The Magnificent Motown Records There story of Motown Records is a story about the dreams and determination by one man incorporated with the aspirations of many others culminating into the realization of a tremendous music and cultural change throughout the world. Berry Gordy, a young man whose great- grandfather was an enslaved person of African descent, established a legacy that still resonates throughout the world even today. The Gordy family comes from humble beginnings in Georgia, eventually transcends along with so many contemporaries to the highest echelons of society. The music that was created not only changed the music industry, but made an indelible mark on cultural behavior around the world. Marie McCarthy describes, in her essay
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Gerald Posner vividly describes in his expositional book Motown: Music, Money, Sex and Power, how family obligations and duties were designated to each member and the senior Berry, “Pops” as he was affectionately called, ruled with an iron fist.(7-8). Hardworking and industrious Pops worked and hustled into many enterprises since he had an anathema to working in the numerous auto plants in Detroit. (Posner 6-9). During the depression, the senior Gordy took occupations such as selling ice, watermelons, coal, wood, Christmas trees, and old car parts to provide for his family. (Posner 6). It was this work ethic that led Mr. Gordy to become a skilled laborer performing plastering and construction work and these job culminated with a family business of a grocery store in the Black Bottom section of the city in a predominately Black business district. (Posner 7, Gordy 28). Berry’s mother was involved in real estate and a Black insurance company while also enhancing her education and all of the children began to become indoctrinated in the intricacies of business principles and strategies (Posner 7). Berry at this time was also exposed to music through his uncle who was a musician and give him rudimentary lessons on the piano, instilling within a lifelong love of music (Gordy Jr. 18). Berry began to write lyrics to songs at a young age along with his love of sports especially boxing, and he became proficient enough to go door to door with a childhood friend and garner small amounts of money performing songs for audiences (Posner 9). Setting the stage for future events, it was these youthful experiences that would be the foundation for so many of the future plans for
Gerald Posner vividly describes in his expositional book Motown: Music, Money, Sex and Power, how family obligations and duties were designated to each member and the senior Berry, “Pops” as he was affectionately called, ruled with an iron fist.(7-8). Hardworking and industrious Pops worked and hustled into many enterprises since he had an anathema to working in the numerous auto plants in Detroit. (Posner 6-9). During the depression, the senior Gordy took occupations such as selling ice, watermelons, coal, wood, Christmas trees, and old car parts to provide for his family. (Posner 6). It was this work ethic that led Mr. Gordy to become a skilled laborer performing plastering and construction work and these job culminated with a family business of a grocery store in the Black Bottom section of the city in a predominately Black business district. (Posner 7, Gordy 28). Berry’s mother was involved in real estate and a Black insurance company while also enhancing her education and all of the children began to become indoctrinated in the intricacies of business principles and strategies (Posner 7). Berry at this time was also exposed to music through his uncle who was a musician and give him rudimentary lessons on the piano, instilling within a lifelong love of music (Gordy Jr. 18). Berry began to write lyrics to songs at a young age along with his love of sports especially boxing, and he became proficient enough to go door to door with a childhood friend and garner small amounts of money performing songs for audiences (Posner 9). Setting the stage for future events, it was these youthful experiences that would be the foundation for so many of the future plans for