November 28, 2020

Berry Gordy, Jr. ~ Motown & onward

 ~      
 Berry Gordy, Jr. - 1950's
photographer unknown

Today is the birthday of Berry Gordy III, born on November 28, 1929, and known professionally as Berry Gordy, Jr. He is best known as the founder of Motown records.      
 
As a songwriter, he composed some of my favorite tunes, Lonely Teardrops and Reet Petite both recorded by Jackie Wilson; ABC sung by The Jackson 5, and on and on.       

As a record producer, he launched the Miracles and signed acts like the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Stevie Wonder. He was known for carefully controlling the public image, dress, manners, and choreography of his acts. He insisted that his stars learn their trade as entertainers with mentors such as Maurice King, who taught them the rudiments of music theory, Cholly Atkins (choreography) and Maxine Powell (deportment).        

By the middle of the 1960s, Scott began turning increasingly away from recording and performing to focus on writing and inventing with his remaining years spent solely on electronic composition. One of his innovations was an early programmable polyphonic sequencer and in 1971 tapped Raymond Scott to head the label's electronic music research and development team.   
    
And incredibly, he built up the whole thing with an eight hundred dollar loan. Now, I call that remarkable! 

Gordy received the Songwriters Hall of Fame's Pioneer Award on June 13, 2013, he was the first living individual to receive the honor.            
               
In 1988, Gordy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama.        
 
Gordy spoke at the memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009. He suggested that "The King of Pop" was perhaps not the best description for Jackson in light of his achievements, referring to him instead as "the greatest entertainer that ever ."       
     
On Sunday, September 22, 2019, during a celebration to mark Motown label’s 60th anniversary at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Berry Gordy announced that after 60 decades in the music business he would  be retiring (link below).      
 
 
Big Sean, Hitsville Honors - September 22, 2019
photographer unknown
 
     
There are some great photographs of Berry Gordy and his life, loves and friends on the History of Rock website (link below)  
      
      
     
Viewfinder links:
      
Cholly Atkins         
The Four Tops         
Berry Gordy, Jr.      
Michael Jackson          
Barack Obama        
Raymond Scott      
The Supremes        
The Temptations     
Stevie Wonder     
     
Net links:
     
History of Rock ~ Berry Gordy's Motown Records       
Motown Museum ~ Berry Gordy     
Nostalgia Central ~ Berry Gordy, Jr.    
     
YouTube links:
      
Berry Gordy (interview)      
Mastermind of Motown (10 mins., 24 secs.)    
To Tell the Truth ~ The Supremes and Berry Gordy (1965)    
     
     
     
     
"I'm a songwriter, that's what I love." 
                    ~ Berry Gordy
     
     
     
     
Styrous® ~ Saturday, November 28, 2020   
















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