Henry Fambrough

Henry Lee Fambrough (born May 10, 1938) is a retired American vocalist, known for being a member of the R&B quintet The Spinners[1] (aka The Detroit Spinners and also The Motown Spinners) from 1954 until his retirement in April 2023. He is the last surviving original member of the Spinners.

Henry Fambrough
Fambrough performing with The Spinners, 2018
Born (1938-05-10) May 10, 1938
Detroit Michigan, US
OccupationSinger
Years active1954–2023
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
LabelsMotown

The Spinners
Henry Fambrough (second from right) as part of The Spinners in 1965.

The Spinners formed in 1954 as the Domingoes before changing their name to the Spinners. Fambrough was drafted into the army in 1961, and on his return two years later, the Spinners signed up under Motown Records. They didn't have any big hits for the next six years, and Fambrough ended up working as a chauffeur for the label boss’ mother. During the group's heyday from the early to mid-1970s, Henry served as one of the group's three lead singers (along with Philippé Wynne and Bobby Smith) and his rich baritone provided lead vocals for the Spinners classic "I Don't Want To Lose You," as well as co-lead vocals with Wynne on "Living A Little, Laughing A Little".

On the group's classic single "Ghetto Child," he shared leads with Wynne and Smith. He also dueted with Dionne Warwick on the Spinners' "Just As Long As We Have Love," from their 1975 album Pick of the Litter, and also sang lead on the classic album cut "If You Can't Be in Love," from the album Happiness Is Being with the Spinners (1976). Henry was noted for the whiplash moustache he wore at that time.

With the release of the groups most recent album Round the Block and Back Again in 2021, Fambrough is the only member of the Spinners to have been featured on every release.

Retirement

In April 2023, Henry announced his retirement, but the Spinners will continue to perform without him, and he will remain involved with the group behind the scenes. He had been in the group for sixty nine years. The following month, the Spinners were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sixty nine years after forming, and thirty seven years after first being eligible to be inducted.[2]

Following his announcement on retiring, he told Spinners fans: “The Spinners are still here and still singing for our people who want to hear us. And that’s not going to change. We’ll still be there for them.”[3]

Personal life

With the deaths of fellow Spinners members C. P. Spencer in 2004, Billy Henderson in 2007, and Pervis Jackson in 2008, and Bobby Smith in 2013, Fambrough is the only surviving original member of the group.

Notes
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Biography: The Spinners". AMG. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  2. Madarang, Charisma (May 4, 2023). "'This Was Our Time': The Spinners' Surviving Founder on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  3. "A happy retirement by Henry Fambrough, the last original member of The Spinners". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. April 10, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.

References
  • Romanski, Patricia and Holly George-Warren (eds). The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. New York, NY: Fireside, 2005.
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