Located on 2648 West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, Michigan is the place that started the movement of African- American music. Artist such as, The Marvelettes, Steve Wonder, and The Jackson Five was all discovered at this place called Motown Records. Motown Records "Hitsville U.S.A" was founded by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959. In this building was the record label's administrative building and a recording studio where the artist layed down all their #1 tracks.
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Berry Gordy started off as a songwriter for Detroit artist Jackie Wilson and The Matadors. Jackie Wilson's first hit single "Lonely Teardrops" was a huge success but Barry believe he didnt get the amount of money he should have received so he decided to start his own record label. On January 12, 1959, he founded his first record label Tamla Records. It didn't start off so good, but in the Summer of 1959 one of Berry's artist, Barrett Strong, hit song "Money (That's What I Want)" made it to #2 on the R&B Billboard charts. Later on that year he signed his first group called The Miracles and decided to start a second label "Motown Records".
On April 14, 1960 Tamla Records and Motown Records merged into a new company called Motown Record Corporation and started making hit after that. The Miracles hit "Shop Around" shot up to #1 on the 1960 Billboard Hot 100 and the next year Gordy's new act The Marvellettes song "Please Mr.Postman" was #1 on the Pop Billboards. Artists around the country saw the amazement and the unique sound of Motown Records they wanted a piece of it. From 1961 to 1971 had 110 top hits from artist such as Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin and many more.
In 1972 Berry Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles to look for new material and new sound. While Berry was making hits in California his sister, Ester Gordy Edwards, refused to move to California so she was in charge of the old Motown building. Many citizen of Detroit wanted to see the history of Motown Records up and personal. So her and granddaughter made an exhibit that consist of some costumes, photos, and gold records of all the success of Motown and made it into a museum.
Since 1985, Motown Historical Museum is up and running. Thousands of people from all around world come and experience going down the years of all the accomplishments of Motown. Unfortunately Motown shut down in 2005 but it will never die. Everyday you hear all age groups singing Motown Records songs from Steve Wonder's "Superstition" to Brain McKnight "Back to One".
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A EXPERIENCE DOWN MEMORY LANE, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME OUT AND GO VISIT THE MOTOWN HISTORICAL MUSEUM.
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