The Undisputed Truth was an American Motown recording act assembled by record producer Norman Whitfield to experiment with his psychedelic soul production techniques. Joe "Pep" Harris served as main lead singer, with Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Joyce Evans on additional leads and background vocals.
History
In the 1960s, Billie Calvin and Brenda Evans had been part of a Los Angeles-based group called the Delicates. They were introduced to Motown by singer Bobby Taylor, so when the Delicates broke up in 1970, the two began providing background vocals for artists around Motown. They sang backing on the hits "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for Diana Ross and "Still Water (Love)" for the Four Tops.
The group's music and unusual costuming (large Afros and white makeup) typified the then-popular trend of "psychedelic soul", which Whitfield had inaugurated. A number of their singles became minor hits, and many of them were also songs for Whitfield's main act, the Temptations, among them 1971's "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". In 1975, the group's costuming and style changed, becoming even more unusual and Funkadelic-influenced. Their final albums for Motown, Cosmic Truth and Higher Than High (both 1975), yielded minor R&B chartings. took over as female lead singer for 1976's Method to the Madness. Marcy Thomas replaced her for 1979's Smokin'. Melvin Stewart and Lloyd Williams replaced Calvin Stevenson and Tyrone Barkley for the group's last album. Former member Billie Calvin later wrote songs for Whitfield's other group, Rose Royce, including the hit single "Wishing on a Star".
The group had relatively little success at their new label, and faded into obscurity after two more albums. They did make their only entry into the UK Singles Chart in January 1977 (number 43) with the disco single "You + Me = Love", The song reached number 48 on the American Billboard Hot 100, their second-highest position ever on the chart.
In 1990, Joe Harris and Brenda Evans revived the group with singer Belita Woods, and recorded for Ian Levine's Motown revival label Motorcity Records. McDonald recorded a song entitled "You're My Loveline" (co-written by former Motown lyricists Janie Bradford and Marilyn McLeod), which was released in the UK. Joe Harris continues to perform and has recently worked with the UK-based Stone Foundation band.
Discography
Albums
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Album
!colspan="2"|Peak chart positions
!colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Label and catalog number
|-
!width="40"|US Pop<br>
!width="40"|US R&B<br>
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1971
| "Save My Love for a Rainy Day" <small>(G 7106)</small><br><small>b/w "Since I've Lost You"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 43
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| The Undisputed Truth
| rowspan="14" style="text-align:center;" |Gordy (Motown)
|-
| "Smiling Faces Sometimes" <small>(G 7108)</small><br><small>b/w "You Got the Love I Need"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 3
|style="text-align:center;"| 2
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 34
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" <small>(G 7112F)</small><br><small>b/w "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 72
|style="text-align:center;"| 24
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |Face to Face with the Truth
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1972
| "What It Is" <small>(G 7114F)</small><br><small>b/w "California Soul"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 71
|style="text-align:center;"| 35
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
|"Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" <small>(UK-only) (TMG 818)</small><br><small>b/w "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" <small>(G 7117F)</small><br><small>b/w "Friendship Train"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 63
|style="text-align:center;"| 24
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| Law of the Land
|-
| rowspan="3" |1973
| "Girl, You're Alright" <small>(G 7122F)</small><br><small>b/w "With a Little Help from My Friends"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 107
|style="text-align:center;"| 43
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Law of the Land" <small>(G 7130F)</small><br><small>b/w "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 40
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Mama I Got a Brand New Thing (Don't Say No)" <small>(G 7124F)</small><br><small>b/w "Gonna Keep on Tryin' 'Til I Win Your Love"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 109
|style="text-align:center;"| 46
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| rowspan="3" |1974
| "Help Yourself" <small>(G 7134F)</small><br><small>b/w "What's Going on"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 63
|style="text-align:center;"| 19
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Down to Earth
|-
| "I'm a Fool for You" <small>(G 7139F)</small><br><small>b/w "The Girl's Alright with Me"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 39
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" <small>(G 7140F)</small><br><small>b/w "Big John is My Name"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 106
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Cosmic Truth
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| "UFO's" <small>(G 7143F)</small><br><small>b/w "Got to Get My Hands on Some Lovin'"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 62
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Higher Than High" <small>(G 7145F)</small><br><small>b/w "Spaced Out"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 77
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"|Higher Than High
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1976
| "You + Me = Love" <small>(WHI 8231)</small><br><small>b/w "You + Me = Love (Instrumental)"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 48
|style="text-align:center;"| 37
|style="text-align:center;"| 5
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 43
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |Method to the Madness
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |Whitfield
|-
| "Let's Go Down to the Disco" <small>(WHI 8295)</small><br><small>b/w "Loose"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 68
|style="text-align:center;"| 40
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1977
| "Sunshine" <small>(WHI 8362)</small><br><small>b/w "Hole in the Wall"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| 109
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1979
| "Show Time (Part I)" <small>(WHI 8781)</small><br><small>b/w "Show Time (Part II)"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| 55
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Smokin
|-
| "I Can't Get Enough of Your Love" <small>(WHI 8873)</small><br><small>b/w "Misunderstood"</small>
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;" |<small>The albums noted are where the A-Sides come from</small><br><small>"—" denotes a single that was not released in that territory or did not chart</small>
|}