The Guardian dives into Motown's 50-year anniversary dedicating a short
three part beautifully done video series on the record label, its
music, and the city.
Excerpt:
'It' is the converted garage of a small frame house at 2648 West
Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan. Detroit being the home of the
automobile, it's only appropriate that this story should revolve around
a garage. This is the Motor City, and the house, christened Hitsville
USA, is the birthplace of Motown Records. The garage at the rear is
Studio A, one of the most revered recording studios in history.
It
was in this room that Barrett Strong, on Motown's first national hit,
declared 'Money (That's What I Want)', where Smokey Robinson cried his
'Tears of a Clown', the Four Tops promised 'Reach Out, I'll Be There',
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas sent a call out around the world,
asking 'are you ready for a brand new beat?' and Diana Ross and the
Supremes demanded 'Stop! In the Name of Love'. It was within these four
walls that little Stevie Wonder recorded his first songs and, later, as
the Sixties faded, Marvin Gaye asked 'What's Going On?'.
Read the entire story
here.
Click to watch videos
one,
two, and
three.
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