Legendary Motown guitarist Marv Tarplin passed away this past Friday at the age of 70.
Tarplin was best known for his work as the guitarist for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. He began his career in the late '50s, backing an all-girl pop group called the Primettes, who would eventually change their name and become the Supremes.
Aside from this work with Smokey Robinson, with whom he continued to record until his retirement in 2008, Tarplin notably worked with Marvin Gaye, playing on hits like "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I'll Be Doggone."
“I didn’t even know what we would play. He would just be like, ‘Honey, we’re in G.’ And I’d be like, ‘Okay, here we go’”: Lindsay Ell looks back on cutting her teeth as a teenager playing blues with Buddy Guy – and being mentored by Randy Bachman
“The Food Network couldn’t spend all day mic’ing a guitar amp. Every time I went into the studio, the engineers would say, ‘Don’t bring your amp’”: Meet Tim Rockmore, the TV and session veteran who’s recorded entire tracks with a Fender headphone amp
