Don Griffin of the Miracles RIP

RIP to Billy's brother http://www.soultracks.com/story-don-griffin-dies

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Clip from above story by Chris Rizik

Don Griffin was the brother of longtime SoulTracks favorite and former Miracles lead singer Billy Griffin, and played a role in the second generation Miracles and their success with more upbeat, harder-edged material such as the #1 hit, “Love Machine.” The Baltimore-born guitarist became part of the group’s back up band, the Miracle Workers, while still a teenager, and later became the fifth vocal member of the group, replacing Marv Tarplin. -

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DON GRIFFIN 1955-2015..
A world renown R&B/Jazz guitarist with The Miracles and Anita Baker, Don Griffin died Thursday night, September 3rd 2015 in a car accident in Denver, Colorado. 
Brother of Miracles’ lead singer Billy Griffin, Don played lead and rhythm guitar on The Miracles’ double platinum album “City Of Angels”, their platinum single, “Love Machine” and Anita Baker’s 1986 album, “Rapture”. 
In 1972 after Smokey Robinson left The Miracles to become VP of Motown, Don’s brother Billy was drafted by Motown to succeed Robinson as the group’s new lead singer. 
Billy Griffin then brought in a host of young funk musicians to completely re-vamp The Miracles’ 1960’s sound from “Doo Wop and Ballads” to an up-tempo dance-R&B Renaissance.
Younger brother Don Griffin’s guitar-genius and innovative musical ideas were always at the forefront of this earth quaking, soul shaking re-birth.

Don Griffin born in Baltimore, Md. exuded early virtuoso tendencies as a 17 year old phenom attending The Peabody Conservatory of Music.
In the spring of 1974, Griffin was suddenly plucked from fame school obscurity in Baltimore to first guitar in The Miracles’ back up band, called “The Miracle Workers”.
After the international success of “Love Machine” in 1976 …
Don Griffin’s over whelming popularity with the young female audience who dominated the Miracles’ live concert events, made it clear to the group that Don must be featured down front, in the “foot lights” along side the other legendary stars. 
So in 1977 when the Miracles left Motown Records to sign with Columbia/Sony,
Don joined his brother Billy and became a full fledged 5th member of the iconic soul group on their Columbia/Sony album “Love Crazy”. 

After the Miracles disbanded in 1979, 
The Griffin Brothers formed a writing trio and a production team with composer, John Barnes.
Solely for writing and producing new 80s material for their three solo projects.

more at  https://www.facebook.com/billy.griffin.007