1. 1960s Motown
“Motor town”
Motown developed and defined itself in the context of the early civil rights movement, where assimilation into the mainstream of American life was seen as desirable. (Pop)
Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Tamla Records 1959
- Motown Record Corp. 1960
“Motown Sound” = soul + pop
 79 records in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 record chart between 1960 and 1969
Purchased by Music Corporation of America (MCA) in 1988
“Motown was about music for all people - white and black, blue and green, cops and the robbers. I was reluctant to have our music alienate anyone.”
- Berry Gordy

2. Gordy’s genius
Motown targeted primarily African American personnel, groomed for long careers.
Completely “in-house” and secretive operation under the control of Gordy
Label included Hitsville USA studio, Jobete Publishing, and International Talent Management(ITM).
First act= The Miracles (The Matadors)
- William “Smokey” Robinson (VP)
Constructed multi-tracked leads and rich gospel harmonies over strong rhythm and horn tracks with signature base lines from James Jamerson.
= a musical formula that was perfect metaphor for early civil rights era: upbeat black pop that was irresistibly danceable and threatening to no one in tone or content.
“Sound of Young America”

3. Gordy’s Genius continued
Gordy built all acts from the ground up
West Grand Boulevard
-modeled after automotive assembly line
1. Hitsville U.S.A., 1959 – (ground floor) administrative office, tape library, control room, Studio A; (upper floor) Gordy living quarter (1959–62), artists and repertoire (1962–72)
2. Jobete Publishing office, 1961 – sales, billing, collections, shipping, and public relations
3. Berry Gordy Jr. Enterprise, 1962 – offices for Berry Gordy Jr. and Esther Gordy Edwards
4. Finance department, 1965 – royalties and payroll
5. Artist personal development, 1966 – Harvey Fuqua (head of artist development and producer of stage performances), Maxine Powell (instructor in grooming, poise, and social graces for Motown artists), Maurice King (vocal coach, musical director and arranger), Cholly Atkins (house choreography), and rehearsal studios
6. Two houses for administrative offices, 1966 – sales and marketing, traveling and traffic, and mixing and mastering
7. ITMI (International Talent Management Inc.) office, 1966 – management
- 450 employees, $20 million
the-record-label-began-video

4. First Generation Motown artists
1959 Barrett Strong “Money”
- one of Motown’s most enduring songs
1959 The Miracles “Shop Around”
1960 Marvin Gaye “Pride and Joy”
1961 Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman”
- first number 1 single
1961 The Temptations “My Girl”
1961 “Little” Stevie Wonder “Fingertips”
“I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music.” Smokey Robinson U
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5. Motown hits its stride 1963- Motown Records signs U.K. license deal
1964 Mary Wells “My Guy” tops Beatles in charts
In 1964 the Supremes (Primettes) were signed to lead writer/producer team of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland.
- Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross
Turned out 5 number one singles in a row-“Where Did Our Love Go”, “ Baby Love”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop, In the Name of Love”, “ Back in My Arms Again”
In 1967 Patti Labelle replaced Ballard, but didn’t hinder success
12 number one singles on Billboard Hot 100
Most successful Motown and American vocal group to date
Motown booms

6. Little Stevie Wonder
Born May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan as Stevlan Hardaway Judkins
- blind due to prematurity and oxygen rich environment
Mother changed last name to Morris at the age of 4.
Showed a knack for music and singing at a very early age
By age 11 he was well versed in numerous instruments including drums, harmonica, and piano
Ronnie White, of the Miracles, discovered Stevie and brought him to audition for Gordy at Motown in 1961
- signed him immediately to a deal earning 2.50 a week, and royalties that rolled over into a separate account
Gordy dubbed him “Little Stevie Wonder”
First number one hit “Fingertips, Part 2” 1963
After little more success Motown dropped the Little from his artist title and began letting him compose for himself and other Motown artist

7. The WOnder
After re-emerging in the Motown industry he soon wrote “Tears of a clown” for the Miracles which would become a number one hit years later when released as a single
Released numerous hit singles in the mid 60’s including “Uptight”, “With a Child’s Heart”, “My Cherie Amour”, and “ Signed, Sealed, Delivered”.
In 1970, at age 20, Stevie married Syreeta Wright who helped him create Where I’m Coming From album.
- Despite the distaste of Gordy, the album aimed to touch on the social injustices of the decade (Followed the footsteps of Gaye’s “What’s Going On”)
In 1971 Stevie let his Motown contract expire to venture in a different direction musically
However, he co-wrote and played numerous instruments for The Spinners “It’s a Shame”, to showcase his talents as an weapon in ongoing negotiations with Gordy over creative autonomy

8. Wonder Continued
In 1972 he resigned with Motown and released the album Music of My Mind
- album was a full length artistic statement with songs flowing together thematically
The same year he released album Talking Book, featuring No.1 hit “Superstition”, “You are the Sunshine of My Life”- which between the two won three Grammy Awards
1973 released Innervisions, which ranks 23 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Later that year involved in car wreck that left him in a coma for 4 days, and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and taste
1976 released double album Songs in the Key of Life which is recognized by many artists as one of the most influential albums in pop history
Following 1976 he moved into more of a commercial and humanitarian role
- example: Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- martin-luther-king-day

9. Marvin Gaye Grew up in Washington D.C. with a music background
Dropped out of high school joined the Air Force, but was discharged
Came back home and formed the Marquees, and began working with Bo Diddley who got them their first contract with Okeh Records
1960 they disbanded and he relocated to Detroit where he signed with Motown after playing at Gordy’s house during a Christmas party
1963 he released his first top 10 single “Pride and Joy”
1964 recorded at duet album with Mary Wells featuring “How Sweet it is” (HDH)
Because of songs success he recorded a series of duets with Tammi Terrell featuring “Aint No Mountain High Enough”
In 1967 Terrell collapsed in Gaye’s arms on stage, where it was discovered she had brain cancer
In 68 he released his first number one “ I Heard it Through the Grapevine” but was beginning to have issues with Motown’s restrictions on his music
1970 Terrell died and Gaye took an extended absence while battling depression
He returned to Motown later that year with his own composition ready to record titled “ What’s Going On”

10. Gaye Continued
The song was based on witnessing of police brutality at an anti- war rally in Berkely, CA.
Gordy refused to release the politically driven song, and Gaye went on strike until Gordy finally gave in the following year
The song made it to number one on the R&B chart in 1971 and sold over 2 million copies
Gaye became instrumental in the change to politically and socially driven songs launched by Motown
Gaye then resigned with Motown for $1million, the most lucrative deal by a black artist at that time
He released another number one in 73 with “Let’s Get it On”
Gaye continued to release hits into the 80s, such as “Sexual Healing”
On April 1, 1984 he was shot to death in his bed by his own father Marvin Gaye Sr.

11. Southern Soul Rivals Motown
1965 is a pivotal year for the civil rights movement: Malcolm X assassination, Voting Rights Act, March from Selma to Montgomery, Watts Rebellion in L.A.
1966 SNCC leader Stokley Carmichael begins promotion of black power, Black Panther Party is founded
Combination of events brings activism for integration to the forefront and becomes apparent in music
While Motown still rejected producing “black music” or anything socially controversial, other labels began to promote just that with their black artists
Atlantic records began to collaborate with a number of Southern Studios, most notably Stax-Volt in Memphis, and Fame in Muscle Shoals to produce what became known as Southern Soul
These collaborations captured the spirit of the emerging black militancy
Did not use overdubbing and mechanical usages like Motown
Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come”

12. The Voices of Southern SOul
Aretha Franklin
Floundered with Columbia for years before signing with Atlantic
Quickly became the physical symbol for the “black is beautiful” slogan under Jerry Wexler
“Respect”- went straight to number one and went from a demand for equal rights to a cultural cry for freedom.
stood as not only a spokesman for African Americans’ rights, but for the empowering of all women as well
James Brown
Always very politically outspoken, and geared toward black audiences
Stood as a model of self determination for African Americans
Complete businessman and showman
Made no concessions in music to mainstream sensibilities
Voice became the echo of the cultural nationalism developing in segments of the AA community
While some missed the political significance of Brown’s early music, he made it apparent in with his hit single “Say it Loud- Im Black and Im Proud”
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13. Motown evolves with the times
Due to pressure from Southern Soul, and long time Motown artists, Gordy finally allows his performers to start producing music geared toward social issues in the late 1960s
Additionally, the writing team of Holland, Dozier, Holland left Motown in 1967, creating pressure for new success
The new writing team, featuring Gordy, found success with the Supremes “Love Child” which showed the world Motown’s turn to the nations social context
Motown thus entered a new age moving into the 1970s
Gordy moved the headquarters from Detroit to L.A. where he began expanding the sound of Motown
The Genre would go on to have number one hits well in the 1980s with artists such as Lionel Richie
But the artists and hits of the 1960s would be the staple and enduring sound of the Label

14. The Jackson 5 Last band signed by Motown in 1960s
Were a symbol of Motown’s early characteristics, while also ushering in the new era
Originally formed in 1964 as the Jackson Brothers, managed by their father Joe Jackson
In 1967 they won the talent show at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where Gladys Knight sent a demo of them to Motown Records but were rejected
In 1969 while opening for Bobby Taylor they got an audition at Motown’s studio in Detroit
Gordy signed the group after being reluctant to even watch them perform
The Jackson 5 became the first Motown group to be exclusively written for by the new Song writing team known as “The Corporation”
Additionally, they were one of the first acts sent to L.A. to record at the new Motown Headquarters
First hit single “ I Want you Back” top the Billboard 100 and was followed by 4 more number one’s in a row, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, “Ill Be There”
After the break up of “The Corporation” The Jackson 5’s success began to dwindle and eventually led to the departure of the group in 1975 for Epic Records
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