Tammi Terrell Photos in Los Angeles: SOUL History
May 14, 2022, 5:40 PM PST
Tammi Terrell SOUL Newspaper photo by Chuck Boyd
Early Motown Records legend Tammi Terrell Passed away at the young age of 24 from brain cancer but her legacy lives on. SOUL Newspaper had the oppourtinuty to follow Miss Terrell's career during the years 1966 to her death in 1970. There were frequent interviews and articles with Tammi as well as updates on her medical condidtion that was being tightly held under wraps by Motown.
While in Los Angeles, SOUL had exclusive photo sessions three times; During her performance at the legendary 5-4 Ballroom in South Central Los Angeles, a poolside shoot where Terrell asked to be photographed for "Miss SOUL" a column that ran in SOUL highlighting black beauty and once more in a park before her tour with Marvin Gaye.
She would ultimately collapse in his arms on stage during this tour and be rushed back to Philidelphia where she would recieve her cancer diagnosis.
The 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles
was a two-story building on what was then the corner of 54th and Moneta (Now Broadway). The upstairs dance hall featured primarily jazz and big band music played by whites for a mostly white crowd. That would shift as more black people would move into the area. Tammi Performed in 1966 as part of KGFJ Los Angeles' Blue Mondays night.
KGFJ DJ JIM RANDOLPH, TAMMI TERRELL AND WARREN LANIER, WESTCOAST MOTOWN EXECUTIVE, AT THE 5 / 4 BALLROOM. Photo by Howard Bingham
KGFJ DJ JIM RANDOLPH hands Tammi Terrell her mic. Photo by Howard Bingham
JOHN BUGSBY, manager of the 5 - 4 Ballroom, cracks up with Tammi during her great act. Photo by Howard Bingham
Tammi Terrell Poses Poolside MISS SOUL
In 1967 Tammi Terrell asked for an improptu photoshoot while doing an interview for SOUL Newspaper.
Motown Record's Tammi Terrell poses poolside for SOUL Newspaper. Photo by Earl Fowler
“Tantalizin’ Tammi surprised the daylights out of us when we rather playfully suggested she pose as Miss Soul. Rushing into her hotel, grabbing a swimsuit and racing back to the pool before we could say “Terrell” Tammi struck this classic pose for the SOUL cameras
As a matter of fact, our photographer was so awed with this young bundle of dynamite that he almost forgot to click. But he recovered in time to catch these spectacular shots - which, SOUL readers will agree, must certainly go down in the Miss SOUL Hall of Fame (we may actually start one especially for Tammi)! ”
Motown Record's Tammi Terrell steps into a pool for SOUL Newspaper photoshoot. Photo by Earl Fowler
If she hadn't entered show business, she just might have been a doctor. She spent two years at the University of Pennsylvania as a pre-medicine major before leaving for Detroit and a singing career.
Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye
Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye pose for SOUL Newspaper in Los Angeles. Photo by Erik Whitaker
At the beginning of a tour with Marvin Gaye in 1967, Terrell and Gaye posed for SOUL photographers in a local park. Reportedly, Tammi was in pain that day but pressed on as she had done so many times before insisting to move forward with the session.
Terrell had suffered migraines since she was young and brushed these off as stress induced. She was coming off the heels of an abusive relationship with Tempations singer David Ruffin.
While on tour, Tammi collapsed into Marvin Gaye's arms at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia while singing "Your Precious Love". Gaye insisted she go to a hospital but Terrell carried on with the tour. The next day, in Chicago, Terrell was feeling even worse than the night before. Marvin took her back home to Philadelhia to Graduate Hospital where whe would spend the next two years of her short life.
Marvin Gaye pushes Tammi Terrell on a swing in Los Angeles. Photo by Erik Whitaker
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell pose in Los Angeles park for SOUL Newspaper. Photo by Erik Whitaker
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Check out our longer blog on Tammi Terrell HERE
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