The Contours

Detroit, Michigan-based R&B vocal group The Contours was formed in 1959. Founded by Joe Billingslea and Billy Gordon, the group – originally calling themselves The Blenders – also featured Billy Hoggs, Leroy Fair, and Hubert Johnson. Once the line-up was complete, they changed their name to The Contours and auditioned for Motown Records in 1960. After failing that initial audition, they contacted Johnson’s cousin Jackie Wilson, who was able to get them a second audition, and they signed a seven year contract with Motown. After the release of two unsuccessful singles in 1961 – “Whole Lotta Woman” and “The Stretch” – The Contours scored a massive hit with “Do You Love Me,” a song that was given to them by Motown founder Berry Gordy himself. The single reached number 1 on Billboard’s R&B /Soul Singles chart and number 3 on the Hot 100. While the group had seven more Top 100 hits – including “Shake Sherry” (1962), “Can You Jerk Like Me” (1964), and “It’s Hard Being a Loser” (1967) – they never reached the Top 40 again. Line-up changes continued over the years and The Contours’ album output was minimal, with one album from 1964 remaining unreleased. The group split up in 1968 but in 1971, they got back together, and several different versions of the band’s line-up has remained active ever since. Thanks to being featured in the hit movie Dirty Dancing, “Do You Love Me” became a hit yet again in 1988, climbing to number 11 on the Hot 100. Joe Billingslea, the longest-standing member of the original line-up, retired in November 2022.