Download or read book The Making of Motown written by Duchess Harris and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Motown music emerged in the United States in the 1960s. It launched the careers of many African American musicians. Motown music shaped culture and society during the American civil rights movement. The Making of Motown explores the history and legacy of Motown. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Download or read book The Story of Motown written by Peter Benjaminson and published by Grove Press. This book was released on 1979 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Motown was part of growing up in the 1960's and 70's. An amazing number of well-known stars worked for Motown: Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Jr Walker and the All Stars, Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, Edwin Starr, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Lamont Dozier, Shorty Long, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Fifth dimension, the Marvelettes, the Contours, the Isley Brothers, the Spinners, the Originals, the Jackson Five, the Commodores, Rare Earth, Rick James, and many others. Most were Motown stars. Many started and ended with Motown. Motown is important for other reasons. A black company, Motown made black music popular among Americans of all ages.
Download or read book Hype Sou written by Al Abrams and published by Templestreet Publishing. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Standing in the Shadows of Motown written by James Jamerson and published by Hal Leonard Corporation. This book was released on 1989 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (Guitar Book). Bassist James Jamerson was the embodiment of the Motown spirit and groove the invisible entity whose playing inspired thousands. His tumultuous life and musical brilliance are explored in depth through hundreds of interviews, 49 transcribed musical scores, two hours of recorded all-star performances, and more than 50 rarely seen photos in this stellar tribute to behind-the-scenes Motown. Features a 120-minute CD! Allan Slutsky's 2002 documentary of the same name is the winner of the New York Film Critics "Best Documentary of the Year" award!
Download or read book Motown written by Gerald Posner and published by Random House. This book was released on 2009-04-02 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1959, twenty-nine-year-old Berry Gordy, who had already given up on his dream to be a champion boxer, borrowed eight hundred dollars from his family and started a record company. A run-down bungalow sandwiched between a funeral home and a beauty shop in a poor Detroit neighborhood served as his headquarters. The building’s entrance was adorned with a large sign that improbably boasted “Hitsville U.S.A.” The kitchen served as the control room, the garage became the two-track studio, the living room was reserved for bookkeeping, and sales were handled in the dining room. Soon word spread that any youngster with a streak of talent should visit the only record label that Detroit had seen in years. The company’s name was Motown. Motown cuts through decades of unsubstantiated rumors and speculation to tell the true behind-the-scenes narrative of America’s most exciting musical dynasty. It follows the company and its amazing roster of stars from the tumultuous growth years in Detroit, to the drama and intrigue of Hollywood in the 1970s, to resurgence in 2002. Set against the civil rights movement, the decay of America’s northern industrial cities, and the social upheaval of the 1960s, Motown is a tale of the incredible entrepreneurship of Berry Gordy. But it also features the moving stories of kids from Detroit’s inner-city projects who achieved remarkable success and then, in many cases, found themselves fighting the demons that so often come with stardom—drugs, jealousy, sexual indulgence, greed, and uncontrollable ambition. Motown features an extraordinary cast of characters, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. They are presented as they lived and worked: a clan of friends, lovers, competitors, and sometimes vicious foes. Motown reveals how the hopes and dreams of each affected the lives of the others and illustrates why this singular story is a made-in-America Greek tragedy, the rise and fall of a supremely talented yet completely dysfunctional extended family. Based on numerous original interviews and extensive documentation, Motown benefits particularly from the thousands of pages of files crammed into the basement of downtown Detroit’s Wayne County Courthouse. Those court records provide the unofficial—and hitherto largely untold—history of Motown and its stars, since almost every relationship between departing singers, songwriters, producers, and the label ended up in litigation. From its peaks in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Motown controlled the pop charts and its stars were sought after even by the Beatles, through the inexorable slide caused by their failure to handle their stardom, Motown is a riveting and troubling look inside a music label that provided the unofficial soundtrack to an entire generation.
Download or read book Motown written by Adam White and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2019-01-29 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback, the definitive visual history of Motown, the Detroit-based record company that became a music powerhouse. The music of Motown defined an era. From the Jackson 5 and Diana Ross to Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy and his right-hand man, Barney Ales, built the most successful independent record label in the world. Not only did Motown represent the most iconic recording artists of its time and produce countless global hits—it created a cultural institution that redefined pop and gave us the vision of a new America: vibrant, innovative, and racially equal. This new paperback edition of the first official visual history of the label includes a dazzling array of images, and unprecedented access to the archives of the makers and stars of Motown. Extensive specially commissioned photography of treasures extracted from the Motown archives, as well as the personal collections of Barney Ales and Motown stars, lends new insight into the lives of the legends. Motown also draws on interviews with key players from the label’s colorful history, including Motown founder Berry Gordy; Barney Ales; Smokey Robinson; Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes; and many more.
Download or read book To Be Loved written by Berry Gordy and published by Rosetta Books. This book was released on 2013-12-12 with total page 587 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Motown Records and how it changed the course of American music, as told by its founder—“an African American culture hero of historic stature” (The New York Times). Berry Gordy Jr., who once considered becoming a boxer, started a record company with a family loan of $800 in 1959. Gordy’s company, Motown Records, went on to create some of the most popular music of all time. By the time he sold the company nearly thirty years later, it was worth $61 million and had produced musical legends including Jackie Wilson, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson 5. Here, the revolutionary who shattered the color barrier in the American entertainment industry and forever changed the way the world hears music, shares his story of ambition and vision. From humble beginnings, Gordy amassed a fortune and became a musical kingmaker in the cultural heydays of the 1960s and ’70s. Quelling rumors and detailing his relationships with the artists he managed, Gordy pens “a vivid recreation of a great period and a seminal company in popular music” (Kirkus Reviews).
Download or read book Guitars Bars and Motown Superstars written by Dennis Coffey and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under Berry Gordy, Motown was a place where studio musicians usually stood in the shadows, unlike the solo stars whose names appeared on the albums. Gordy held a tight rein on his musicians, forbidding them from playing for other record companies and denying them credit on his records. In Guitars, Bars, and Motown Superstars, author and guitarist Dennis Coffey tells how he slipped Gordy's draconian rules and went on to success as both a Motown musician and a million-selling solo artist. He offers a fascinating backstage look at the Detroit, L.A., and New York music scenes in the '60s and '70s, with side trips to the smoky clubs and funky studios where the Motown Sound was born. Coffey is credited with creating a lot of that sound, including the famous guitar intro to the Temptations' classic "Cloud Nine." He played on hundreds of Motown albums, and introduced such innovations as the wah-wah pedal into the Motown recording studio. Guitars, Bars, and Motown Superstars is an entertaining and amusing memoir of one of the most dynamic and influential periods in contemporary pop culture, and a unique insight into the ups and downs of the studio guitar-for-hire. It's also a look at the dizzying rags-to-riches-and-back-again career of a rock musician who went from million-seller with a house in the Hollywood Hills, and ultimately back to his roots in the Detroit area. A must for fans of Motown, rock, and you-are-there popculture history. Book jacket.
Download or read book Fame Without Fortune Motown Records the Al Cleveland Story written by Daryl Cleveland, Glenn Soucy and published by ibooks. This book was released on 2014-05-02 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a fascinating inside story about one prolific songwriter’s experience working for the famed Motown Records and directly with Motown’s founder Berry Gordy. It is an interesting look into the actual contracts between Mr. Gordy and his talented “family” of musicians told by one of the most famous songwriters of his time. If Motown didn’t grow to be the success it is today, Motown’s royalty contract—work-for-hire—compensation would be fair under the circumstances. The difficulty comes when Mr. Gordy’s success as a businessman exceeds every possible prediction. The FAME WITHOUT FORTUNE story begins in 1959 with Al Cleveland as a young man who makes the hard choice to leave his wife and children behind in order to chase his dreams of being a singer and a songwriter. It follows him through the trials of New York City and putting up with discrimination on the “Chitlin’ Circuit.” There he has an adulterous affair sending the final blow to his marriage. A short time later, he marries his second wife and Al’s big break seemed to come when he signed up with Motown Records under Berry Gordy. He was writing number-one songs for stars such as Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. All along his fame grew, but he was not receiving pay for them. Instead he received headaches, heartaches, excuses, and IRS raids. He left Motown and toured with famous artists, but during that time, there was little room for a black songwriter to make a living. Al had to return to Motown to stay in the business.
Download or read book Supreme Glamour written by Mary Wilson and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2019-09-17 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sumptuously illustrated, engaging, and insightful, Mary Wilson’s book charts the glittering story of The Supremes, as it showcases their glamorous and iconic ensembles. As Motown’s leading act in the 1960s, The Supremes became synonymous with glamorous, elegant, coordinated ensembles. Supreme Glamour presents founding member Mary Wilson’s unparalleled collection, showcasing thirty-two of the group’s most eye-catching gowns, meticulously reassembled and photographed on the Grammy Museum stage. Detailed captions accompany each photograph, providing information about the design, fabric, and embellishments of each ensemble, as well as the occasion on which each was first worn. In addition to the fashion history of The Supremes, the book chronicles the evolution of the group and celebrates the cultural icons they became. Engaging and insightful narrative text by Mary Wilson and close personal friend Mark Bego is interspersed among hundreds of archival photos. Packed with anecdotes and insights, Mary Wilson tells the complete story of The Supremes, both on- and off- stage, from their founding in Detroit in 1959 as The Primettes to their 1964 breakthrough hit, “Where Did Our Love Go,” and from the departure of Diana Ross to The Supremes’ disco hits of the 1970s. Supreme Glamour builds a complete picture of the charm, sophistication, and magic of The Supremes.
Download or read book I Hear a Symphony written by Andrew Flory and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2017-05-30 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I Hear a Symphony opens new territory in the study of Motown’s legacy, arguing that the music of Motown was indelibly shaped by the ideals of Detroit’s postwar black middle class; that Motown’s creative personnel participated in an African-American tradition of dialogism in rhythm and blues while developing the famous “Motown Sound.” Throughout the book, Flory focuses on the central importance of “crossover” to the Motown story; first as a key concept in the company’s efforts to reach across American commercial markets, then as a means to extend influence internationally, and finally as a way to expand the brand beyond strictly musical products. Flory’s work reveals the richness of the Motown sound, and equally rich and complex cultural influence Motown still exerts.
Download or read book What s Going On written by Ben Edmonds and published by Canongate U.S.. This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What's Going On?" is widely regarded as Marvin Gaye's finest work and as one of the seminal albums of the 1970s. This book looks at the making of the album, interviewing artists close to the singer, to arrive at an understanding of what the album means.
Download or read book The Motown Music Machine written by Harold Keith Taylor and published by . This book was released on 2004-02-01 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Motown records worldwide name recognition was bigger than any of the recording artist on the label. This book talks about the business principles Berry Gordy used to propel his company to greatness. Applying these principles will make you successful in your business.
Download or read book Mary Wells written by Peter Benjaminson and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Complete with never-before-revealed details about the sex, violence, and drugs in her life, this biography reveals the incredibly turbulent life of Motown artist Mary Wells. Based in part on four hours of previously unreleased and unpublicized deathbed interviews with Wells, this account delves deeply into her rapid rise and long fall as a recording artist, her spectacular romantic and family life, the violent incidents in which she was a participant, and her abuse of drugs. From tumultuous affairs, including one with R&B superstar Jackie Wilson, to a courageous battle with throat cancer that climaxed in her gutsiest performance, this history draws upon years of interviews with Wells's friends, lovers, and husband to tell the whole story of a woman whose songs crossed the color line and whose voice captivated the Beatles.
Download or read book Dancing in the Street written by Martha Reeves and published by Hyperion. This book was released on 1995-08-01 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She belted out big hits, including "Heat Wave" and "Dancing in the Street," for Motown Records during its golden years. However, behind the scenes, Martha Reeves took a beating from her once supportive mentor, Berry Gordy, Jr., and her arch rival Diana Ross. As bold and passionate a storyteller as a singer, Reeves tells it all in this fascinating biography. Three 8-page photo inserts.
Download or read book Motown in Love written by Herb Jordan and published by Pantheon Books. This book was released on 2006 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the complete lyrics to over one hundred Motown love songs, grouped into such categories as lessons of love, the joy of love, and love lost, and including "I'll Be There," "My Girl," and "Please Mr. Postman."
Download or read book Before Motown written by Lars Bjorn and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of Detroit jazz comes alive with remarkable photographs, advertisements, and interviews
