by Steve HueyThe Contours are widely remembered for their 1962 smash Do You Love Me?, one of the early hits that helped put Motown on the map. Yet they arent always associated with their contribution to the label; they were one of the roughest, hardest R&B groups Berry Gordy ever signed, and their sound simply didnt resemble the smooth, sophisticated blueprint that later became Motowns trademark. Nor did their stage presence; in contrast to the slick choreography and wardrobe of Motowns signature artists, the Contours were all wild, irrepressible energy, leaping and sliding all over the stage and even doing the splits. As a result, they fell out of favor once Motown got its crossover-friendly hit factory up and running, and never duplicated the success of their first hit.Formed in Detroit in 1958, the Contours originally began life as a quartet called the Blenders. Lead singer Billy Gordon, Billy Hogg, Sylvester Potts, and Joe Billingslea wer...