humour written she had said to David " you're a Ernie Garrett Wantabee" It's difficult to imagine the pain and suffering Tammi went through in her final days.I praise the unconditional love Dr. Ernest Garrett showed Tammi Terrell.Sadly Dr. Garrett passed away on March 31, 2018. Tammi Terrell was a courageous young woman who just wanted to be a star. She did not ask for the trauma she suffered as a young girl nor the abuse she suffered. Then just as she beginning to peak in her career with duets with Marvin Gaye she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.I have great respect and love for Tammi Terrell and her sister and family for all they endured.So when I read negative or slights aimed at Tammi Terrell I find it appalling.The book Tammi's sister Ludie Montgomery wrote was an honest fair account of Tammi's life. Ludie described the family dynamics,the hardships,pain and suffering along the the excitement of having a celebrity sister and meeting famous singers. But in the end once Tammi's passed, then her mother,father along with her marriage she did not want anything to remind her of the past.Then years later she came to a point in her life of acceptance to reconnect with past friends of Tammi who were still alive and singers and finished her book in 2003.In her book she appeared to regret not reaching out sooner but had accepted and acknowledged past friends,fans and everyone who loved Tammi.The book is a beautiful testimony of a sisters and family's love. It will be 50 years on March 16, 2020 that Tammi Terrell passed.Today we are still admiring,talking and wondering about this Princess of Motown.Yes Tammi became a star as she wished so let us love and respect her memory as she would wish. It would be nice if a street in Philadelphia could be named after Tammi Terrell as 2020 will be 50 years since she died. God bless from Jay Balvin

Wow, so SAD... May they all be in a Better place now. Thank you all, for your GREAT Music and Incredible performances. God bless your souls.

All of them were so great and their legacy will always live on. Gone too soon and May they all RIP

This was very dark and sad. I'm pretty sure that the stars did not deserve this. Someone should've looked after those precious.

At the 46 second mark, i noticed that the narrator mentioned how tammi was abused by David ruffin. I did see the temptations movie ( too many times) & there was this one specific scene where the Motown picnic took place & David ( his part was played by actor Leon Robinson ( from the five heartbeats movie) & tammi was flirting with a guy at the picnic & David told his limo driver : go get that ( expletive) & he grabbed her very aggressively. I had no idea that they were 2gether until I saw this video

My favorite group of all time is the temptations . I wasnt born when they got together but grew up listening to their music. And when the movie came out I feel in love. I watched it 20 times in one day. My firSt concert was theirs in 2011. So when the part where Paul williams killed himself hurt. Every time I hear Pappa was a rolling stone I cry

Like my dad always said it's sad but is true...rest easy tammi a young woman life cut short I'm done PERIOD....🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽😭😭😭💔💔💔

Wow, this was very informative. I consider myself an old R&B head, and I hadn't known all what went down with Tammy Terrell.

Because it’s such a good outlet, Music and art tends to attract ppl who have awful beginnings and don’t know how to deal with the pain and emotions they experience. I don’t necessarily think it’s money and game that turns you crazy and depressed. They were already that way before it showed up. Self destruct is the natural end point of abused people who never learned to cope.

They never mentioned in the Temptations movie that Paul had Sickle Cell. That was the true cause of his alcoholism

Continue to rest in paradise miss Tammi Terrell ❤❤❤

Man thanks. I think anyone that wants to go in to Entertainment should watch this.

Loved these two x

Wow , some I knew or heard others came with a dull shock but thanks for the 411.

Marvin Gaye and the temptations were the best

Those men killed Tammy. If they were still alive they would be charged with her murder.

Interesting stuff.

I came her after the release of ms ross's new album! They were all so gifted!

My granny knew Tammi, the Temptations, Smokey etc... she said David killed her. The news is a lie, yes she did have brain tumor but she had that prior to David. His beatings caused so much damage to her body and brain... she only quickened her death. It's sad. 24 yrs old smh. Rest in Peace Tammi. Sorry you suffered so much at the hands of others.

Motown was awesome back in the day.

Tammy wat a beautiful voice💕

Anyone who likes this vid should check out the Unsung documentary series- a show about old school R&B/ soul singers. It also covers artists from the 90's/ early naughties. Most of the episodes are on RU-vid. Just a suggestion.

Tammi Terrell is the Princess of Motown

My heart breaks for Tammi Terrell

Tammi left her make on this world 🌎 BEAUTIFUL 😊❤

These stories are so sad

Bobby DeBarge was a tragic story which will air on TV ONE this summer

Tammy Terrell was so beautiful !

Please a do a PART ll. Posters have mentioned, Florence Ballard & and agree she should be added.

Marvin Gaye without doubt greatest black singer ever! Fabulous singer 😊

I need a Tami Terrell film!!!

All I can say is Damn 😢that broke my heart 💔

It's ironic how motown music was uplifting and made you feel good but all these artists had very dark stories so sad

I had to stop this video at 1:55. I decided that I don't won't to rehash these tragic memories in my mind again. I want to laugh sing along and be happy, and this video just don't do that for me; so, I'LL MOVE ON. GOODBYE.

Tammy needs a biopic

Mary Wells may have had the first #1 on the Motown label IMPRINT. but make no mistake that The Marvelettes gave Motown it's very first double #1 record with Please Mr. Postman on the Tamla input. The second double #1 is Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips"....and the third double #1 is "My Guy" by Mary Wells.

More please

Oh, now you gotta do one on The Spinners. Those guys had alot of tragedies too lol

My gawd.. That first story alone

this video is nothing fans don't already know

Sooo much promise and such beauty to be takn for granted Rip Tammy..🙏💔❤

So much pain, so much beauty...a testament to our resilience

What aboit Florence Ballard of The Supremes? She had a tragic life cut short too! 😔

"My Guy" by Mary was great,but wasn't Motown's first No#1 record.That distinction belongs to the Marvelettes "Please Mr. Postman' from 1961.

Such great music & talented people. So sad...

Motown helped bring black artists to white audiences .I think that was their main goal and it worked very very well . Before Motown , it was difficult to get R&B artists airplay on what was standard white pop/rock radio stations . There were a few black artists who had hits before Motown , like Sam Cooke , Ray Charles and the Shirelles