Photo: YouTube

This week on ‘Tickets @ 2,’ it’s tickets to see fifth season American Idol runner-up [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Katherine McPhee[/lastfm] live!

The ‘Tickets @ 2′ song is “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” a monster Motown hit for [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Marvin Gaye[/lastfm]. It was #1 for 7 weeks, making it his first #1 hit. He had one 5 years later with “Let’s Get It On.”

Motown writers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong came up with the idea, but Motown head Berry Gordy wouldn’t release it. Whitfield recorded the song with a then new Motown singer [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Gladys Knight[/lastfm], which became a #2 hit, which led Gordy to reconsider and release Gaye’s version.

Creedence Clearwater Revival released an 11-minute version in 1970. It was one of the few songs CCR recorded that they didn’t write.

When you hear it between two and three we’ll take caller # 7 for Katherine McPhee tickets at 1-800-232-KRTH ( 5784).