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His early Ric-Tic hit "Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)", was reissued in Britain (with "Headline News" as its B-side) in 1968, and it performed better than the original release on the UK Chart, surpassing the original number 35 and peaking at number 11. Many of Starr's Ric-Tic songs (subsequently owned by Motown) like "Back Street" and "Headline News" became favored northern soul classics. It was when Motown's Berry Gordy became frustrated with smaller labels like Ric-Tic stealing some of the success of his company that he bought out the label. It peaked at number 6 in both the Hot 100 and R&B Charts in 1969.

At Motown he recorded a string of singles before enjoying international success with "Twenty-Five Miles", which he co-wrote with producers Johnny Bristol and Harvey Fuqua. While at Ric-Tic, he wrote the song, "Oh, How Happy", a number 12 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1966 for The Shades of Blue (he would go on to release a version of the song with Blinky in 1969) and sang lead for the Holidays on their number 12 R&B hit, "I'll Love You Forever". Other early hits included "Headline News", "Back Street", and " Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)". The song that launched his career was "Agent Double-O-Soul" (1965), a reference to the James Bond films, already popular at the time. Hatcher, adopted the name Edwin Starr at the suggestion of Doggett's manager Don Briggs, and made his solo recording debut in 1965 for the Detroit record company Ric-Tic. However after just one single, he was called up for military service in the United States Army for three years, where he was posted to Europe, following the end of his service he decided to make music his career, and joined the musical group of Bill Doggett. In 1957, Hatcher formed a doo-wop group, the Future Tones, and began his singing career.

He and his cousins, soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where they were raised. Early life Ĭharles Edwin Hatcher was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 21, 1942. In the 1970s Starr moved to England, where he continued to produce music and resided until his death. Starr's songs " Twenty-Five Miles" and "Stop the War Now" were also major successes, in 19 respectively. Hawkins and Veasey of the group played on most of his early hits on the Ric Tic Label. He was backed by the band that became known as " Black Merda". īorn in Nashville and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he later lived in Detroit while singing for Ric-Tic and Motown Records.

He is best remembered for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one hit " War". Then, in 2016, modern-day rock favourites Black Stone Cherry included their version on their fifth studio album, named after their home state, Kentucky.īuy or stream “War” on The Hits of Edwin Starr.Charles Edwin Hatcher (Janu– April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. Two years later, Bruce Springsteen’s live version with the E Street Band, recorded in 1985 at the Los Angeles Coliseum, made the US Top 10. Listen to the Best Motown Songs Ever playlist. Frankie Goes To Hollywood recorded it at the height of their initial success in 1984. The song has continued to emphasize the power of its message to future generations. “War” deservedly won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and went on to be an international hit, climbing to No.3 in the UK in mid-November. In its eighth chart week, it took over from a song that could not have been more different in its romantic, adult contemporary atmosphere, Bread’s “Make It With You.” A Grammy-winning performance Starr’s powerful vocal delivery brought a real sense of anger and frustration to the recording. The result of the new interpretation was a soul classic, with a lyric that was clearly anti-Vietnam but has remained sadly relevant throughout the world ever since.