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Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s Berry Gordy Jr. was behind some of the biggest names in history. Artists like the Supremes, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye found their stardom at Motown Records and Gordy’s ability to spot talent and develop careers led the 93-year-old to a net worth of $400 million today.
The Detroit-born man led the way to the largest black-owned company in the United States during the 1960’s and gave fans a lifetime of classic songs and mega-stars.
Take a look at how the music icon and producer found success and made history in the process.
The Early Days
Gordy was the seventh of eight children, born to a close-knit family in Detroit, MI. He had a love for music at a young age and expressed an interest in songwriting early on. However, Gordy struggled in school and according to Biography, when he was kicked out of his high school music class, he quit altogether in his junior year.
Striving For Success
It wasn’t an immediate success for Gordy. The professional boxer believed boxing may be his future path. By the age of 20, he boasted a 13 and 6 run in the ring but felt continuing would age him faster than desired. He knew he wanted to return his focus to music, but first, was drafted into the Army during the Korean War.
Upon return, Gordy opened the 3-D Record Mart, a primarily African-American based record store, concentrating on classic jazz. Writing the song “Reet Petitie” and finding success behind Jackie Wilson’s rendition prompted Gordy to launch a historic venture.
Launching Motown
After writing a number of songs for The Miracles, led by Gordy’s friend Smokey Robinson, Gordy borrowed $800 from his family and launched R&B label Tamla Records. In 1959, Gordy quickly launched a second label, Motown, eventually merging the two into Motown Record Corporation and called his headquarters, Hitsville.
He learned quickly the importance of distributing the songs himself, carving out a unique sound with memorable melodies and repeating choruses and stage presentation. With every step, Gordy led stars like Mary Wells of “My Guy” the Temptations with “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and The Miracles with “Bad Girl” to the top of the charts.
Supporting Civil Rights
In the back of Gordy’s mind, he always wanted crossover success, believing music could be appreciated regardless of race. He began releasing Martin Luther King Jr.’s Great March to Freedom and Great March to Washington speeches and offering support when possible. According to Discover Music, several of the Motown stars performed at fundraisers for African-American causes.
Gordy saw that crossover with the 1964 Supremes hit “Baby Love”. According to Celebrity Net Worth, in just two years, the company was raking in $20 million in sales and had 450 employees. By 1969, Gordy welcomed the Jackson 5, led by a young Michael Jackson to the label.
Turning His Attention To Films
In 1972, Gordy moved to Los Angeles and dipped his toe in producing films. He began with Lady Sings the Blues starring Diana Ross and Richard Pryor and Mahogany in 1975, also starring Ross. Three years later, Gordy produced The Wiz, again starring Ross, Michael Jackson and Pryor.
As Gordy focused on his interest in movies, he spent less time at the studio. In the 1970’s Motown continued to see success with Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and new artists like the Commodores with lead singer Lionel Richie joining the label. However, by 1988, the producer sold his ownership of Motown to MCA Records for $61 million and a few years later, he sold the entire Motown catalog to Polygram for $330 million.
Sharing His Story
In 1994, Gordy published the autobiography, “To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown”, covering the details of a relationship with Ross and the birth of their daughter, Rhonda. He shares information on his three marriages and subsequent relationships, resulting in eight children, as well as the story of Motown’s rise and fall.
Nearly 10 years later, Gordy wrote “Motown: The Musical”, developed into a stage performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and a UK version to the West End. Eventually, the show reached the Broadway stage in 2013. While the Broadway show closed in 2015, a national tour of the performance continues.
Making History
Gordy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2013, he was recognized with the Songwriters Hall of Fame Pioneer Award. Gordy was the first living individual to receive the award.
In 2016, Gordy was honored with the National Medal of Arts, presented by then President Barack Obama.
The Hitsville studio is now a Motown museum for visitors around the world and a section of West Grand Boulevard was named Berry Gordy Jr. Boulevard in 2007.
The connections between Gordy and the Motown family are undeniable. Not only did Gordy have a child with Motown star Diana Ross, his daughter Hazel married Jermaine Jackson and they have a child together.
Even though Gordy could not read music or play an instrument, his success landed with his ability to create relationships and identify talent from Gladys Knight and the Pips to the Temptations.
Sources: Biography, Celebrity Net Worth, Discover Music
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