Motown.pdf - What was Motown Records? Provide details Motown, in full Motown Record Corporation, also called Hitsville, recording company founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in January 1959 that became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history. How did it achieve crossover success? . Berry Gordy held quality control meetings every Friday morning, and used veto power to ensure that only the very best material and performances would be released. In 1959, Billy Davis and Berry Gordys sisters Gwen and Anna started Anna Records. How did Motown achieve crossover success? - Sage-Advices . Arwa Haider looks at how an independent record label created one of the most influential sounds of the 20th Century. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Each home team should consist of 4-5 students and students should number off within their teams. At age 17 Wells married Motown background singer Herman Griffin. Please compare one Classical sculpture and one Hellenistic sculpture The music (fr. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Complete the sentence in a way that shows you understand the meaning of the italicized vocabulary word. -I Say a Little Prayer: I like the tempo and rhythm of the song Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as the first record label owned by an African American and primarily featuring African American artists to regularly achieve crossover success and have a widespread, lasting effect on the music industry. (They don't have to be the ones listed below). In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the most successful proponents of the Motown Sound, a style of soul music with a pop influence. What do you think the outside world might symbolize in Mrs. Mallard's life? In the 21st Century, passions still run high for classic Motown; the Obamas hosted a star-studded Motown Gala at the White House in 2011, and the former FLOTUS also recently uploaded a Becoming Motown playlist to accompany her autobiography. Rare Earth also faced segregation at the time for sounding "too white.". Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 1 The Four Tops achieve Motown Records' tenth No. The joyous immediacy of the songs also had a galvanising effect, as vocalist Martha Reeves recalls in Susan Whitalls book, Women Of Motown: It was a beautiful feeling, when we were so full of hate and anger and everybody was so full of unrest, that we saw people actually join together, get out of their cars and dance to a song [Martha And The Vandellas 1964 smash hit Dancing In The Street] that meant we should rejoice The Motown sound was a very big influence in the civil rights movement. Despite his success, Gordy remained on the fringes of the popular music business, making very little money, until he discovered William (Smokey) Robinson, a Detroit high schooler with a soothing falsetto and an ear for sweet lyrics. Include the following points: What was Motown Records? Also in 1959, Gordy purchased the property that would become Motowns Hitsville U.S.A. studio. False It was wildly popular. __________ One of his dreams is to visit his homeland. how did motown records achieve crossover success? Answer (1 of 4): Personally, I do, as a subgenre of pop and or soul music, AND a historical reference: 1. How was Motown changing as the 1960s progressed? The touring-recording group was called the MGs. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text. Motown would deliver more explicitly political anthems, too: notably Edwin Starrs fiery 1970 classic War; its songwriters, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, would also make an evocative statement on The Temptations 1970 hit: Ball of Confusion (Thats what the World is Today): Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration/ Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation. Though the songs were not overtly political, Motown's popularity contributed to the Civil Rights Movement by achieving crossover success. Davis and Gwen Gordy wanted Berry to be the company president, but Berry wanted to strike out on his own. What was the purpose of the weekly Motown meeting? Moreover, Black radio had become a force in the marketing of popular music after World War II. Gordys own autobiography has formed the basis of a hit theatre production, Motown the Musical, launched on Broadway and currently in Londons West End and touring the UK. Motown Records . Even the Motown production philosophy had a ring to it (KISS Keep It Simple, Stupid); in fact, every detail was fine-tuned, from the songwriting teams such as powerhouse trio Holland-Dozier-Holland (Heat Wave; Where Did Our Love Go; Stop! You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. How Much Do You Know About Motown? | HowStuffWorks How did Motown record achieve crossover success? Explain the Stratford Tommy Chong was the first white singer to record for Motown records. (1), -This was Ross's last hit before she left the group, Why were the Supremes more successful than Martha and the Vandellas? PDF Motown and the Civil Rights Movement - PBS In the early 1970s, the corporation also shifted its HQ to LA (and began to produce some of its most innovative classics, including Marvin Gayes Whats Going On? (B) discarded without discussion Music appreciation - Motown and Southern Flashcards | Quizlet The Motown Sound is unmistakeable for its glorious melodies and killer hooks; the Motown spirit as embodied by the vivacious, tenacious Gordy himself (now 89) is exceptional, even if the label is no longer independent (its currently part of Universal Records). In the meantime Berry Gordy established Motown Productions, a television subsidiary which produced TV specials for the Motown artists, including TCB, with Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, Diana! -Yes because of their sweet southern soul voices that combined with gospel-influenced vocals, it was more heartfelt and urgent Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . Complex arrangements and elaborate, melismatic vocal riffs were avoided. Explanation: how did motown records achieve crossover success? Her mission was to prepare African-American artists from the city's Housing Projects to perform "in the White House and Buckingham Palace". How was Berry Gordy Jr.s approach to Motown unique? Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as the first record label owned by . They were turned down again after a second taped audition in July 1968. What was quality control for Motown Records? In several cases, producers would re-work tracks in hopes of eventually getting them approved at a later Friday morning meeting, as producer Norman Whitfield did with I Heard It Through the Grapevine and The Temptations Aint Too Proud to Beg. On April 14, 1960, Motown and Tamla Records merged into a new company called Motown Record Corporation. From where did Berry Gordy get most of the studio musicians for "Hitsville, USA" and how, more than just playing notes off a score, were they able to contribute to the overall product? Different makes of synthesizers are compatible with each other. The company loosened its production rules, allowing some of its longtime artists the opportunity to write and produce more of their own material. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? Explain the strategies the label used to promote its artists and music. -It's very complicated to figure out who exactly created the moonwalk. Motown Detectives.pdf - Motown Detectives Jamie Hoffman The Tragic Real-Life Stories Of Motown Stars - Grunge.com What did the Matadors change their name to? Therefore, Gordy was not going into completely uncharted territory as a Black music entrepreneur. Motown's sound is a style of music with a distinct influence. Eduardo talks to James Jamerson Jr about his father prominent base playing. Of these, 357 either made the R & B charts and/or the pop charts. What was Motown Records? How did Motown Records achieve crossover success? He set up the labels base in a modest two-storey house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, also known as Hitsville USA. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). All of Motown's most popular groups had crossover success with both R&B and mainstream pop audiences, but The Marvelettes' song, "Please Mr. Postman," was the first Motown record to reach the number one position on Billboard's Hot 100 pop singles chart in 1961. They played a huge role in the development of the Motown sound, a branch of soul music that featured more sophisticated arrangements and orchestration than the grittier Southern soul that contemporaneously flourished at as the Memphis Sound. Yet, despite the considerable acclaim these performers garnered, no Motown act of the 1960s matched the success of the Supremes, a girl group that scored number-one hits with Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, Come See About Me (all 1964), Stop! Suggestions for adaption include: limit the number research sources resources students view; print resources and highlight relevant information. how did motown records achieve crossover success? 2. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. -Her voice sounds soulful and powerful. Which phrase best describes the role of the Motown studio musicians? -Their smooth singing style, Why did Afro-American audiences often prefer southern soul over the Motown sound, Were Book T. and the MGs or the Mar-Keys the house band for the Stax label? Motown was known for having it's own sound, the "motown sound." This sound came 1006 Words 5 Pages Decent Essays Motown brought together rhythm-and-blues, gospel, and pop influences as it sought to cross over (i.e., move beyond single-genre listeners) to reach a wide audience that included white teenagers. Second, a new urban dance music, rhythm and blues, was ascendant. Gordy assembled an array of talented local people (many of whom had benefited from the excellent music education program at Detroit public schools in the 1950s) at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, destined to become the most famous address in Detroit. O True Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967 and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland-Dozier-Holland the same year over pay disputes, Gordy began relocating Motown to Los Angeles, California. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included the Supremes (initially including Diana Ross), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5, while Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. Young women raised in public housing projects, like the Supremes, were schooled in the social graces, and chaperones accompanied the package-tour bus cavalcades that brought Motown to other parts of the United States during the companys early years. Explain the strategies the label used to promote its artists and music. What are the 5 characteristics of Motown? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Video: Motown - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia During the 1950s it was possible for a young entrepreneur with an ear for this music to start a moderately successful independent company producing a sound that appealed to young people and inner-city African Americans. How did Motown Records achieve crossover success? how did motown records achieve crossover success How did music bridge differences and cultures in America in the 1960s? Provide details about its founding, the style of music, important people, etc. Marvin Gaye once wryly quipped: It was a loving Gestapo because Berry is a loving cat but it was still the Gestapo. By the 1980s, many of Motowns legends had forged mega-success on other labels, yet there was also a family reunion quality when these stars regrouped in 1983 for a TV special to celebrate Motowns 25th birthday: Yesterday, Today, Forever; this live show was where Michael Jackson debuted his signature move, the moonwalk. What do we learn about Motown Records and its artists? Have students divide up into expert groups corresponding to the numbers they counted off (eg: all the number 1s should work together, etc.). This is our collection of basic interesting facts about Motown Records. Their father, Berry Gordy, Jr., is the Founder and CEO of Motown Records. how did motown records achieve crossover success? How did Motown achieve crossover success? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Motown Records achieved crossover success by breaking down racial prejudice by becoming the most successful independent record company in history and the most successful African-American owned business in America. Though the songs were not overtly political, Motowns popularity contributed to the Civil Rights Movement by achieving crossover success. My boss tried to coerce me into attending the company picnic by (a) In the chart, record an example of each rhetorical device as it appears in the speech. The company operated several labels in addition to the Tamla and Motown imprints. Listen to several Aretha Franklin hits. Motown had done something that hadn't been done before. Thanks to its popularity, African-American songs and faces entered the homes of every American in the country, regardless of race. Updates? Its legacy is very apparent this is music thats played at every wedding, and in every shop and restaurant and there are also millions of young people discovering its songs every day. This gave Black listeners great clout as consumers and made it possible for Black record company owners to market their wares directly to this growing audience. By 1967, Motowns success was booming; Fortune magazine ran a feature about The Motown Sound of Money, with writer Stanley H Brown highlighting Gordys ability to build and direct a highly sophisticated enterprise to release hit records almost as a matter of course, and to do the job in a firm, businesslike manner without interfering with the creative flow., Gordys production line approach was influenced by his time working in the automobile factories of Detroit. charted (lead sheets) horn sections Provide details about its founding, the style of music, the important people, etc. Is Motown considered a music genre? - Quora The styles and intent of Classical and Hellenistic sculpture are very different. By the middle of the decade, Gwen and Anna Gordy had joined the label in administrative positions as well. A. In 1959, not long after recording Robinsons group, the Miracles, for New York-based End Records and establishing Jobete Publishing Company, Gordy began Motown Records (its name derived from Detroits nickname, Motor City). Many of Motowns best-known songs, including all the early hits for the Supremes, were written by the songwriting trio of HollandDozierHolland (Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland). The Motown Sound is widely regarded as being the pop, R&B, and soul music of the 1960s. Please note that this site uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse web traffic. how did motown records achieve crossover success? Not only did Motowns acts become famous but its songwriters and producers also became household, or at least familiar, names. The day would start with a 9am quality control meeting, in which songwriters and producers (sometimes theyd be one and the same) would listen to each others songs and critique them. I wanted songs for the whites, blacks, the Jews, Gentiles I wanted everybody to enjoy my music, Gordy told The Telegraph newspaper in 2016. The groups glamorous lead singer, Diana Ross, went on to a remarkable solo career as a singer and a moderately successful career as an actress. Its first hit was Barrett Strongs Money (Thats What I Want) (1959), which made it to number 2 on the Billboard R&B charts (released nationally on Anna Records). Top artists on the Motown label during that period included the Supremes (initially including Diana Ross), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5, while Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. Were there any downsides to Motowns success? Detectlves . Briefly describe this gift. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. The company gave its name to the hugely popular style of soul music that it created. Aretha Franklin | Biography, Songs, Albums, & Facts | Britannica The 1960s were the decade of Motown's greatest success, with many of its artists achieving crossover success on the pop charts. Their first release, Got a Job, was an answer record to the Silhouettes Get a Job (issued on George Goldners End Records). After Gordy purchased that first Detroit property, he converted the garage into a small recording studio and the kitchen into the control room. https://youtu.be/g2X_t_nyYKY "Don't Let him Shop Around" In 1959 Berry Gordy Jr borrowed $800 from his . Bassist Steve Fishman was excited to find a beat-up Ampeg B-15 amp with a name stenciled on the side: James Jamerson. Though Jamersons name isnt known to many outside the music industry, his bass playing was the backbone of that funky Motown sound that drove Motowns musicians into mainstream popularity in the 1960s. 4 What was quality control for Motown Records? Explain the strategies the label used to promote its artists and music. It created a bond that echoed throughout the world., Motown: The Sound of Young AmericabyAdam White with Barney Ales is out now, published by Thames & Hudson. What year did Motown Records sign its 1st white artist? - Quora The Motown Record company also had a gaming division in the 1990s that published only 2 games: Bb's Kids and Rap Jam: Volume One - source. Discuss how Motown Records contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Related Episode: Motown Amp Investigation. Pop production techniques such as the use of orchestral string sections, charted horn sections, and carefully arranged background vocals were also used. Explanation: Advertisement Motown enjoyed its greatest success between 1965 and 1968, when it dominated the Billboard charts. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (A) examined in detail How did Motown record achieve crossover success? Were there any downsides to Motown's success? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Explain the strategies the label used to promote its artists and music.