Suzee_Ikeda
Suzee Ikeda
American singer (born 1947)
Suzee Ikeda is an American singer who was the first Asian-American solo artist at Motown. However, she is best known for her work "behind the scenes" at Motown with such acts as Michael Jackson and The Temptations.
Born Susan Wendy Ikeda on August 25, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of a Japanese father and an American mother.
Initially assigned to Mowest, Motown's subsidiary label, her first single was a cover version of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" from the Disney film, Song of the South. The single failed to chart.
In April 1973, Suzee released her first single on the Motown label, a ballad written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel called, "Time For Me to Go." Unfortunately, the single and her solo career went nowhere.[citation needed]
During her tenure at Motown she was described as a "creative confidant" of Michael Jackson. "Michael Jackson could make you forget he was so young," writes Suzee Ikeda, in her introductory essay to Hello World: The Complete Motown Solo Collection.[1]
Ikeda's rapport with artists soon led to a new role behind the scenes as a production executive for the company. One of her early projects was the A Song for You album by The Temptations, released in 1975.
In 1983, Ikeda became one of the principal players in Super Three, a division of Motown responsible for developing new and existing acts. Other participants in the partnership were off again-on again Motown figure Ray Singleton and Guy Costa (nephew of musician and arranger Don Costa), the latter who served as the entity's creative director.[2]
Singles
As a recording artist
Albums
Serving in various capacities
Release Date | Album | Artist(s) or Group | Capacity(ies) |
---|---|---|---|
Oct 1973 | Diana & Marvin | Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye | Production Coordination; Production Assistant |
Jan 1975 | A Song for You | The Temptations | Producer |
1980 | Jose Feliciano | Jose Feliciano | Producer |
1982 | Reunion | The Temptations | Producer |
Sep 1983 | Commodores 13 | The Commodores | Project Manager |
1986 | Dancing on the Ceiling | Lionel Richie | Engineer; Background vocals |
- "Michael Jackson: Hello World- The Complete Motown Solo Collection". Hip-O Select. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
- Gordy Singleton, Raynoma (1990). "Super Three". Berry, Me and Motown (First ed.). Chicago: Contemporary Books. pp. 297ā299. ISBN 0-8092-4340-7.
Suzee had proved her stuff over the years...
- "Motown Related Labels: MoWest". Seabear Studios. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- "Motown Related Labels: Motown 1201ā1300". Seabear Studios. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- All Music Guide
- First Universal Network
- Suzee Ikeda discography at Discogs
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