It also became Johnson's first hit single after the song was nationally distributed by United Artists.
[2] In 1958, Marv Johnson was singing with a local group the Serenaders in Detroit.
It was while performing at a carnival in Michigan that Johnson was noted by rising record label impresario Berry Gordy, who was looking to sign acts into his fledgling company.
Gordy assembled several musicians, including bassist James Jamerson and drummer Benny Benjamin, and background vocalists the Rayber Voices, to contribute to the song with Johnson.
Since Tamla was still a local company and was unable to get national distribution to the record, Gordy sold rights of the song to United Artists who agreed to distribute the song nationally.