Standing in the Shadows of Motown

"...of creating music in the tiny basement studio of Berry Gordy's Detroit “Home of the Hits” (until Gordy moved..."

Nov. 15, 2002 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Love Bath

SXSW 2010 keynote speaker Smokey Robinson originally wanted to be a cowboy, but they didn't have any horses in his hood

"...it just so happens that in August, I met Berry Gordy...."

March 19, 2010 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

Fantastic Fest: Roger and Julie Corman Lifetime Achievement Award

The king and queen of the Bs get the royal treatment.

"..."I want to compare Roger to Berry Gordy, another great man from Detroit, because like Berry..."

Sept. 25, 2010 Screens Post by Marc Savlov

Sheet Music

Summer Reading

"...is essentially the tale of America's first black mogul. Berry Gordy, the grandson of a Georgia slave and her..."

June 6, 2003 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

Higher Ground

Stevie Wonder in 10 songs? It's a start.

"...intended, through a tiny speaker of horrid fidelity like Berry Gordy heard it before he approved the mix. Revival..."

Sept. 16, 2011 Music Feature

The Summit on Race in America: Motown at 60

Detroit pop icons continue in the name of love

"...speaker’s group and their respective experiences with Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. Pride and joy lit up the faces..."

April 11, 2019 Music Post by Derek Udensi

Tracks of My Tears

A new documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, signs a light on the men behind the Motown sound, the Funk Brothers.

"...player in Motown's Shakespearian rise and demise (label patriarch Berry Gordy as King Lear), suffered his own inglorious curtain..."

Nov. 15, 2002 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

Four Tops Lost & Found: "Breaking Through" (1963-1964) (Motown) / Marvin Gaye Lost & Found: "Love Starved Heart" (Expanded Edition) (Motown) / Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Lost & Found: "Along Came Love" (1958-1964) (Motown) / The T

Reissues

"...(1962-1968) (Motown) "The Sound of Young America" was what Berry Gordy Jr. called it. Stamping out Fords on the..."

Dec. 10, 1999 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

The Last Dragon

"...Starring: Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carrey and Faith Prince. Motown's Berry Gordy produced this karate picture starring two one-named wonders,..."

June 24, 2002 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Smokey Robinson Keynote Interview

"...critic Dave Marsh. Robinson gave credit to a pre-Motown Berry Gordy for signing his Matadors in 1958 (the group..."

March 19, 2010 Music Review by Dan Oko

Four Tops

Box Sets

"...Henderson, and Billy Eckstine. Even after they climbed aboard Berry Gordy's gold Caddy, the quartet was still cutting jazz..."

Dec. 7, 2001 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

"...Former President Jimmy Carter and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy are second cousins, related through great-grandfather James Thomas..."

Dec. 10, 2021 Column by Mr. Smarty Pants

The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal

Before there was Michael Jackson, there was Diana Ross

"...the introduction on his way to casting Motown despot Berry Gordy and lead Supreme Diana Ross as Mr. and..."

July 17, 2009 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 1: 59-61, The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 2: 1962

"...of. The Satintones' "Going to the Hop," on which Berry Gordy and his extended neighborhood family are heard birthing..."

May 27, 2005 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

The Supremes (Motown)

"...always saw the Supremes as special," says Motown founder Berry Gordy in the tres chic liner notes to The..."

Dec. 15, 2000 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

Smokey Robinson, Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California, June 30

"...Motown in 12 years (produced by none other than Berry Gordy), the rapturous gave way to the divine. New..."

July 7, 2000 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

Mahogany

"...MAHOGANY D: Berry Gordy (1975); with Diana Ross, Anthony Perkins, Billy Dee..."

July 7, 2000 Screens Review by Stephen MacMillan Moser

The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 12A: 1972

Soul Patch

"...Los Angeles, where soul-pop's Henry Ford – Motown monarch Berry Gordy Jr. – had finally begun his queen Diana..."

Aug. 16, 2013 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

Record Reviews: Reissues

"...(each 2-disc sets) that succinctly outlines the institution's modus-operandi: Berry Gordy found young artists with raw talent and big..."

Dec. 8, 1995 Music Review

The Summit on Race in America: Songwriters in the Round Panel Recap

Multiple generations of black artists push for music in schools

"...Jam, 60 in June, spoke about the label’s founder Berry Gordy, Jr. and his futuristic view on black art...."

April 10, 2019 Music Post by Derek Udensi

Top 40 Vices Playlist

A walk on the wild side with songs of the seven deadly sins

"...a nasty piece of work. Or perhaps label boss Berry Gordy was, since he wrote the words Strong snarled..."

Jan. 6, 2017 Music Feature by The Music Staff

The Slow Death of R&B

In the face of the Austin Urban Music Festival, where’s the love?

"...The label head? Motown’s Berry Gordy, who believed Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” would..."

Jan. 14, 2015 Music Post by Kahron Spearman

Tammi Terrell

"...with R&B pioneer Jerry Butler. In Detroit, Motown monarch Berry Gordy signed her in 1965. She was 20. There,..."

Jan. 21, 2011 Music Review by Raoul Hernandez

More Reissues

"...the Supremes. Two years later, when Motown Records huckster Berry Gordy (Antony) relocated his Cleopatra (Ross) to Los Angeles..."

Aug. 1, 2008 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

Mahogany

"...and each time pads the pockets of music impresario Berry Gordy. (To be fair, Williams gets his own theme..."

May 18, 2007 Screens Review by Marrit Ingman

The Insider: Chuck D

Chuck D, gathering no moss

"...a lot of the people who replaced guys like Berry Gordy, Ahmet Ertegün, and Al Bell weren't big enough..."

March 16, 2007 Music Feature by Andy Langer

The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 3: 1963

Gift guide

"...117 songs in a 5-CD bound volume. Heat wave. Berry Gordy and company are still firing globs of vinyl..."

Dec. 9, 2005 Music Feature by Raoul Hernandez

Good Show

It was a good year -- not a great one -- for the Toronto International Film Festival.

"...the rhythms and hooks of these session players, whom Berry Gordy recruited from the local jazz clubs, are the..."

Sept. 20, 2002 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound

Seldom have obscure footage and recorded memories been put together in so charming a fashion

"...that behind the acts were the impresarios, such as Berry Gordy, Phil Spector, and George "Shadow" Morton, and the..."

March 2, 2001 Screens Review by Stephen MacMillan Moser

Spinning Yarns

Tracing generations' worth of jazz and R&B history through the Texas Trumpets

"...the Temptations, Mary Wells, and every other band from Berry Gordy's stable. Banks, who teaches trumpet at Brook Mays..."

Nov. 19, 1999 Music Feature by Jerry Renshaw