Whatever happened to writer Tony Tuner? after writing two books detailing his years as a road manager, groupie, of The Temptations, and The Supremes the issue I had with his books is that a majority of the stories seems fabricated.
It's extremely difficult for a13 year-old being able to have access to the hottest female group in the world. Secondly how did he become involved as a adult with Motown artist. As for his claims about friendship with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, that too, seems a bit hard to believe. I notice that in every example of his "close" relationship with these stars, all 3 were deceased when he wrote those books.
All That Glittered: My Life with the Supremes and Deliver Us From Temptation: The Tragic and Shocking Story of the Temptations and Motown. I read both books years ago and recall the book being more about David Ruffin than the Temptations. After the release of the book Delivery Us from Temptations, there was some controversy surrounding it before it came out Turner subsequently wrote Temptations book and then was going to write a super juicy tell-all about Motown founder Berry Gordy, but Gordy threatened to sue Turner has implied he had affairs with male and female Motown employees.
Author Tony Turner, who was a Motown groupie during the Supremes Reign Turner, who died of AIDS, released a lot of personal and private stories about Motown Founder Berry Gordy and the Motown empire. then-Daily News gossip columnist George Rush at the time, published Turner’s allegations. Gordy sought legal action and sued the News for $250 million. The suit went on for several years but was eventually settled over a round of golf at the Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles between Gordy and News publisher Mort Zuckerman.
So if nothing Turner said was true, at some point SOMEBODY would have been paying a libel settlement and I remember this case well. There was never anything found against Turner nor the publishers. Now, I agree that much of Tony Turner's recantings were merely warmed-over stories of others, but seeing as how Clive just decided at 80-something to grace the world with his sexual business (which I don't think interests ANY of us), it is quite clear that music execs are regular people with super-regular power over people and Berry Gordy would not be above using that power to gain sexual favor from both sexes and, I am sure he did at times. But my question for Tony Turner always was "Who Cares?". He (Turner) seemed to be the type of person who saw no hope of achieving fame on his own merit so he used (an in many cases inflated) his personal associations to do so. In truth, he was a good enough writer to have made a career out of that if his content weren't so "Dishy" and "trashy". That is not really a good look on a male writer.
ReplyDeleteAll his stories from over thirty or so years ago have come to light, and have proven themselves true. This writer is still very much alive, despite the fact that a New York news paper reported him dead from aids about 20 years ago. He quickly sued for 5 million dollars.
DeleteI wonder why he hasn't spoken on Mary's death. I would love to hear from him on that.
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ReplyDeleteFor your information he did not die. He is still living and breathing so get your story straight.
ReplyDeleteIt is 2021 and Tony Turner is still very much alive and well. Living in the USA!!! He continues to talk with many of The Living Supremes. When he wrote All that Glittered My Life wit The Supremes, only Florence Ballard was dead. When he wrote Deliver Us From Temptation, the only Temptation that was long dead was Paul Williams, Eddie Kendrick's died about two weeks before the book on The Temptations was released.
DeleteThe book was released on November 1, 1992. Eddie Kendricks passed October 5, 1992, David Ruffin passed June 1, 1991, and Paul Williams on August 17, 1973. So the big 3 lead singers were in fact deceased when the book was released.
DeleteI read the book he wrote about the Temptations and enjoyed it very much.i do not believe everything I see or read but somewhere in between there is some of the truth. More More More
ReplyDeleteTonys not lying he was florences personal road manager then was given the priveledges to other motown artists he did his job well and he is not deceased its funny how most of the issues he spoke about that the artists denied of course they would surfaced such as David ruffins chronic drug dependency etc..none of those artists that are alive bothered to sue for defamation and slander
ReplyDeleteTony Turner is still living and looking good. It is remarkable how so many people that do not know him or the stars he wrote about seem to know so much.
DeleteIt just seems hard to believe that a teenager was the personal road manager for such big stars. From his accounts in the books, he was about 12 years old when he met Florence and she was going to be on the Ed Sullivan Show, which they first appeared on in 1964...Florence then left the Supremes in 1967, so that means Tony would have been between the ages of 12 and 15 when he became a Road Manager? Berry Gordy made them have chaperones because they were kids, but he allowed a kid to be a road manager for Motown. I'm sorry, but that doesn't make sense or add up.
DeleteI want to get a copy of this book deliver
ReplyDeleteus from temptation
I enjoyed both books
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how to reach Tony Turner? I was very sad to read that he had passed and then relieved to read these comments. I am trying to reach him. Thanks, Laura
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