Berry Gordy
The founder of Motown Berry Gordy Jr, was
born in Detroit Michigan in November 1929
and was one of eight children. His father
Berry Sr. and mother Bertha Gordy had moved
to Detroit from Georgia in 1922. Berry Sr.
ran a plastering contracting business and
his mother was in Insurance and Real Estate.
On leaving school, Berry Jr. became a boxer
and even fought on the same card as Joe Louis.
He was drafted into the army and fought in
the Korean War. When he returned to Detroit
he opened the 3Drecord Mart which ceased
trading a few years later. During this time
he married Thelma Coleman and took a job
working at the Detroit Ford Mercury Plant.
While at the Ford Plant he began writing
songs with his first success in 1957 being
"Reet Petite,” recorded by Jackie
Wilson. The next year he also wrote "Lonely
Teardrops" for Wilson.
Gordy was in attendance at an audition that
Wilsons manager, Nat Tarnopol was holding
with the Matadors. Although the group were
unsuccessful with Tarnopol, Gordy liked them
a lot and formed a friendship with the lead
singer Smokey Robinson. They changed their
name from the Matadors to the Miracles and
came under Gordy's management. Gordy
produced the Miracles 1958 single "Got
A Job" which was released on End Records.
In 1959 he started his own publishing company
Jobete Publishing. The company was named
after his three children, Hazel Joy, Berry
and Terry. The company became one of the
most powerful in the music business.
He borrowed money from the family loan fund
and his own label Tamla Records was born.
In Jan 1960 he purchased 2648 W. Grand Blvd
Detroit which was to become the company's
first headquarters. The basement was to become
a studio and a sign was hung outside the
front saying HITSVILLE USA. Over the next
few years he put together a list of artists
who were to become major recording stars
in future years. In 1962, he held a Motown
Revue at New York’s Apollo Theatre.
The show was a success and Berry had proved
to the music industry that Motown was going
to be a major force in the business.
In the mid 70's Motown moved from Detroit
to California and in doing so Motown started
to suffer defections, as it's artists
moved to other record companies, The Four
Tops signed with ABC/Dunhill, Gladys Knight
& The Pips to Buddah, Michael Jackson
and the Jackson 5 went to Epic and the Temptations
to Atlantic. The company was still regarded
as an important independent record company
with Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder,
The Commodores and Rick James. Then in the
early 80's Motown started to struggle,
Diana Ross signed with RCA ( Capitol in the
UK) and Marvin Gaye moved to Columbia. (Chart
entries in the UK on CBS) In the mid 80's,
The Temptations and The Four Tops returned
to Motown.
In 1988 Berry Gordy sold Motown Records to
MCA and Boston Ventures for $61m. Boston
Ventures then bought MCA’s share of
the company and then sold Motown Records
to Polygram for around $325m.
Berry Gordy was inducted into the Rock &
Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990. 
