When the Supremes ignited, the Andantes became the number-one studio rats. Like the Funk Brothers -- Motown's rhythm session -- they moonlighted on other labels in Detroit and other cities. They were in Chi-town when Mickey Stevenson needed girls to back Marvin Gaye on Stubborn Kinda Fellow. Martha Reeves, Stevenson's secretary, called the group, who added magic to Gaye's first hit, and soon broke out on their own. Good background singers are expected to create, which the Andantes did on Mary Wells' My Guy, Stevie Wonder's For Once iIn My Life, and other sessions. They backed Diana Ross on Love Child, and Martha Reeves on every Martha the Vandellas' recording after Annette Beard left. Holland-Dozier-Holland used the Andantes to smooth the Marvelettes' infectious but shaky harmony; they also used them on the Four Tops for high end, a technique Thom Bell employed with the Spinners and others in the '70s. Their smooth, quality, chorale sound was so valuable that Motown never gave them a chance to record on their own. A scheduled single, Like a Nightmare, was never released. Motown didn't want the Andantes out promoting a record when Motown's studios operated around the clock. Ian Levine recorded the Andantes for his Motorcity series. The tracks include a remake of the Fascinations' Girls Are Out to Get You, as well as Two Sides to Love, Hurricane, Lightening Never Strikes Twice, and a new Like a Nightmare. Levine also recorded Louvain solo. They accompanied Kim Weston on Just Loving You, on The Motortown Revue Live, Vol. 2. Louvain's brother, Larry Squirrel Demps, sang with the Dramatics. ~ Andrew Hamilton, Rovi