  the funk brothers was the nickname of detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to los angeles in 1972. they are considered one of the most successful groups of studio musicians in music history. the funk brothers played on motown hits such as "my girl", "i heard it through the grapevine", "baby love", "signed, sealed, delivered i'm yours", "papa was a rollin' stone", "the tears of a clown", "ain't no mountain high enough", and "heat wave". the role of the funk brothers is described in paul justman's 2002 documentary film standing in the shadows of motown, based on allan slutsky's book of the same name. the opening titles claim that the funk brothers have "played on more number-one hits than the beatles, elvis presley, the rolling stones and the beach boys combined."justman, paul. standing in the shadows of motown. ==history== ===notable members=== early members included bandleader joe hunter and earl van dyke (piano & organ); clarence isabell (double bass); james jamerson (bass guitar & double bass); benny "papa zita" benjamin and richard "pistol" allen (drums); paul riser (trombone); robert white, eddie willis, and joe messina (guitar); jack ashford (tambourine, percussion, vibraphone, marimba); jack brokensha (vibraphone, marimba); and eddie "bongo" brown (percussion). hunter left in 1964, replaced on keyboards by johnny griffith and as bandleader by van dyke. [[uriel 
American_session_musicians American_soul_musical_groups Grammy_Award-winning_artists Motown_artists Musical_collectives Musical_groups_disestablished_in_1972 Musical_groups_established_in_1959 Musical_groups_from_Detroit,_Michigan The_Funk_Brothers_members