James Nyx Jr. (May 3, 1914 – July 16, 1998), [1] sometimes credited as James Nyx, was an American songwriter for the Motown label. He co-wrote " Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", which became a #9 hit for Marvin Gaye in 1971.
Nyx was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but moved to Detroit in the 1930s, where he married twice and raised a family of eight children. He supported them through jobs requiring menial labor. [1] At one time he was a resident of the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, where notable figures such as Diana Ross grew up. [2]
His start in the music business was working as a janitor and handyman for Tri-Phi/Harvey Records, which was owned by the husband and wife team of Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy Fuqua, sister of Berry Gordy. [3]
He began to bring lyric ideas to Harvey, who collaborated with him on a few songs, including 1961's "Grieving About A Love," recorded by Lorri Rudolph. [4] and 1963's "What Can You Do Now" recorded by Harvey and Ann. [5]
When Fuqua sold his labels to Motown Records in 1963, Nyx came along, signing to Jobete Music as a songwriter, but also working as a janitor and an elevator operator. He continued to write with Fuqua, and also Marvin Gaye, but most of his early songwriting work was shelved. [3]
In July 1970, Gaye produced a song for The Originals, a Gaye/Nyx composition called "We Can Make It Baby." [6]
Nyx's real breakthrough came a year later, when Gaye needed collaborators to help with lyrics for his next project, the sessions that became the landmark album What's Going On. Nyx co-wrote three tracks on the album, " What's Happening Brother," " God Is Love," and most famously, " Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)."
Motown left Detroit the following year, but Nyx did not go with them. He stayed and continued writing songs for a Detroit company named KellGriff Music. One such effort, 1974's "Outta My Life/I'm One Who Know" by the Brewster Crew on Lifeline records (T. Rodgers/J. Nyx Jr.) was arranged by David Van De Pitte, who famously did the orchestrations for "What's Going On." [7]
In the 1990s, samples of "Inner City Blues" were often used on R&B and rap records, providing Nyx with royalty income. [1]
References
- ^ a b c Betts, Graham (2 June 2014). Graham Betts, Motown Encyclopedia, AC Publishing, 2014. AC. ISBN 9781311441546. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ Tucker, Neely. "Like Getting A High Five From God". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Andrew. "James Nyx Jr". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Lorri Rudolph – Don't Let Them Tell Me (Tell Me Yourself) / Grieving About A Love". Discogs. September 1961. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Harvey & Ann – What Can You Do Now". Discogs. 1963. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Originals, The – We Can Make It Baby". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Brewster Crew – Outta My Life / I'm One Who Know". Discogs. 1974. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  | This article about an American songwriter is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
James Nyx Jr. (May 3, 1914 – July 16, 1998), [1] sometimes credited as James Nyx, was an American songwriter for the Motown label. He co-wrote " Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", which became a #9 hit for Marvin Gaye in 1971.
Nyx was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but moved to Detroit in the 1930s, where he married twice and raised a family of eight children. He supported them through jobs requiring menial labor. [1] At one time he was a resident of the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, where notable figures such as Diana Ross grew up. [2]
His start in the music business was working as a janitor and handyman for Tri-Phi/Harvey Records, which was owned by the husband and wife team of Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy Fuqua, sister of Berry Gordy. [3]
He began to bring lyric ideas to Harvey, who collaborated with him on a few songs, including 1961's "Grieving About A Love," recorded by Lorri Rudolph. [4] and 1963's "What Can You Do Now" recorded by Harvey and Ann. [5]
When Fuqua sold his labels to Motown Records in 1963, Nyx came along, signing to Jobete Music as a songwriter, but also working as a janitor and an elevator operator. He continued to write with Fuqua, and also Marvin Gaye, but most of his early songwriting work was shelved. [3]
In July 1970, Gaye produced a song for The Originals, a Gaye/Nyx composition called "We Can Make It Baby." [6]
Nyx's real breakthrough came a year later, when Gaye needed collaborators to help with lyrics for his next project, the sessions that became the landmark album What's Going On. Nyx co-wrote three tracks on the album, " What's Happening Brother," " God Is Love," and most famously, " Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)."
Motown left Detroit the following year, but Nyx did not go with them. He stayed and continued writing songs for a Detroit company named KellGriff Music. One such effort, 1974's "Outta My Life/I'm One Who Know" by the Brewster Crew on Lifeline records (T. Rodgers/J. Nyx Jr.) was arranged by David Van De Pitte, who famously did the orchestrations for "What's Going On." [7]
In the 1990s, samples of "Inner City Blues" were often used on R&B and rap records, providing Nyx with royalty income. [1]
References
- ^ a b c Betts, Graham (2 June 2014). Graham Betts, Motown Encyclopedia, AC Publishing, 2014. AC. ISBN 9781311441546. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ Tucker, Neely. "Like Getting A High Five From God". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Andrew. "James Nyx Jr". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Lorri Rudolph – Don't Let Them Tell Me (Tell Me Yourself) / Grieving About A Love". Discogs. September 1961. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Harvey & Ann – What Can You Do Now". Discogs. 1963. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Originals, The – We Can Make It Baby". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Brewster Crew – Outta My Life / I'm One Who Know". Discogs. 1974. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
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| This article about an American songwriter is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |