MOTOWN From The Beginning

“I earned 367 million dollars in 16 years. I must be doing something right.” - Berry Gordy Jnr.

This statement was made by Motown’s founder many years down the line from the label’s tentative emergence back in 1959, but it represents one of the key elements that was always present in Gordy and which he instilled into everyone who worked for him in the early days.

The mega-success enjoyed by acts like The Supremes, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and so many more arose from almost stuttering beginnings where stock was sold out of the back of a car, and artists drove themselves to dates where they had to use public facilities to freshen up before their appearances.

In his book To Be Loved, Berry Gordy speaks in glowing terms of Detroit’s major star in the late fifties, Jackie Wilson, saying “Fantastic! If only I could be Jackie, just for one night.” The vocal strength and sexual magnetism of the star spoke volumes to Berry, who yearned to be involved with the music business. But Berry was not then, or ever, any sort of singer, so he chose instead the route of songwriting and was soon lucky enough to place several songs including Lonely Teardrops, To Be Loved and Reet Petite with Wilson that became big hits. Berry’s route was clear from then onwards: he realized that the music business offered opportunities for …

by Kingsley Abbott
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