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Dennis Coffey

Dennis Coffey is an American original. Only in America (and specifically, only in Detroit) could one man play guitar with a group of legends as diverse as Del Shannon, The Temptations, and George Clinton and Funkadelic. However, the list of iconic artists, producers and writers Dennis has worked with the world over only scratches the surface of what the man has done and the contributions he’s made to the canon of popular music.

Dennis Coffey first began to make his mark as a member of The Royaltones, a group which had hits in the late 50’s and early 60’s and who performed sessions with other artists, including Del Shannon. From there, Dennis moved on to a distinguished run as a session guitarist for various labels operating at the peak of Detroit’s influence as a hub of musical innovation and commercial success. He’s perhaps best known for his work as a member of the legendary Funk Brothers, backing a veritable trunk load of hits for Motown, specifically The Temptations’ classics “Cloud Nine,” “Ball Of Confusion,” and “Just My Imagination.” It is in those works that his introduction of the wah-wah guitar sound to Motown (and soul / R&B in general) first reared its head, and the resulting influence on all kinds of popular music continues to reverberate to this day. His work with The Temptations is just the tip of the iceberg, though… he’s on stuff like “War” by Edwin Starr… “Band Of Gold” by Freda Payne…on and on the list goes.

In the early 70’s, Dennis struck out on his own as an artist, film scorer and producer. He scored the cult classic film Black Belt Jones. He recorded “Scorpio” in 1971 as part of his second solo record and first for Sussex (“Evolution”). “Scorpio” was a million selling single and was a key foundational track in the history and development of hip-hop, totally apart from its status as a funk classic. Dennis has recorded several other solo records, and he has co-produced a million seller in Gallery’s Nice To Be With You as well as cult record Cold Fact by Rodriguez, a release that has gained increasing notoriety over the decades since it initially appeared, and which is now regarded as a rediscovered gem. He also continued session guitar work through the 1970’s, appearing on such disco classics as “Boogie Fever” by the Sylvers.

Dennis is also featured in the 2002 film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, further cementing his legacy as a key contributor to the development of some of the most cherished and important popular music of the 20th Century.

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2
Album Review

Dennis Coffey: Live at Baker's

Read "Live at Baker's" reviewed by Doug Collette


The intimations of springtime on guitarist Dennis Coffey's Live at Baker's place it more closely in line with the balmy tone of Hot Coffey in the D: Burnin' At Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge (Resonance Records, 2016) than the insistent rhythm workout of One Night at Morey's: 1968 (Omnivore, 2018). Nevertheless, this three concert release, like its predecessors, features the former Funk Brother's sinewy playing married to comparably lean instrumental accompaniment on no-nonsense arrangements. This single set from May ...

1
Album Review

Dennis Coffey: One Night at Morey's: 1968

Read "One Night at Morey's: 1968" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


And all of the sudden, Funk Brother guitarist Dennis Coffey is one hot cuppa joe. With the 2017 Resonance Records' release of Hot Coffey In The D--Burnin' At Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge we listeners have become reacquainted with the guitarist who seasoned such Detroit recordings as The Temptations' “Ball of Confusion" (Gordy, 1970); Edwin Starr's “War" (Gordy, 1970); Diana Ross and the Supremes' “Someday We'll be Together" (Motown, 1969). Hot Coffey In The D was recorded at the famous Detroit ...

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Interview

Dennis Coffey: Hot Coffey and The Pursuit of Excellence

Read "Dennis Coffey: Hot Coffey and The Pursuit of Excellence" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Every Tuesday night at the Northern Lights Lounge on Baltimore Street in Detroit, you'll find a funky little guitar-organ trio setting up musical shop. You'll find Julian Vanslyke on drums and Phil Whitfield on organ. And playing right in between them, you'll find one of the world's best guitarists--Dennis Coffey. You may not know Dennis Coffey by name, but you sure know the sound of his guitar. In the late 1950s and early '60s, that sound was a ...

3
Album Review

Dennis Coffey: Hot Coffey in the D – Burnin' at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge

Read "Hot Coffey in the D – Burnin' at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge" reviewed by Doug Collette


If the name Dennis Coffey only faintly rings a bell, it's because the guitarist was a member of the ensemble know as The Funk Brothers, the studio session crew who supplied the musicianship at the heart of Motown classics. Like many of his brethren, Coffey often availed himself of the opportunity to venture outside the confines of the recording studio to inhabit clubs and Hot Coffee in the D is just such an expedition (the similar likes of which, perhaps ...

3
Album Review

Dennis Coffey: Hot Coffey in the D – Burnin at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge

Read "Hot Coffey in the D – Burnin at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Who is Dennis Coffey? In this period of Adderall attention spans, Dennis Coffey is this: The Temptations' “Ball of Confusion" (Gordy, 1970); Edwin Starr's “War" (Gordy, 1970); Diana Ross and the Supremes' “Someday We'll be Together" (Motown, 1969). Does that ring a bell? I know everyone talks about the West Coast's “Wrecking Crew," but, Detroit had its “Funk Brothers" and a head brother was one Dennis Coffey. Coffey eventually became a ubiquitous presence in the Detroit music scene ...

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Recording

Dennis Coffey: In the D

Dennis Coffey: In the D

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

In 1972, guitarist Dennis Coffey had a hit with the funk-soul instrumental Scorpio, which reached #6 on the Billboard pop chart. He had been there many times before as a member of Motown's Funk Brothers house band. That's Coffey's wah-wah guitar on the Temptations' Cloud Nine, Ball of Confusion and Psychedelic Shack. Coffey also can be heard on Diana Ross & the Supremes' Someday We'll Be Together and Freda Payne's Band of Gold as well as many other soul-funk hits. ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Live at Baker's

Omnivore Recordings
2019

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One Night at Morey's:...

Omnivore Recordings
2018

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Hot Coffey in the D...

Resonance Records
2017

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Dennis Coffey

Strut Records
2011

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Videos

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