The Monitors were a group who hailed from Detroit.
They comprised of:
Richard Street (b. Richard Allen Street, 5th October 1942, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. d. 27th February 2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.)
Sandra Fagin
John 'Maurice' Fagin
and
Warren Harris
Formed in Detroit, the Monitors group members, Richard Street and Warren Harris were school friends of the Temptations/Primes singers Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin.
Warren was part of a group called the Distants, along with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin, but he departed as the Distants merged with the Primes, to form the Temptations.
the distants (circa 1960)
The Distants comprised of Richard Street, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge 'Al' Bryant and James Crawford.
Richard Street had recorded for the Thelma Records imprint, fronting the group Richard Street and the Distants.
They recorded a Norman Whitfield produced song, entitled 'Answer Me'.
Richard was a highly regarded songwriter and was also part of a group called the Peps.
Warren and Richard were part of a group called the Fagins, before a name change, calling themselves the Majestics.
They were due to release a song for Motown's V.I.P. Records called 'Hello Love', however, the song was shelved, but a later track entitled 'Say You' b/w 'All For Someone' did well.
The group changed their name to the Monitors, as the Majestics name had been taken by another group.
say you b/w all for someone - 1965 / greetings (this is uncle sam) b/w number one in your heart - 1966
'Say You' eventually reached number 36 on the Billboard R&B chart.
A third 45 entitled 'Greetings (This is Uncle Sam)' reached number 100 on Billboard's Pop Chart in 1966, a song reflecting the concerns of the younger generation regarding the Vietnam War at the time.
The Monitors released a couple of further releases for the V.I.P. imprint, including 'Since I Lost You Girl' b/w 'Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today' (in November 1966) and 'Bring Back The Love' b/w 'The Further You Look The Less You' (in January 1968).
Many further V.I.P. singles remain unreleased.
After an internal move to Motown's Soul Records label, the group released 'Step by Step (Hand in Hand)' b/w 'Time Is Passin’ By' in 1969.
greeting's we're the monitors - 1968
The single proved to be their last release for the label, however, a parent album was released, entitled 'Greetings! We're The Monitors', in 1968.
The group members were retained by Motown as staff members with Richard Street employed in Motown's Quality Control department
Richard toured with the Temptations as a replacement for an ailing Paul Williams, eventually taking his place, and the Monitors were finally discontinued.
grazing in the grass - 1990 / standing still - 1990 (single)
In the late Eighties, the Monitors were reformed with a different line-up, in order to record for British producer, Ian Levine's, Motorcity imprint.
The line-up featured Darrell Littlejohn, Warren Harris, Maurice Fagin, Herschel Hunter, and Leah Harris.
The group released an album entitled 'Grazing in the Grass' for the label, along with a single, entitled 'Standing Still'.
Richard Street passed away in 2013.
Albums:
Greetings! We're The Monitors (Soul Records 1968)
Grazing In The Grass (Motorcity Records, 1990)
