Rare Earth

Rare Earth found an unlikely home for its heavy psychedelic rock at Motown Records, becoming one of the label's most reliable hitmakers of the early 1970s.

Rare Earth (originally formed in Detroit in 1960 as the Sunliners) recorded its 1968 debut Dream/Answers for the Verve label, but signed to Motown as part of the company's push into rock music - an effort to court white listeners and gain a foothold on FM radio. The group's debut LP Get Ready, issued on Motown's fledgling Rare Earth label, was highlighted by its title track, a sprawling cover of the Temptations' 1966 classic; when trimmed down for radio airplay, "Get Ready" reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by another hit cover of another Temptations smash, "(I Know) I'm Losing You."

Rare Earth's fourth studio album, 1971's One World, features the band's signature song "I Just Want to Celebrate," their third and final Top Ten hit. It was followed by Rare Earth in Concert, a two-LP showcase for their improvisational chops. Rare Earth's popularity began to wane in the mid-1970s, but a version of the group continues to tour well into the 21st century.