If Motown couldn't help Noel, it sure wasn't down to his complexion - they supported Rare Earth (the band) well and were proud to have a white band in their stable. Of course, Rare Earth had strong vocals und on a sub-label of Motown I'd imagine that the very least they expected you to have was a good voice, they were spoiled for good voices from their other acts.
I'm a great fan of Rare Earth, have all their albums - a bit like Grand Funk Railroad, they have become unsung heroes over time. I remember being mesmerized by that live album (which still holds up well today). Culture Factory (the label) have re-released almost all their albums in recent years and the remastering is great.