SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- As an irresistible force
of social and cultural change, Berry Gordy's legendary Motown Records made
its mark not just on the music industry, but society at large, with a sound
that that has become one of the most significant musical accomplishments
and stunning success stories of the 20th century. Diana Ross & The
Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations,
The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, Lionel Richie
& The Commodores, The Marvelettes, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Gladys
Knight & The Pips, their music communicated and brought together a racially
divided country and segregated society, around the world, touching all
people of all ages and race. No other record company in history has exerted
such an enormous influence on both the style and substance of popular music
and culture. With more than 180 No. 1 hit songs worldwide and counting,
that influence is still being felt today, from pop to hip-hop, Motown
celebrates the 50th anniversary of the company's founding.
Motown, of course, stands for more than just the historic music. The
label and its remarkable legacy is a reflection of the hard work of
dedicated individuals overcoming incredible obstacles to achieve great
success. Nearly a half-century ago, on January 12, 1959, to be exact, a
young African-American songwriter named Berry Gordy founded Tamla Records
with a loan of $800 from his family, marking the birth of the "Motown
Records Corporation." A man of vision, drive, talent and determination,
Berry Gordy was also a producer, innovative entrepreneur, and teacher. The
phenomenal success of Motown Records is a tribute to all that he embodies
and all the talent that he brought out in others. Under his leadership, and
through determination and support of the Motown family of artists, Gordy
forged new grounds for minorities and made the "Motown Sound" a worldwide
phenomenon beloved by millions.
Berry Gordy always learned from all his experiences and applied them to
his business. He put the tedious time he spent working on the assembly line
at Detroit's Lincoln-Mercury automobile plant to good use: "Every day I
watched how a bare metal frame, rolling down the line would come off the
other end, a spanking brand new car. What a great idea! Maybe, I could do
the same thing with my music. Create a place where a kid off the street
could walk in one door, an unknown, go through a process, and come out
another door, a star." That little thought that came to him while running
up and down that assembly line became a reality we now know as "Motown."
When Motown was housed in its famed "Hitsville U.S.A." offices at 2648
West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, it was not just a location; history would
be made there. In fact, Berry Gordy created a twenty-four hour hit-making
and artist development factory, nurturing the artistic talent of the
singers, writers, producers, as well as, corporate executives. Today,
Motown is not only the greatest pop music hit factory ever heard, but an
institution, a state of mind, a way of life, a style, the "Sound of Young
America." The distinctive, upbeat and uplifting music brought together pop
and soul, white and black, old and young, like never before and continues
to this day. Regardless of race or social background, teenage girls admired
Diana Ross and teenage boys pretended to be Smokey Robinson. Motown became
the heartbeat of American pop music. With multi-platinum artists ranging
from The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops and The Supremes to
Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Jackson 5, the House That Gordy Built
had and has no rival. Motown defined the term "crossover" not only on
record and stage, but also behind the scenes. After breaking down barriers
and having pop radio embrace Motown artists, Berry Gordy set his sights on
television. He booked his artists on popular shows such as American
Bandstand and the Ed Sullivan Show, making history as the first
African-American artists on these shows. After captivating national
audiences with repeat performances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Supremes
were the first R&B act to play the country's most prestigious night club,
New York's Copacabana, which paved the way for other R&B acts into the top
cabaret circuits around the world.
Motown was first African-American-owned record label to reach
widespread national acclaim, Motown broke down racial prejudice by becoming
the most successful independent record company in history and the most
successful African-American owned business in America.
After Gordy purchased that first Detroit property, he converted the
garage into a small recording studio and the kitchen into the control room.
The company's first signing was The Miracles, led by Smokey Robinson, and
its first release was Marv Johnson's "Come to Me," January 21, 1959. But
its first major hit was Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)," a
song co-written by Gordy himself, which reached #2 on Billboard's R&B chart
in 1960. A year later, The Miracles would score the company's first million
seller with "Shop Around." That same year, teen girl group The Marvelettes
landed the company's first pop No. 1, "Please Mr. Postman," while the label
signed two young groups, The Supremes and The Temptations. Within three
years, those two groups would lead Motown into the mainstream, when The
Supremes launched an unprecedented string of five consecutive No. 1 hits,
starting with "Where Did Our Love Go," while The Temptations released the
eternal Motown classic, "My Girl." In 1968 the company had five records out
of the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and accomplished another
unprecedented feat by seizing the top three spots for a full month.
Upon his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988,
Motown's founder was given the following tribute: "Gordy endeavored to
reach across the racial divide with music that could touch all people,
regardless of the color of their skin. Under his tutelage, Motown became a
model of black capitalism, pride and self-expression and a repository for
some of the greatest talent ever assembled at one company... Motown's
stable of singers, songwriters, producers and musicians took the concept of
simple, catchy pop songs to a whole new level of sophistication and, thanks
to the music's roots in gospel and blues, visceral intensity... After
Motown, black popular music would never again be dismissed as a minority
taste... Aesthetically no less than commercially, Motown's achievements
will likely remain unrivaled and untoppable."
Today, the label is part of the Universal Music Group, with its classic
recorded music catalog managed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The
timeless songs from Motown between 1959 and 1985 are represented by EMI
Music Publishing.
From late 2008 to the end of 2009, Universal Music Group and EMI Music
Publishing will mark the historic Detroit label's musical achievements with
a series of initiatives. Notably, Universal Music Enterprises will issue
monthly music releases in both physical and digital formats, with bonus
tracks enhancing these packages. Details will be announced as each new
package approaches.
Also upcoming throughout the celebration are releases of classic Motown
Television specials in a series of DVD collections and INSIDE MOTOWN, a
multi-part documentary on how the company was built.
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