Interesting new collection out from Motown consisting of #1 singles: they sure thinned out after the '70s, with only Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love," DeBarge's "Rhythm of the Night" and Boyz ll Men's "I'll Make Love to You" coming after '78. Check out the Amazon link below for the full song listing.
Ultimately, the story of Motown is the story of Berry Gordy Jr.
The Berry Gordy Jr./Motown story is an American legend. Gordy must be given his due as a meta-producer who assembled the vastly talented Motown creative team of Smokey Robinson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Norman Whitfield, William Stevenson, Henry Cosby, Frank Wilson, Ashford and Simpson, and many others; and created a competitive atmosphere that spurred the writer/producers to make the finest body of American music of the '60s, generating 79 Top Ten singles over that golden decade. Gordy was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Gordy was also a talented songwriter, arranger and producer in his own right who recorded the Motown debuts of many of his brightest stars, including the Miracles, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and the Supremes. Gordy's finest production work probably came toward the end of his famous ten-year run, as part of the Corporation, with his last great group, the Jackson 5.
Berry ("Pops") Gordy Sr. and his wife Bertha came to Detroit from the South in 1922. Once in Detroit, the driven Pops first went into the plastering business, then opened a grocery store and a printing shop; he also produced seven children including Berry Jr., born in 1929.
As his father had done before him, Pops instilled the twin tenets of hard work and family concord in his offspring. Berry Jr. bought the dream but not the means, and in pursuit of big, quick, cash the adolescent turned to boxing. Pops encouraged this pursuit - he wanted his boys to be able to take care of themselves - and Berry rose to the challenge.
He trained hard - sometimes with Jackie Wilson, the local Golden Gloves winner - and had enough success as an amateur bantamweight (later featherweight) to quit school at 16 and turn professional. Berry finished his career after about 15 fights with a winning record, but purses weren't large for the little guys, opponents in his weight class were scarce, and he was tired of people beating on his face.
Article comments
1 - Foxxy Brown
There's only one thing to say about Berry Gordy and Motown ant that is UNBELIEVABLE! The effect he put on the world just by making music is INCREDIBLE! Who'd ever thought a black man from the ghetto who had nothing and was called a bumb all his life would make the most fluencing music and record label ever right from the scrap right from nothing. That's not an american dream that's a world dream a fantasy and without Berry Gordy or motown there would be no good real soulful music. There would be no Michael Jackson,Smokey Robinson,Marvin Gaye or Diana Ross.There would be no such thing as black music because he led the way and set and broke so many boundaries no one can compare to. Every musician in the world need to be eternally grateful for him.Without Berry Gordy where would music be?