Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about living our purpose, lifting our vibes, and expressing our creativity for the highest good. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe — birth, death, love, the big picture; and our innate personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. You’ll hear conversations with terrific guests on matters we care about, as well as spiritual perspectives, personal essays on being our best selves, and episodes simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Tribute to Katherine Anderson Schaffner, featuring Sheldon Zoldan
Katherine Anderson Schaffner was one of the original members of the Marvelettes, whose hit song, “Please Mr. Postman," was Motown’s first million-selling single and first Motown song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Marvelettes had other hits during the 1960s, including “Don’t Mess With Bill,” "Beechwood 4-5789," “Playboy” and “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game.” But when the group disbanded in 1970, Schaffner quit the music business for good, moving first to Las Vegas and then back to Detroit.
This is one of 44 tributes to significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023. To listen to the featured song, "Please Mr. Postman," you can go here. You also can hear "Don't Mess With Bill" in this video tribute to the Marvelettes.
To learn more about Schaffner, you can check out her biography on The HistoryMakers® site. It has some great videos and still photos.
In the chapters of this episode, you can go right to the tribute by skipping my intro; feel free to skip my closing remarks too. Both are there to provide context for those who haven't listened to the other tributes.
Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime writer and editor, wrote and recorded Knight's story and the others in the series. He also writes a Song of the Day story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
Audio engineer/musician Mike Villegas edited all the audio for this series. Hope you enjoy these intriguing glimpses into the lives of the people who made some of the music we love.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Spotify and Audible.
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Kate:
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Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation. This is
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your host, Kate Jones, with one of 44
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tributes
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to significant figures in the music industry
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who passed away in 2023.
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My guest Sheldon Zoldan,
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a longtime writer and newspaper editor,
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wrote these short biographies
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and recorded them.
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Each one is an intriguing
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glimpse into the life and impact of someone
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who contributed
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to the soundtracks of our lives. Here's what
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Sheldon has to say in this tribute.
Sheldon:
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Katherine Anderson Schaffner spent a decade making hits
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with the Marvelettes,
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then she walked away from music,
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never second-guessing her decision.
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Schaffner died September 20th in Detroit of congestive
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heart failure.
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She was
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79.
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Schaffner was in high school in 1960
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when she and four friends
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formed the Casinyets,
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a humorous name that sounded like they can't
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sing yet.
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They could sing well enough to finish fourth
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in a talent contest
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where the record company that would become Motown
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gave the top five finishers an audition.
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Her group was the only one of the
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five to be signed by Berry Gordy Jr.
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He changed their name to the Marvelettes.
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It didn't take them long to have a
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hit. In 1961,
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they recorded "Please Mr. Postman."
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Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Brian Holland and Robert
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Bateman
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are credited with writing the song.
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In today's vernacular,
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the song went viral.
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It was Motown's first million-selling single
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and first Motown song to reach number 1
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on the Billboard Hot 100.
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It stayed on the Billboard Bestseller
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list
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for 23 weeks.
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They had other hits during the 1960s,
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including "Don't Mess with Bill,"
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"Beechwood 4-5789," "Playboy,"
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and "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game."
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Schaffner quit the music business in 1970
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when the Marvelettes
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disbanded.
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She moved to Las Vegas with her husband
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but later returned to Detroit,
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where she counseled troubled youth,
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helped put together a musical
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about the history of Motown,
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and successfully
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fought a legal battle
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to get back control of the Marvelettes name
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from a promoter
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who bought it from Motown.
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The Marvelettes helped bring Motown fame, but they
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were shunned by Motown and not invited to
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the 25th and and 50th anniversaries
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of the record label.
Sheldon:
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This is Kate again. Please go to the
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description for more information and to hear the
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song that Sheldon referenced.
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If you enjoyed this tribute, please check out
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the rest of them. Although some of the
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names are not as familiar as others, the
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biographies
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are equally intriguing.
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Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.
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Please share this episode with anyone who might
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enjoy it.
