Unsung

The little-known heroes behind Motown’s greatest hits are finally heard in this moving memoir filled with the rich historical atmosphere and emotional resonance of Hidden Figures, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and Questlove’s Music Is History. Their voices can be heard on Motown classics such as “My Guy,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love”—immortal songs that defined an era. Relegated to the shadows behind the stars, the three professional backup singers who contributed to these smash hits and countless others were rarely known to the public. In Unsung, Motown legend Louvain Demps, joined by Emmy Award–winning journalist Paul Milliken, flips the record to at last tell the story of The Andantes—the powerhouse trio of Black women who secretly shaped the soundtrack of a generation—shining a warm spotlight on their talent and contributions. Marlene Barrow. Jackie Hicks. Louvain Demps. They were Motown’s “clean-up girls” — the voices called in when t