So nobody significant died in the last 24 hours, might be a good time to celebrate Motown's 50th. It was the week of January 12th, 1958 that Berry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla records on less than a thousand dollars. The sound he was to inspire became known as Motown, short for Motor Town, recognizing the influence the automobile making industry had on Detroit.
The hits that came out of Motown crossed a huge cultural divide with black and white youth dancing and romancing to the steady stream of pop, soul, r&b and ballads.
Can anyone not get down with these tunes?
- Stop! In the Name of Love - The Supremes. produced by his house gang, Holland-Dozier-Holland and backed by The Funk Brothers.
- The Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson
- Reach Out I'll Be There - The Four Tops
- War -Edwin Starr version (not the Temptations one)
and finally the ultra smooth What's Going On by Marvin Gaye.
Get down. Pictured above is an early Funk Brothers lineup.
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