Industry Success. Gordy directed his artists to create what became known as the Motown sound , which featured repeating choruses and a mix of gospel, R&B and pop that combined to form memorable melodies.
What is Berry Gordy Jr best known for?
Berry Gordy, also called Berry Gordy, Jr., (born November 28, 1929, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.), American businessman, founder of the Motown Record Corporation (1959), which became the most successful Black-owned music company in the United States.
Is Motown a R&B?
Overview. The sound, a sophisticated strain of R&B and pop, is known for its polished songwriting with “candid” vocal delivery. Musicians involved in the production of a Motown track constituted a mix of eclectic musical backgrounds, such as jazz and rhythm and blues.
Is Motown a nickname for Detroit?
In 1959, not long after recording Robinson’s group, the Miracles, for New York-based End Records and establishing Jobete Publishing Company, Gordy began Motown Records (its name derived from Detroit’s nickname, “Motor City” ).
How did the contributions of Berry Gordy Jr and Motown influence the history and development of popular music in the 20th century?
and Motown influence the history and development of popular music in the twentieth century? Gordy and Motown represented not only a new and distinctive sound, but influenced the attitude and dress of the period , additionally producing some of the most notable popular artists of the century.
For which singer pictured here did Berry Gordy Jr write songs before founding the Motown company?
At the age of 27, Gordy decided to hand in his notice and dedicate himself to music once more. (His wife didn’t approve and they ended up separating.) Through family connections, Gordy encountered singer Jackie Wilson’s manager; he ended up co-writing the Wilson hit “Reet Petite,” which came out in 1957.
What was Motown’s first hit song?
Fifty years ago today (May 16, 1964) the Motown Records label celebrated its first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with Mary Wells’ “My Guy ,” a song written and produced by Smokey Robinson.
What was Motown music style?
Motown music is a pop music style associated with Motown Records. In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr founded Motown, originally named Tamla Records. The record label helped define the sound of soul music and popularized the genre in the 1960s.
What was Motown’s studio called?
“Hitsville U.S.A.” is the nickname given to Motown’s first headquarters and recording studio. The house which was formerly a photographers’ studio, is located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, near the New Center area. Motown’s studio was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959.
Was Sam Cooke a Motown artist?
Caleb Followill managed to select two artists – Sam Cooke and Otis Redding – who never recorded for Motown . ... Truth is, there’s only so many times you can celebrate the genius of Motown’s greatest hits, many of which have lost their impact through endless repetition.
Why is Detroit called the Big D?
The city of Detroit has been proudly represented by the D since at least the early 1900s, when the city’s baseball team, the Detroit Tiger, emblazoned D, in a blackletter typeface, on their uniforms. The D became a rallying symbol for the city in following crippling race riots in the city the previous year.
Why did Berry Gordy create Motown?
Berry Gordy’s interest in the record business began when he opened a record store called the 3D Record Mart , a shop where he hoped to “educate customers about the beauty of jazz”, in Detroit, Michigan. (The Gordys were an entrepreneurial family.)
What musical style did Detroit introduce to the world?
Detroit, Michigan, is a major center in the United States for the creation and performance of music, and is best known for three developments: Motown, early punk rock (or proto-punk), and techno.
What was the nickname of Motown’s first headquarters?
“Hitsville U.S.A.” is the nickname given to Motown’s first headquarters and recording studio. The house (formerly a photographers’ studio) is located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, near the New Center area. The house was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959.
When did Berry Gordy move to Detroit?
Berry Gordy III (also known as Berry Gordy Jr.) was the seventh of eight children (Fuller, Esther, Anna, Loucye, George, Gwen, Berry and Robert), born on November 28, 1929, in Detroit, to the middle-class family of Berry Gordy II (also known as Berry Gordy Sr.), who had relocated to Detroit from Oconee in Washington ...
Did Berry Gordy write songs?
In total, Gordy wrote or co-wrote 240 of the approximately 15,000 songs in the catalog of Motown’s Jobete Music music publishing affiliate. Among the other artists who recorded his compositions are LaVern Baker, the Marvelettes, Mary Wells, the Temptations and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.
What were the names of song writing trio that worked at Motown writing many songs for the Supremes?
Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s.
Which performer was also a songwriter for Motown and wrote hits such as The Temptations My Girl?
A prolific songwriter, he is credited with 4,000 songs and 37 Top 40 hits, including “Tears of a Clown,” “Tracks of My Tears” and “Love Machine.” Robinson also served as vice president of Motown Records, writing and producing hits for groups such as The Temptations (“My Girl”) and Mary Wells (“My Guy”).
Who started Motown in Detroit?
A former boxer and automobile worker, Berry Gordy was a nascent songwriter when, at the urging of Smokey Robinson, a songwriter ten years younger than Gordy, he decided to establish Motown Records.
Who was considered the queen of Motown after her hit my guy?
| Mary Wells | Years active 1960–1990 | Labels Motown 20th Century Fox Atco Jubilee Reprise Epic Motorcity |
|---|
Who was the most successful Motown artist?
Diana Ross and The Supremes were the most successful group or artist in Motown’s history by at least one measure — their 12 Billboard No. 1 singles. The trio’s run of hits started with 1964’s “Where Did Our Love Go” and stretched into the early 1970s.
Is Earth Wind and Fire R&B?
Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF) is multi-genre band that spans across R&B , soul, jazz, disco, funk, rock, and Latin musical styles.
Which musical elements are commonly found in Motown songs?
- A strong, steady four-beat drum tempo.
- Frequent use of strings and horns.
- Pop vocal stylings embellished with gospel-influenced chorals.
- Complex chord changes and sophisticated melodies.
What nickname was given to the house rhythm section at Motown that played for many hit records?
Gordy recruited many of these men after they were discovered performing in various Detroit jazz lounges and clubs. From their basement recording space— affectionately called the Snake Pit —they were hired to record the rhythm section beds1 for songs that would soon take the US and the world by storm.
Who was responsible for shaping the Nashville sound?
Chet Atkins , who died on June 30th aged 77, was the first virtuoso guitarist in country music and the record producer largely responsible for devising the Nashville Sound, which put a new polish on country music in the 1960s and 70s.
Who among the following was one of the most successful songwriting teams at Motown?
1: Holland-Dozier-Holland
It could be argued that Holland-Dozier-Holland are the most prolific songwriting and production team in pop music’s long history. Over the course of five years, from 1962 to 1967, the trio wrote, arranged and produced many of the compositions that helped to establish the Motown sound.
Is Sam Cooke a jazz artist?
– At a time when most R&B artists were depending on blues and novelty numbers, Cooke was the first to parlay romantic soul into a new pop form. – Unlike many other pop artists of the period like Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr., Cooke was a product of successful Chicago gospel groups, not jazz clubs .
Is Motown a R&B?
Overview. The sound, a sophisticated strain of R&B and pop, is known for its polished songwriting with “candid” vocal delivery. Musicians involved in the production of a Motown track constituted a mix of eclectic musical backgrounds, such as jazz and rhythm and blues.
What kind of music is Detroit known for?
Few cities in the world match the musical heritage of Detroit, the home of Motown. Though the flagship city of Michigan state is renowned for its soul music , the history of Detroit music is also rich in jazz, blues, gospel, country, rock, techno, and, more recently, rap.
Did Bobby Womack sleep with Sam Cooke wife?
In 1970, Womack and Barbara separated after she discovered he was sexually abusing his 17-year-old stepdaughter Linda Cooke (daughter of Barbara and Sam Cooke).
Who was Sam Cooke wife?
Barbara Campbell Cooke , 85, Widow of the Slain Sam Cooke, Is Dead. They were teenage sweethearts, but their marriage turned tragic, and when she married the protégé singer Bobby Womack, the publicity was intense and the boos were loud. Their story started out as if lifted from one of his love songs.
What singers came out of Detroit?
- Jazz: Alice Coltrane. If the name sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone. ...
- Gospel: The Winans family. ...
- Pop: Madonna. ...
- Rock: The White Stripes. ...
- Rhythm &Blues: Parliament-Funkadelic. ...
- Hip-Hop: Eminem. ...
- Electronica: Moodymann.
What does Ham mean in Detroit?
The true ham meaning is used to describe the act of “ going ballistic on someone [and/or] flipping out .” It can be used to describe “a stage, screen or television actor who overacts,” or “a person [who] is unstoppable/... in the zone in any type sport or competition setting.”
What does Detroit mean in French?
The word “detroit” is French for “strait ,” and the French called the river “le détroit du Lac Érié,” meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.” On July 24, 1701, a French explorer and nobleman by the name of Antoine de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac founded Detroit.
What does my baby mean?
1. To be a project or goal that one has initiated and is very devoted to realizing.
What is the nickname for Detroit?
Long recognized as the historic heart of the American automotive industry, Detroit took on the nickname “ Motor City .” The state’s automotive industry provided the model for mass production that other industries later adopted. Henry Ford pioneered the use of the assembly line in manufacturing automobiles.
Is Detroit called Rock City?
“Detroit Rock City ” has become an anthem around these parts, a hard-rocking, much-loved Kiss classic whose title gave the Motor City another enduring nickname. ... (One anecdote from producer Bob Ezrin: The band sang about driving “down 95,” inadvertently substituting the East Coast highway for Detroit’s I-75.
Why is Detroit known as Rock City?
Opened in Detroit, the label’s name, which was a portmanteau of the words motor and town , would become a nickname for the city as well. The label was owned by Berry Gordy and founded in an attempt to ensure that African American artists would receive the money they deserved for the music they wrote.
What was Motown’s first hit song?
Fifty years ago today (May 16, 1964) the Motown Records label celebrated its first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with Mary Wells’ “My Guy ,” a song written and produced by Smokey Robinson.
Who sang lead vocals in Four Tops?
Levi Stubbs , the lead singer of the legendary Motown group the Four Tops whose tough yet soulful voice was showcased on dozens of singles, including “Baby I Need Your Loving” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” has died. He was 72.
When did R&B music start?
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated as R&B or R’n’B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s .
