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Motown music is familiar to people everywhere, and most of us have heard at least one of their hits. Diana Ross and the Supremes and Smokey Robinson make up only the tip of a huge train of Motown hits. But where, and how, did Motown music history begin?
Motown music history got its start in Detroit, Michigan in the middle of 1958. It was founded as Tamla Records by 29-year-old Berry Gordy Jr. In 1959, Gordy bought a house in a poor section of Detroit, there to build an official recording studio. He named it the Motown Record Corporation.
Motown Records went on to become a massive success. Between 1960 and 1969, its artists hit the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10 list a total of 79 times. Its music also made huge waves in the U.K., starting with Heat Wave by Martha & the Vandellas (1964).
Berry Gordy Jnr.—Father of Motown
It all began with Berry Gordy Jr., son of a carpenter. Gordy dropped out of high school to become a professional boxer. He had 13 wins and 6 losses before quitting to pursue another passion—music.
During the early 1950s, he opened a Jazz record store which did little business. However, his interest in music sparked a chance encounter with rising singer Jackie Wilson.
Gordy went on to write some big hits for Wilson, including Reet Petite and Lonely Teardrops. With his sister Gwen and friend Billy Davis, Gordy wrote hits for other artists, too. This includes All I Could Do Was Cry by Etta James. Berry, Gwen, and Billy were a talented trio who knew just what audiences wanted from a pop/R&B song.
Yet Berry Gordy—still in his middle twenties—did not see much revenue from his hits, which left him frustrated but not defeated.
Motown music history tells us his fortune and his life changed forever in 1957.
Meeting “The Miracles”
In the summer of 1957, Jackie Wilson’s manager was scouting new talent. He held an audition that attracted a lot of new groups. One of these groups called itself “The Matadors”.
Sitting in the back seats at the audition was a brooding Berry Gordy. His ears pricked up when he heard The Matadors. He loved their sound, and especially the singing voice of their leader, a teenager called Smokey Robinson.
Wilson’s manager rejected The Matadors, but Gordy followed them outside to strike up a chat. He told Robinson how much he loved his voice. Robinson responded by showing Gordy his songbook. Impressed with Smokey’s ability not only as a singer but a writer, Gordy decided to produce music for The Matadors.
The Matadors changed their name to The Miracles before their first Gordy-produced hit song, Got A Job, was released. But in 1958 Gordy earned only $3.19 for the song.
By this time, Gordy and Robinson had become good friends, and Gordy shared his frustrations with Smokey about being paid badly. Robinson told Gordy to start his own record label.
The Birth of Motown
Berry Gordy took Smokey Robinson’s advice and borrowed $800. Then the ambitious Gordy dismissed the possibility of failure and rented a double-storey house in Detroit. He hung a sign above the porch which read Hitsville U.S.A.
Gordy’s idea was that Motown—which began as Tamla Records—should function like an automobile factory. One team would be in charge of writing songs, another team would handle talent scouting, and another would handle marketing.
Well, that’s never been done before, a friend told Gordy. Gordy’s response? Well, maybe that’s the reason we should do it.
I wanted to have a kid off the street walk in one door unknown and come out another door a star.
Berry Gordy Jnr
Berry Gordy proceeded to search Detroit, digging out as much talent as he could. He then brought them all in to do recording sessions.
Songs such as Do You Love Me by The Contours, Shop Around by The Miracles, and Pride and Joy by Marvin Gaye were more than good enough. Stations all over Detroit—and soon, all over the United States and the U.K.—began to play them.
Gordy’s favourite group was The Supremes, who signed with Motown in 1961. With songs written chiefly by Gordy and Smokey Robinson, The Supremes scored 12 Billboard Hot 100 hits. The first of these songs was Where Did Our Love Go, arriving in August of 1964.
Winds of Change—Motown in the 1970s & 80s
The amazing popularity of Motown music continued in the 1970s. Artists like Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and rock band Rare Earth topped the charts.
The early 70s also brought Jackson Mania to Motown. Teenage fans couldn’t get enough of songs like ABC and The Love You Save.
As the decade came to a close, Motown found new headquarters out West in Los Angeles. At this point, many of its original artists moved to other labels. The Jackson brothers went to EMI, and Marvin Gaye moved to Columbia.
Then in 1981, after a string of hits on the disco circuit, Diana Ross left Motown for RCA.
Motown’s decline may have begun with the departure of Ross, but the label didn’t fail to produce hits during its third decade. Lionel Richie, formerly of Motown’s group The Commodores, released Hello in 1984. Also in 1984 was Stevie Wonder’s hit I Just Called To Say I Love You. The following year, the Commodores came out with Nightshift.
But the sweet sounds were slowing down. In 1988, Berry Gordy sold Motown to MCA for 61 million dollars “to put the legacy of Motown into stronger hands than mine.” MCA later sold Motown to Universal.
This video montage is of the different artists that Motown introduced to the music industry and the public:
Final Thoughts
Berry Gordy Jr. started Motown and Motown music history began with his dream of making music that everyone could enjoy.
And Berry succeeded beyond his wildest hopes.
There is simply no mistaking a Motown hit when you hear one. It has the groove, the style, and the passion of something special. It’s a kind of music the industry may never see again.
It’s just Motown.