# MOTOWN SOUND Continues Into 2025 With New Vinyl From Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Smokey Robinson

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/motown-sound-continues-into-2025-with-new-vinyl-from-diana-ross-the-supremes-gladys-knight-the-pips-and-smokey-robinson/
- Published: 2025-01-03T14:00:00-06:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

### **THE MOTOWN SOUND COLLECTION:**

#### **JANUARY 17th MARKS THE RELEASE OF**⏎ **DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES _REFLECTIONS_,GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS _NITTY GRITTY_,AND SMOKEY ROBINSON _PURE SMOKEY_

#### **Elemental Music’s Essential Vinyl Reissue Series of Classic and Collectible Albums from the Legendary Detroit Soul Label Continues into 2025**

**JANUARY 2, 2025 (New York, NY) **– With the dawning of a new year, **Elemental
Music**’s **Motown Sound Collection **vinyl reissue series offers up  three more
prestigious titles from the iconic Detroit label’s archives set for release on **
January 17, 2025**: **Diana Ross & The Supremes _Reflections,  _Gladys Knight & 
The Pips _Nitty Gritty _**and **Smokey Robinson _Pure Smokey._**

[⌊MOTOWN SOUND: Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Smokey 
Robinson⌉⌊MOTOWN SOUND: Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and
Smokey Robinson⌉[

With 22 titles released since May 2024, the indelible Motown titles ranged from 
The Temptations’ unforgettable _I Wish It Would Rain_, the inimitable Supremes’ 
_I Hear a Symphony _and Marvin Gaye’s iconic _When I’m Alone I Cry_. 

Praised by GOLDMINE Magazine as an “impressive and unique Motown Records reissue
campaign, which includes some of recorded music history’s most revered soul music
albums,” Elemental Music’s crusade has been “crushing it with the monthly series
of reissues that has been underway over the past few months” (UPROXX) by “showing
some love to Motown’s legacy” (Tracking Angle).

**Diana Ross & The Supremes _Reflections_**
Released in 1968, _Reflections _was 
the 14th album from The Supremes, their second as ‘Diana Ross & The Supremes.’ It
was the first album to include liner notes by Diana Ross and their first with new
member Cindy Birdsong. It was the Supremes’ last album with new production from 
the creative team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and included production from Deke Richards,
Frank Wilson and Smokey Robinson.

Chock full of memorable songs, _Reflections _also included covers of Martha and 
the Vandellas’ “**Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things),**” The 5th Dimension’s **“Up,
Up and Away,” **and their studio recordings of “**Bah-Bah-Bah**” (co-written by 
Motown singer Brenda Holloway with her sister Patrice), an original Smokey Robinson
composition titled “**Then,**” and the iconic “**What the World Needs Now Is Love**”
by the hitmaking team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The title song was a No. 
2 Pop smash while the album peaked at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200.

This 140-gram edition includes the original cover and back cover artwork. 

Reflections

[⌊Reflections⌉⌊Reflections⌉
Watch this video on YouTube

**Diana Ross & The Supremes “Reflections”**

**Gladys Knight & The Pips _Nitty Gritty_**
Called “a sturdy collection of fine 
soul and R&B tracks” by All Music Guide, _Nitty Gritty _was the sixth studio album
by Gladys Knight & the Pips which was released in 1969. Thanks to the influence 
of producer Norman Whitfield, it placed emphasis on the raw funk and soul sounds
of the band, resulting in an unforgettable set.

Three of the singles included became hits: “**Didn’t You Know (You’d Have to Cry
Sometime)**” (#63 on the Pop chart and #11 on the R&B chart), “**The Nitty Gritty**”(#
19 Pop/#2 R&B), and “**Friendship Train**” (#17 pop/#2 R&B). The album peaked at#
81 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Dusty Groove called _Nitty Gritty _“one of our favorite
albums by Gladys Knight – a set that seems to have a lot more edge than some of 
her later work, thanks to some rumbling production from the legendary Norman Whitfield!”

This 140-gram edition of _Nitty Gritty _includes the original cover and back cover
artwork.

Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime)

[⌊Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime)⌉⌊Didn't You Know (
You'd Have To Cry Sometime)⌉
Watch this video on YouTube

**Gladys Knight & The Pips “Didn’t You Know (You Have to Cry Sometime)”**

**Smokey Robinson _Pure Smokey_**
Pure Smokey was William “Smokey” Robinson’s second
solo album after leaving The Miracles. It was issued on Motown’s Tamla label in 
1974 and presents mostly songs composed by Robinson himself along with Marv Tarplin,
another ex-Miracle, who after leaving the group joined Robinson in California. Marv
didn’t only ‘assist.’ He wrote, played guitar, toured, etc., and we don’t know as
to why he actually moved.

Hits from the album include “**I Am I Am**” which hit #6 R&B, “**Virgin Man**” (#
12), and “**It’s Her Turn To Live**,” a tribute to mothers co-written by Tarplin
that was a Top 30 R&B hit. All Music Guide wrote _Pure Smokey _“creates a seamless
blend of smoothed-out disco and gorgeous soft soul.”

This limited edition 140-gram virgin vinyl edition includes the original cover and
back cover artwork.

Virgin Man

[⌊Virgin Man⌉⌊Virgin Man⌉
Watch this video on YouTube

**Smokey Robinson “Virgin Man”**

While 2024’s slate of releases concludes with these three legendary albums, 2025
sees even more **Motown Sound **classics set for release including _Reflections 
_from Diana Ross & The Supremes, _Pure Smokey _by Smokey Robinson, and _Changing
Times _by The Four Tops (_full schedule below_). These indelible Motown titles are
part of a continuing series of long-playing vinyl reissues of crate digger favorites
from the celebrated label’s unrivaled catalog. All releases will replicate the bold
sound and 12-by-12 full-color packaging of the ‘60s and ‘70s LPs. 

Founded in 2012, **Elemental Music **specializes in releasing newly discovered and
out-of-print recordings, primarily jazz, blues, and soul. These recordings are meticulously
curated and reissued with love. 

For more information about **Elemental Music**‘s **Motown Sound Collection**: [https://www.elemental-music.com/72-motown](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=d6f45c7bf3&e=615f2b8493)

**The complete 2025 release schedule for the Motown Sound Collection: **

[⌊Motown Records⌉⌊Motown Records⌉[

 * **January 17:**
    - Diana Ross & The Supremes_: Reflections_
    - Gladys Knight & The Pips: _Nitty Gritty_
    - Smokey Robinson: _Pure Smokey_
 * **February 14:**
    - The Temptations_: Puzzle People_
    - Diana Ross & The Supremes: _Let The Sunshine In_
    - Four Tops: _Changing Times_
 * **March 14:**
    - The Temptations_: Psychedelic Shack_

**RELEASED IN 2024:**

 * **May 10:**
    - The Temptations_: I Wish It Would Rain_
    - The Supremes: _We Remember Sam Cooke_
 * **June 7:**
    - Smokey Robinson: _Smokey _(Blue Vinyl/Gatefold edition)
    - The Four Tops’ _Still Waters Run Deep_
 * **July 12:**
    - Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells’_ Together _(Mono edition)
    - The Supremes’ _I Hear a Symphony _(Green vinyl)
    - The Temptations’ _Cloud Nine_
 * **Aug. 16:**
    - The Jackson Five:_ Get It Together_ (Red Vinyl/Die-Cut Cover)
    - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ _Make It Happen _(Mono edition) 
    - _More Hits By The Supremes _(Mono edition)
 * **Sept. 13:**
    - _Meet the Temptations _(Mono edition) 
    - Marvin Gaye’s _In the Groove_
    - Diana Ross And The Supremes’ _Love Child_
 * **Oct. 18:**
    - The Jackson 5:_ Third Album (_Red Vinyl) 
    - The Supremes: _A Bit of Liverpool _(Mono edition)
    - The Temptations’ _Sky’s the Limit_
 * **Nov. 15:**
    - _Four Tops _(Mono edition)
    - Marvin Gaye:_ When I’m Alone I Cry _(Mono edition) 
    - Eddie Kendricks’ _People…Hold On_
 * **Dec. 13:**
    - Gladys Knight & the Pips’ _Neither One of Us_
    - The Temptations’ _Solid Rock_
    - The Undisputed Truth:_ The Undisputed Truth_

[⌊Elemental Music⌉⌊Elemental Music⌉[

[Website](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=9592a40988&e=615f2b8493)
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[⌊Reybee Inc⌉⌊Reybee Inc⌉[

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