Berry Gordy

Berry Gordy Jr. (* 28. November 1929 in Detroit) is an American producer, who by the reason of the Motown - music direction admits became.

working

Berry Gordy was the founder of the today still existing record label “Motown”. Berry Gordy Profiboxer was original, but already very early he discovered his love for the music. The music directions Blues and jazz had particularly done it to the young man. With borrowed $800 it created end of the 50's in its hometown Detroit the disk company “Motown”. Besides Berry Gordy with moderate success wrote also Songs for other artists (under them Jackie Wilson).

Beside Motown Berry Gordy created other small label (and. A. “), However the name Motown in the USA, that was particularly established Anna”, “Gordy”, “Soul”, “Tamla” and “rare Earth” first as Tamla Motown outside of the U.S.A. firmierte. After first large successes by groups such as The Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & Vandellas and The Miracles developed the “Motown sound” (advertising slogan “The sound OF Young America”) very fast to the brand name. Were The Supremes, which made the “Motown sound” also internationally famous between 1964 and 1969 with twelve #1 hits. In addition, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The of temp act ion, The Four Tops and late The Jackson Five ensured for the fact that “Motown” ascended to the largest black music label.

Berry Gordys largest interest applied for the Lead singer of the Supremes, Diana Ross. It floated forwards to make from Diana Ross a kind “black ” Barbra Streisand. The high point of close co-operation came, when Berry Gordy entered into the film business and ensured that Diana Ross the role of the Billie Holiday in the film “lady sing the Blues” play could. The film was nominated for several Oscars, went out however during the OSCAR award then nevertheless empty. A bitter disappointment for Diana Ross, who succeeded it directly for its first role in the category “best actress” for a OSCAR to have been nominated.

Berry Gordy very personally around production (“Mahogany”, 1975 and “The Wiz”, 1978) brought no more did not worry further film projects, with those desired success, neither for the producers, nor for Diana Ross. For Berry Gordy was to be left it a large impact, when Diana Ross decided 1981, “Motown”. It signed millions a heavy contract with RCA, could not however with record productions no more to old successes tie. 1989 returned Diana Ross to Motown, but Berry Gordy was no longer in the business, he there the company at MCA had sold.

Motown did not stand at this time long any longer for what had made the company so famous once: The “sound OF Young America” remained only legend.

literature

• Berry Gordy:Ton Loved: The music, the Magic, the MEMORies OF Motown. 1994. (Autobiografie)