It was 50 years ago that Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. first borrowed $800 in order to start his own label and founded Tamla Records, which would be incorporated as Motown Records in 1970 and produce its first hit a year later. After that, the company started to spin out chart-topping hits by the Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Supremes, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. What followed was Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and many other stars.

 

To honor the anniversary, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will house the exhibition “Motown: The Sound of Young American Turns 50.” In addition to that, Gordy has a documentary about his famed label in the works, along with a Broadway musical and a Marvin Gaye exhibit. The Four Tops’ survivor, Abdul “Duke” Fakir and members of the Miracles, Martha & the Vandellas and Rare Earth will spend the week at the Motown Historical Museum, housed in the original Hitsville Headquarters.

 

Broadcasters in England, France and Germany will air Motown specials next week. In Berlin, The Miracles, The Contours and Reeves are starring in “Memories of Motown,” a new stage musical set off for debut on Sunday night.

 

Berry Gordy sold his company starting with the 1980s. Today he is no longer a financial part of what was once the world's biggest black-owned corporation, but he is still the first figure that comes to everyone’s mind when Motown Records is mentioned. In spite of the year-long commemoration which has as a purpose to remind the world that Detroit is not all about political scandals and auto industry crises, Gordy will not attend the ceremony. In exchange, he made a statement read by Robin Terry in which he sais that Motown grew out of love and though it spread all over the world, people must remember where it all started.