b. 1955, Palmer Woods, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Michael Stokes is a highly talented producer and songwriter.
Based in Los Angeles, Michael has worked consistently as a producer through the 70's and '80's with artists including Creative Source ('Creative Source', 1973, and 'Pass The Feeling On', 1975), Morning, Noon And Night ('Morning, Noon & Night', 1977), Shirley Caesar ('From The Heart', 1978), Keith Barrow ('Physical Attraction', 1978, including 'You Know You Want To Be Loved'), Ronn Matlock ('Love City', 1978), Nature's Divine ('In The Beginning', 1979), Booker T. Jones ('I Want You', 1981), Rose Royce ('Love Me Right Now', 1984), Gerald Mallory ('Lay It Down On Me', 1982), Active Force ('Give Me Your Love', 1983), Sherrick ('Just Call', 1987) and Smokey Robinson.
His wife is Linda Stokes, a member of the group Magic Lady for whom Michael has produced their three albums.
Back in 1988, Michael Stokes signed his MS International Productions outfit to Berry Gordy's Motown Records.
In the late Eighties, the man's efforts were concentrated outside the commercial music business.
Since leaving A & M a few years earlier (where he was A & R Director) Michael got involved in Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign and took a more overtly political role in his capacity as a Director of the U.S arm of Amnesty International.
Michael hails from the, well-to-do, Palmer Woods district of Detroit.
He never knew his biological father, tragically murdered while visiting the hospital in which Michael was being born, but his mother's ownership of a chain of restaurants ensured a certain amount of financial security.
Michael told the U.K. Voices From The Shadows magazine back in 1988: 'I didn't understand a lot about what other people said of ghetto life and racial tension, I just never encountered it. I went to the white schools, I lived in a Jewish neighbourhood and people weren't black and white to me. It was only, my later education that opened my eyes to what was really going down. I decided my music was the best way I could give people something to alleviate their suffering in whatever small degree.'
His first break came at the age of 13.
'My mom owned the restaurant right across the street from SCEPTOR Records in New York and all the record guys would come over, sit around and talk music. It was a part of my life. Then one day, Marvin Schlachter came in and I told him I was working on some songs. He fobbed me off for a couple of weeks, but then he decided to listen and he thought my things were very good. He gave me a job writing songs up at the company and our relationship has lasted until this day'.
Soon Michael produced bit first record on Juggy Murray Jones on Fury Records.
Thereafter Michael left the family home and moved back to Detroit where, for a period in the middle to late Sixties, he worked for Eddie Kendricks EJK Records (Eddie James Kendricks).
By 1970, it was back to New York.
Michael said 'I met Clarence Avant and that's where the success story started. I was still only 15 and so convincing him that the tapes I had In my pocket were really all my own work wasn't easy at first! But soom I was writing and producing acts like Bill Withers, Creative Source, The Soul Searchers, Faith, Hope & Charity, Dennis Coffey for Sussex'
Things didn't go as planned and Michael outlines what went wrong:
'Bad management. If you do anything where demand is bigger than supply, you gotta hand over management or you're gonna lose it all. Sussex couldn't keep a Bill Withers out on the street. The whole BUDDAH system, to which they were affiliated, fell apart and I had to move.'
Michael moved to Roadshow Records where, with Tash Howard, he created an outlet over which he had more control.
Brass Construction, BT Express, Shirley Caesar, and Enchantment were soon on the chart, bringing in the dollars, but after another couple of years of outstanding success, Michael once again moved on to form INFINITY Records, where he hit with Nature's Divine and Active Force.
'It's funny, 'cos every company I went with seemed to close! The whole point though was that I had my best success letting other people run the business. We had some great records coming out of the studio but I guess greed acts in in the end. It was a part of why Sussex and Roadshow folded.'
From Infinity, Michael took over as A & R head at A & M Records where, amongst other things, he signed Janet Jackson, produced Herb Alpert, put Atlantic Starr together with James Carmichael and generally continued to impress.
The period taught him about the politics of the industry and, coupled to his brother's death from drug addiction, finally persuaded him that a spell away from the sharp end was required.
During the late Eighties, MS International had a number of acts preparing first product for release through Motown.
They included the aforementioned Enchantment and Adrina, Byron Mitchell, Puff and Friends of Distinction.
Michael Stokes's sister, Patricia was married to Eddie Kendricks and they have a son called Paris.
In 2004, Michael had new material released on Smokey Robinson and material on the way by Linda Stokes, Deniece Williams and Enchantment.
Michael has, additionally worked with Color Me Bad '(I Want To Sex You Up' LP, Rick James, Brian McKnight, BBD, Keith Sweat, Vanessa Williams, Mavis Staples, (all of these albums were recorded at Creative Source). Morris Day, Marvin Gaye, Rockwell, DeBarge and Faith, Hope and Charity.
Thanks to Ronn Matlock for his help, regarding information, on this page.
Linda Stokes website is http://www.lsodesigns.com
Here are some images of Michael's 2006 recording studio:
