THE GALLERY RESTAURANT
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS from page 63
Enjoy gracious dining amid a beautiful
atmosphere of casual elegance
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BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER
OPEN 7 DAYS: MON.- SAT. 7 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. SUN. 8 a.m.- 9 p.m.
West Bloomfield Plaza • 6638 Telegraph Road and Maple • 248-851-0313
A ...
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MICHIGAN'S
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The PR Beat
"Nat Tarnopol really wielded a strong
influence over Jackie Wilson, who
admired him greatly," recalls Alan
Abrams, public relations guru for
Wilson, the Supremes, Temptations,
Marvin Gaye and others.
"That's, of course, how Jackie learned
his Jewishness, and why we're pretty cer-
tain he converted to Judaism."
During the Hitsville/Motown heyday,
Abrams landed the enviable job of the
organization's PR director almost by
accident after he convinced a local disc
jockey to play the 1959 pre-Motown
song "Teen-age Sweetheart" on the air.
It was recorded for a fee by Berry Gordy
for a Yugoslavian immigrant named
Michael Pojiakov (a.k.a. Mike Powers),
then living in Windsor, on the Zelman
label (Gordy wanted a label name that
sounded Jewish, says Abrams). Gordy
hired Abrams at the age of 18 as a song
plugger, earning $25 a week.
Before long, Abrams had become
head PR man for a pantheon of
Motown greats.
Abrams recalls Wilson as being a "real
ladies' man — always kissing all of the
women. He was just a nice guy who was
taken advantage of by many people."
Wilson and other Motown performers
often would rehearse in Abrams' house
on Elmhurst Street. "It would be noth-
ing for my old Jewish mother to come
home and hear a big, blaring band play-
ing in our living room," he said. "I also
would take the artists to high-school
record hops and to the old Hot Sam's
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TOTAL BILL
store downtown to buy clothes."
Abrams later worked for ad agencies,
newspapers in Windsor and Toledo, did
PR work for singer Aretha Franklin and
other stars, and wrote 11 books. He now
is a freelance writer for the Jewish News
and other publications. "The best way to
plug a new tune in the old days was to
I
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LUNCH
DINNER
$1.00 Off Any
Bread
Order
1 coupon per order
Hours:
Mon. - Fri. II am - 2:30pm
Mon. - Thurs. 5pm-9:30pm
Friday-Sat. 5pm - 10:30pm
Sun. 5pm- 10:00pm
Expires 2/28/02
Not good with any other discount
or special offer. Not valid on holiday orders.
24-hour notice please on
specialty items
(some exceptions)
6879 Orchard Lake Rd.
in the Boardwalk Plaza
Siam Spicy II
Motown's first public relations manager,
Alan Abrams, right, in a recent photo
with Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr.
Motown performers often would rehearse
in Abrams' house on Elmhurst Street.
leave the record and a bottle of liquor
next to the turntable at the radio sta-
tion," he reflects. "That always caught
the attention of the disC jockey."
Michael Roshkind later took over
Motown's public relations department
and would often fire longtime employees
without Gordy even knowing about it.
A newspaper once wrote: "If there's
a Jewish Mafia within the well-inte-
grated company (Motown), as some
outsiders claim, it is personified by
Michael Roshkind."
A decorated World War II veteran, he
held several other prominent PR jobs,
including broadcast consultant for
Presidents John F Kennedy and Lyndon
Johnson and candidate Adlai Stevenson.
Harold and Sidney Noveck, an
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS on page 73
Everything Made Fresh Daily
0
Wonderland Music Store owners Larry and Clarence Wayne hold up photos of
themselves with the Jackson Five and Stevie Wonder.
Wayne County Courthouse. The
Friends of the Library are sponsoring a
Motown exhibit there through the end
of February as part of the library's celebra-
tion of Black History Month.
• Gift Baskets
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COMPANY
32=125 Northwestern Hwy. • Farmington Hills
in front of the new Home Depot
248-626-2092 • 248-626-0270 • FAX: 248-626-3744
FARMINGTON
248-626-9110
Bangkok
J.
"Extremely tasty...excellent
presentation...beautiful &
very flavorsome."
Sala
Cafe
Danny Raskin,
The Jewish News
FARMINGTON
Sushi House
1 DOLLAR SUSHI! 1
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11.
.1
(248) 426-0203
a
N
22030 Farmington Rd.
9 Mile Rd.
E
(at 9 Mile Rd.)
u_ X
DINE IN OR TAKE OUT
Monday - Saturday 11-9:30 • Sunday 12,...-,%;
Buy One Lunch or Dinner
& Get a Second for
I.
One per customer • Expires 2/28/03
27903 Orchard Lake Rd.
a
(NW corner of 12 Mile)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-4220
Open 7 days a week
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sunday 4 pm - 9:30 pm
1/31
657030
2003
65