Some of the world’s greatest talents have been lost far too young. That was certainly the case for the Motown singer Tammi Terrell, who died of a brain tumor on this day, March 16, 1970. Just a couple of years prior in 1967, she collapsed into Marvin Gaye’s arms during a concert in Virginia. Soon after, she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. In 1968, Terrell underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor, which was unsuccessful. She would become so ill that recording would prove difficult. Though, she would continue to make music until her death on this day, March 16, 1970. She was only 24 years old. Terrell was in the prime of her life and at the start of what would have been a powerhouse career.
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Rather than focusing on her tragic death, I think Tammi Terrell deserves to be honored with a revisit of her incredible, albeit short, career in music.
The Legacy of Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell was born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery on April 29, 1956, in Philadelphia. She launched her music career after getting signed by Scepter Records in 1960, shortly after being discovered by Luther Dixon. Her first record was the ballad “If You See Bill”, and she also recorded demos for The Shirelles.
Later, after meeting James Brown, she signed a contract with the crooner and started to sing backup for his concert tours in the early 1960s. She would later create the group The Sherrys, though she would be fired from the group by 1962. Her first charting single would be the song “I Cried” from 1963, which peaked at No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After later signing with Checker Records, Terrell released the song “If I Would Marry You”, a duet with Jimmy Radcliffe. Terrell co-composed the song. The song wasn’t particularly successful and Terrell considered quitting the music business, and she studied pre-med at the University of Pennsylvania for two years. While attending school, she performed with Jerry Butler on the side. That would be how one Berry Gordy, CEO of Motown Records, discovered her. Terrell was signed to the label in 1965 on her 20th birthday.
Following her signing, Terrell finally achieved the success she worked so hard to get. She became enormously popular after singing several duets with Marvin Gaye, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Your Precious Love”, as well as “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You”. Terrell was at the top of her career by 1967, and it’s still heartbreaking that she didn’t have enough time to truly shine.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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