Remembering ...

Tammi Terrell born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945/March 16, 1970 was an American recording artist, best known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, most notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.  

When Stevie Wonder was 16, he wrote the song, “All I Do,” with songwriting Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax.  That same year, at age 20 or 21, Tammi Terrell recorded the song for Motown Records. It was not released, however, until 2002 in Great Britain, long after her death, in a compilation of previously unreleased songs entitled, Cellarful of Motown! This song was not placed on Tammi’s one and only Motown solo album, Irresistible, which was released in 1969, when this poor, beautiful and talented young lady was nearing her end. By the way, Stevie Wonder finally released his own version on his 1980 Hotter Than July LP and Kirk Whalum took the song to a jazzier level featuring vocalist Wendy Moten on his 1998 album, For You.

A life interrupted just as she was beginning to take flight, Tammi Terriell was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had eight unsuccessful operations before succumbing to the illness on March 16, 1970 at the age of 24.

(http://youtu.be/JV2e0_SgXCc)