Berry Gordy,Jr was born to a business-oriented, middle-class family, November 28,1929, in Detroit Michigan. He was the seventh of the eight children of Berry Gordy, Sr-a contractor- and Bertha Fuller Gordy-an insurance agent.
Berry showed interest in music at a young age, but had very little music training other than piano lessons and clairinet,very breifly. Berry dropped out of Detroit’s Northeastern High School in his junior year to persue a career in boxing. He did very well, winning twelve of the fifteen matches he fought in. However,his career was short-lived as he was drafted into the Korean War.
When he returned in 1953, he married Thelma Coleman and used the money he saved during his service to open a record shop called 3-D Record Mart. Unfortunately,the business failed. However, through family connections, he met the owner of a talent club who introduced him to Jackie Wilson.
Jackie Wilson recorded a song called “Reet Petit” written by Gordy and his sister,Gwen. It became a modest hit in the U.S and a huge hit in the U.K. .He also wrote Wilson’s chart-topper,”Lonely Teardrops” and “All I Could Do Was Cry” for Etta James over at the Chess record label.He soon realized that he would make more money not writing the songs, but owning them. His friend, William “Smokey” Robinson” suggested he borrow money from his father to open his own record label,Tamla Records.It was headquarted in Detroit’s West Grand Boulevard. After a couple of hits were picked up by other,larger labels, Tamla Records became Motown Records.
The labe’ls first biggest hits included Barrett Strong’s “Money(That’s What I Want)”, The Miracles(featuring his friend and songwriter,Smokey Robinson)”Shop Around” and The Marvellettes,”Please Mr. Postman”. Motown’s first big star was Mary Wells, who provided such chart-topping and money-making hits as “You Beat Me To The Punch”,Two Lovers” and the huge hit “My Guy”.
Throughout the decades, Berry has wtritten for, recorded, produced and gave fame to so many wonderful R&B acts including The Temptations,Martha Reeves and The Vandellas The Four Tops,Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles,The Supremes,Gladys Knight and The Pips, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five and later The Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie, Boys II Men and too many more to mention.
During the 70’s, Gordy moved the label out to Los Angeles. There was dissenion amongst some the current and former artists on his label. He had a reputation for unfair business practices. Soon, some of his top artist began signing with other predominate record labels where they could make more money and have more artistic freedom. In 1988, Berry Gordy sold Motown to MCA for $61,000,000. Also ,in 1988, Gordy was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Why do I love Berry Gordy? One word-Motown! Need I say more? If I were stuck on a deserted island and could only have one genre of music with me, it would be the complete Motown collection. I can’t imagine life without the tunes of Motown in my ears,my mind and my soul. Thank you, Berry Gordy, Jr!