Hailing from Detroit, Rare Earth were a band inspired by the Motor City's twin legacies in hard rock and soul. Their biggest hits saw them covering classic Motown songs of the past, while their sound found a middle ground between full-bodied rhythm & blues and tough bar-band rock & roll. This dichotomy was reinforced by the fact they were the only white act signed to the Motown Records organization that regularly achieved chart success, and their tight musicianship found room for them to transform their songs through extended jams, with their biggest hit, "Get Ready," often clocking in at 30 minutes in concert. 1969's Get Ready was their most successful album and defined their approach, 1973's Ma was written and produced by one of Motown's greatest behind-the-scenes figures, Norman Whitfield, and 1978's Grand Slam took their music into the funk and disco era.