Live performance work had always been important to Melvin Davis, be it singing himself or playing drums on the road with many of the Motown acts.

He was first hired as a staff drummer with the company in 1964, when he toured with The Temptations, and later accompanied the Four Tops, Martha & Vandellas, the Originals, the Supremes and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

On rare occasions he would even play on recording sessions, the most notable being Smokey’s “Tears of a clown” which featured his highly unique drum patterns and ‘pick ups’.

”Yeah, I did a few things there. I was on the road with Smokey and the guys when they went in to record that song. It was easier to use me than get one of the other drummers (‘Pistol’ or Uriel) in just for one tune.

Time was tight too.”In early 1966 Davis became the featured vocalist with the Lyman Woodard Trio, a local jazz and R&B ensemble, on a full time basis – an engagement that would ultimately last until the end of 1967, and would bring him into contact with guitarist Denis Coffey. Coffey and Mike Theodore had formed Theo- Coff Productions in 1966, and approached Davis to write several songs for an artist they intended to produce for the Mala label.

He wrote two songs, “This love was meant to be” and “Save it (Never Too Late)” initially, but the artist couldn’t sing them to required standard, so Davis performed them himself, and was consequently signed to Mala as an artist.

He wrote two more songs for the follow up single, “Love bug got a bear hug” and “Faith”, before ending his association with the Theo-Coff in 1967.

Several notable songs also emerged at this time, including “That’s the way he is” for Ann Perry and “Stop (don’t worry about it)” for Lonnette (McKee) and his ‘live’ work continued unabated.

music: "Love Bug Got A bear Hug" - Melvin Davis (Mala 12009a)

Continued